Maryland General Assembly 2027: Jan. 13 to April 12 Session

The Maryland General Assembly convenes in Annapolis at noon on Wednesday, Jan. 13, 2027, and adjourns sine die on Monday, April 12, according to the Maryland Department of Legislative Services (DLS). The Maryland State Archives’ Maryland Manual Online lists the 451st session as running “January 13 - April 12, 2027.” The DLS “Dates of Interest” sheet, stamped Sept. 8, 2026, numbers every day of the 90-day session.

Maryland General Assembly 2027 session dates by legislative day

Jan. 13 is legislative day 1 and April 12 is day 90, so weekends count. The table repeats the DLS wording, with capitals lowered where DLS prints them; the day numbers are DLS’s where it prints them.

Date	Weekday	Day	What happens (DLS wording)
Nov. 20, 2026	Friday	before	“Deadline for Requesting Bills for Prefile”
Dec. 10, 2026	Thursday	before	“Deadline for Introduction of Bills for Prefile”
Jan. 13, 2027	Wednesday	1	General Assembly convenes (noon, Wednesday)
Jan. 20	Wednesday	8	“Inauguration of the Governor and the Lieutenant Governor (Wednesday)”
Jan. 22	Friday	10	“Final date for the Governor to introduce budget bill”; also the capital budget bill, the Senate and House bill request guarantee date and the final date for executive orders reorganizing the Executive Branch
Jan. 25	Monday	13	“Administration bills introduced in the Senate after this date referred to Senate Rules Committee”
Feb. 8	Monday	27	Senate bill introduction date
Feb. 11	Thursday	30	“Day before House Bill Introduction Date; ‘Hopper’ will close at 5:00 P.M.”
Feb. 12	Friday	31	House bill introduction date
Feb. 21	Sunday	40	“‘Green Bag’ appointments submitted by Governor (Delivered on Friday, February 19)”
Mar. 8	Monday	55	“Final date for introduction of bills and LBIs without suspension of the Rules”
Mar. 16	Tuesday	63	“Committee Reporting Courtesy Date”
Mar. 22	Monday	69	“Opposite Chamber Bill Crossover Date”
Apr. 5	Monday	83	“Budget bill to be passed by both Chambers”
Apr. 12	Monday	90	Adjournment sine die (Monday)
May 2	Sunday	after	“20th Day after adjournment — Final date for presentment of bills to the Governor”
May 12	Wednesday	after	“Final date for an extended session”

LBIs are legislative bond initiatives. The State of the State Address (at noon) and the election of the State Treasurer are listed as to be determined, so the date is not yet set.

When are Maryland bills due for introduction?

Senate bills introduced after Monday, Feb. 8 (day 27) are referred to the Senate Rules Committee. House bills introduced after Friday, Feb. 12 (day 31) are referred to the House Rules and Executive Nominations Committee. The DLS sheet cites Senate Rule 32(b) and House Rule 32(b) for those two referrals. The House “hopper” closes at 5:00 p.m. on Thursday, Feb. 11, the day before.

Bills can still be introduced after those dates only with the rules suspended, up to Monday, March 8 (day 55), when DLS lists the “final date for introduction of bills and LBIs without suspension of the Rules.” That follows Article III, Section 27, which bars introducing a bill “during the last thirty-five calendar days” without suspension.

What is the Maryland crossover date in 2027?

The crossover date is Monday, March 22, 2027 (day 69). DLS describes it this way: “Each Chamber to send to other Chamber those bills it intends to pass favorably.” Two weeks later, on Monday, April 5 (day 83), the budget bill is to pass both chambers. Sine die follows a week after that.

How does Maryland’s 2027 calendar compare with 2026?

The DLS 2026 sheet for the 449th session and the Maryland Manual give “January 14 - April 13, 2026.” Every main date in 2027 is one day earlier on the calendar.

Milestone	2026	2027
General Assembly convenes	Wed., Jan. 14	Wed., Jan. 13
Senate bill introduction	Feb. 9	Mon., Feb. 8
House bill introduction	Feb. 13	Fri., Feb. 12
Day 55, introduction without suspension	Mar. 9	Mon., Mar. 8
Crossover	Mar. 23	Mon., Mar. 22
Sine die	Mon., Apr. 13	Mon., Apr. 12

The budget deadline also moves. In 2026 the rule was the third Wednesday in January, Jan. 21, 2026. For 2027 DLS lists Friday, Jan. 22 as the final date for the Governor to introduce the budget bill.

Why does the session open on Jan. 13 and last 90 days?

The DLS sheet quotes Article III, Section 14 of the Maryland Constitution, which has the General Assembly convene on the “second Wednesday of January.” Article III, Section 15(1) sets a session of “not longer than ninety days,” which the General Assembly or the Governor can extend by up to thirty days. DLS lists May 12 as the final date for an extended session. The Governor’s term commences “on the third Wednesday of January next ensuing his election” (Article II, Section 1), which gives Wednesday, Jan. 20 for the inauguration, as DLS lists. A newly elected Governor must submit the budget “not later than ten days after the convening of the General Assembly” (Article III, Section 52(3)); DLS gives Jan. 22 as the final date.

What happens after sine die?

Under Article III, Section 30, bills must be presented to the Governor “no later than 20 days after adjournment,” which DLS puts at Sunday, May 2. After that, DLS lists:

Date	What takes effect
Tue., June 1	Earliest date for non-emergency bills to take effect
Thu., July 1	“Budgetary, tax, and revenue bills to take effect”
Fri., Oct. 1	“Usual effective date for bills”

When can bills be prefiled for 2027?

DLS’s prefiling sheet sets two dates before the session: “Friday, November 20, 2026 – Deadline for Requesting Bills for Prefile” and “Thursday, December 10, 2026 – Deadline for Introduction of Bills for Prefile.” Both fall weeks before the session opens on Wednesday, Jan. 13.

Print the Maryland General Assembly 2027 session tracker

The free one-page tracker lists the prefiling deadlines, opening day, bill introduction dates, crossover, sine die and the post-session effective dates, each with a box to check off. Pair it with a January 2027 calendar or a yearly calendar. Another legislature that opens the same day is covered in the Virginia General Assembly 2027 session, and for Texas see the 2027 bill-filing deadlines.

Not yet announced: the date of the State of the State Address.