Everything You Need to Know About Pre-Filing Before the 2025 State Sessions

Most state legislatures are adjourned for the year, but that doesn’t mean you have to sit on your hands while you wait for the 2025 legislative sessions to start. In many states, you can use this time to pre-file bills — that is, to file a bill early so it’s ready to be introduced from the first day of session.

Pre-filing helps you keep up the momentum of your advocacy efforts by completing your paperwork early. It’s an excellent tool for government affairs and advocacy professionals to get ahead and give their issues a greater chance of being heard next session.

Every state’s approach to pre-filing is different; some enforce strict pre-filing deadlines while others allow a broader pre-filing window. Here’s an overview of the basic pre-filing timelines in every state.

Which States Allow Pre-Filing?

While most states allow pre-filing, there are several that don’t. The states that do not practice pre-filing are: California, Connecticut, Idaho, Massachusetts, Michigan, North Carolina, Nebraska, Ohio, Wisconsin, and the District of Columbia. In addition, Minnesota only allows pre-filing before even-numbered year sessions, and so will not be accepting pre-filed bills this year.

All other states will allow bill pre-filing before their 2025 legislative sessions.

Biennial vs. Annual Legislatures

Some states have pre-filing dates that are consistent year to year, while in others, the rules differ depending on whether it’s an odd-numbered or even-numbered year.

Those that change each year do so because they operate according to a biennium (two-year) legislative schedule, as opposed to an annual (one-year) schedule. Some biennial legislatures do keep the same pre-filing dates every year, but many change their practices depending on which year of a biennium it is.

Regardless of whether pre-filing schedules change or not, knowing the type of legislature you’re working with can help you determine how to approach pre-filed bills.

Which states have a biennial legislative schedule?

Most states that operate on a biennium basis swear in new legislatures in odd-numbered years. These legislatures will convene in 2025 and carry over to 2026.

• Alaska
• California
• Delaware
• Georgia
• Hawaii
• Illinois
• Iowa
• Kansas
• Maine
• Massachusetts
• Michigan
• Minnesota
• Nebraska
• New Hampshire
• New York
• North Carolina
• Ohio
• Oklahoma
• Pennsylvania
• South Carolina
• Tennessee
• Vermont
• Washington
• West Virginia
• Wisconsin
• District of Columbia

Two states convene biennial legislatures in even-numbered years and carry them over into odd-numbered years:

• New Jersey
• Virginia

Which states have an annual legislative schedule?

All other states hold annual legislatures, meaning they swear in a new legislature every year they hold a session.

• Alabama
• Arizona
• Arkansas
• Colorado
• Connecticut
• Florida
• Idaho
• Indiana
• Kentucky
• Louisiana
• Maryland
• Mississippi
• Missouri
• Montana
• Nevada
• New Mexico
• North Dakota
• Oregon
• Rhode Island
• South Dakota
• Texas
• Utah
• Wyoming

Pre-File Start Dates for 2024-2025

Some states allow incumbents who will be part of the 2025 legislature to pre-file bills at any point between the end of one legislative session and the beginning of the next. These are:

• Alabama
• Louisiana
• Mississippi
• Montana

Additionally, Utah allows pre-filing to begin 60 days after the end of a session.

2024 is an election year, and many states will open pre-filing as soon as their election results are certified. These states are:

• Arizona
• Delaware
• Kansas
• Nevada
• Tennessee
• Vermont
• Wyoming

The remaining states that allow pre-filing will begin accepting bills on specific dates. For 2024 and into 2025, these dates are:

July

• Virginia - July 15

September

• New Hampshire - Sept. 3 (house incumbents only)
• Oregon - Sept. 27

November

• Maryland - Nov. 1
• New Hampshire - Nov. 6 (house only)
• Texas - Nov. 11
• Arkansas - Nov. 15
• Georgia - Nov. 15
• New Jersey - Nov. 15
• New York - Nov. 15
• Oklahoma - Nov. 15
• Rhode Island - Nov. 15
• Illinois - Nov. 30

December

• Missouri - Dec. 1
• Colorado - Dec. 2
• North Dakota - Dec. 2
• Washington - Dec. 2
• West Virginia - Dec. 9
• Pennsylvania - Dec. 15
• South Dakota - Dec. 15

January

• New Mexico - Jan. 2
• Hawaii - Jan. 8

At the time of writing, several states have not finalized their 2024 pre-file start dates. These states are: Florida, Iowa, Indiana, Maine, New Hampshire (senate only), and South Carolina. Information about Kentucky's pre-filing procedures could not be obtained.

Pre-Filing Deadlines for 2024-2025

Most states that practice pre-filing allow lawmakers to pre-file bills until the start of the next legislative session. However, many enforce specific deadlines.

The following deadlines will be in place for pre-filing ahead of the 2025 session:

• Maryland - Nov. 20
• New Hampshire - Nov. 22 (house only)
• Utah - Dec. 1
• Oregon - Dec. 13
• North Dakota - Dec. 20
• Colorado - Jan. 3
• New Jersey - Jan. 6
• Georgia - Jan. 10
• Kansas - Jan. 10
• New Mexico - Jan. 17
• Louisiana - Apr. 4

The Alaska legislature and Delaware House release pre-filed bills on two specific days, each of which has its own deadline. In Alaska, the pre-file release days are January 10h and 17, and bill submission deadlines are January 7 and 14, respectively. The pre-file release days for the Delaware house are December 19 and January 9, and bills must be submitted on the Wednesday preceding these dates.

All other states that practice pre-filing either accept bills continuously until the start of the 2025 session or do not have publicly available information on pre-filing deadlines.

Pre-Filing Nuances to Know

Just as every state has different rules for when pre-filing occurs, they also have different procedures for how pre-filing happens. State-to-state nuances impact factors like who can pre-file bills, what types of bills can be pre-filed, and the number of bills a member can pre-file.

Some states also have deadlines for when drafts can be requested ahead of pre-filing, while others do not. And while most states enforce the same pre-filing schedules for both the house and senate, a handful allow each chamber to set their own timelines.

Use this resource as a guide to help you schedule your pre-filing strategy, but be sure to study the rules of the specific chamber you hope to pre-file a bill in before acting. It pays to know the nuances of the legislature you're working with.

Why Monitor Pre-Filed Bills?

Most states that allow pre-filing also make information on pre-filed bills available. This means you can get ahead on tracking bills, too.

Whether or not you're currently working on specific legislation, understanding pre-filing timelines can give you an advantage during the upcoming legislative session. It lets you keep tabs on what's coming down the pipeline so you can develop a strategy and discuss issues with policymakers ahead of the busy legislative season.

Staying engaged during pre-filing periods gives you more time to investigate proposals and connect with elected officials. If you manage to get legislation pre-filed, it also gives you more time to get that legislation seen and make efforts to advance it. Minority parties advancing issues unlikely to be introduced in the legislature can use pre-filing to garner some media attention around a cause.

For all these reasons, monitoring pre-filed bills is arguably as important as monitoring bills filed during the legislative session. Understanding the pre-filing periods in your states of interest and using a state legislative tracking tool will help you ensure you can act on pre-filed bills as soon as they're submitted.