The next legislative session will open on Monday, January 14, 2002. Please pray for the CWA of Washington leadership as we assess what priorities we will take into the upcoming session. Together, these two chambers, the House and Senate, make up the Washington State Legislature. Washington state legislator elections are held in even-numbered years.
Senators serve overlapping terms, so half the state senate is elected every two years.
The Legislature's cycle is two years long within which are regular and extraordinary, or special sessions to create new laws, change existing laws, and enact budgets for the State. Regular sessions are mandated by the State Constitution and begin the second Monday in January each year. Extraordinary sessions are called by the Governor to address specific issues, usually the budget. The two-year cycle can include any number of extraordinary sessions and they can last no more than 30 days. The state of Washington has 9 congressional districts for representation on the federal level.