State legislatures have been exceptionally active in 2024, compensating for the slower pace of the US Congress. This article, based on the data from the Quorum 2024 State Legislative Trends Report, dives into the pivotal trends, statistics, and notable legislative activities across the United States.

Overview of Legislative Activity

From January 1 to June 30, 2024, state legislatures introduced 76,756 bills and enacted 14,088. This year saw a slight increase in legislative activity compared to previous even-numbered years, with a 1.4 percent rise in the number of bills introduced compared to 2022.

Due to election cycles and other political factors, even-numbered years typically see fewer bills than odd-numbered years. However, the steady increase in legislative activity highlights the growing workload for state legislators.

Trends in Bill Volume

Bill Introduction Trends (2020-2024)

• 2020: 73,250 bills
• 2021: 117,188 bills
• 2022: 75,675 bills
• 2023: 121,537 bills
• 2024: 76,756 bills

States with Major Swings in Bill Introduction:

• Florida: The Sunshine State saw the most significant reduction in bills introduced, with a 50.8 percent decrease from 3,596 bills in 2022 to 1,795 in 2024. Unlike the three special sessions in 2022, the absence of special sessions in 2023 and 2024 contributed to this decline.
• New Jersey: The Garden State saw the most significant increase in bills introduced, from 8,031 in 2022 to 8,758 in 2024.
• South Carolina: The Palmetto state noted a significant increase, introducing 63 percent more bills in 2024 compared to 2022, jumping from 424 to 693.

Bill Passage Rates

States with Low Bill Passage Rates

• Ohio: The state legislature passed only 13 bills out of hundreds introduced, reflecting a low passage rate despite meeting year-round.
• Alaska: By May 2024, it had enacted just ten bills, consistent with its historical trend of passing fewer than 40 bills per session.
• Minnesota: Only 0.37 percent of its introduced bills passed, with 41 out of 10,947. Political dynamics reportedly influenced this low rate.

States with High Bill Passage Rates

• Arkansas: The state enacted an impressive 98 percent of its introduced bills.
• Colorado and Utah: Both states maintained high passage rates, with Colorado enacting 73.91 percent and Utah enacting 62 percent of introduced bills.

What About Maryland?

Maryland General Assembly: 2020 – 2024

2020 Regular Session

In 2020, the Maryland General Assembly introduced 2,762 bills and enacted 635, resulting in a passage rate of approximately 23 percent. The disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic impacted the legislative process, leading to a moderately efficient session under challenging circumstances.

2021 Regular Session

The 2021 regular session saw a reduction in the number of bills introduced compared to 2020, with 2,359 bills. However, the passage rate improved significantly to nearly 33 percent, with 771 bills enacted.

2022 Regular Session

In 2022, the Maryland General Assembly introduced 2,517 bills and enacted 776, achieving a passage rate of approximately 31 percent.

2023 Regular Session

The 2023 session introduced fewer bills at 2,284 but achieved a higher passage rate of over 35 percent, with 804 bills enacted.

2024 Regular Session

In 2024, the number of bills introduced rose to 2,728, with a significant increase in the passage rate to over 38 percent, resulting in 1,048 bills enacted. This year marks the highest efficiency in terms of passage rate over the five years.

Note: The data in this article covers legislative activity and dialogue from January 1 to June 30, 2024. In addition, the dataset includes resolutions in bill totals. Read Quorum’s 2024 State Legislative Trends Report for more information.