Fun Facts About Maryland’s Legislative Session (You Might Not Learn in Civics Class)

Every year, the Maryland General Assembly convenes for 90 fast-paced days of lawmaking that shape everything from school funding and transportation to housing and public safety.

But beyond the hearings, deadlines, and budget debates, the legislative session also comes with its own traditions, quirks, and inside baseball moments. Here are a few fun, and sometimes surprising, facts about Maryland’s legislative session that even seasoned Annapolis watchers still smile about.

“Sine Die” is NOT “Sign Die” (You Might Hear That Anyway)

The General Assembly adjourns each year at midnight on the 90th day, a moment officially known as sine die, a Latin phrase meaning “without day,” as in, no date set to return. Despite its centuries-old origins, the phrase is frequently mispronounced and should in most circumstances would actually be pronounced as the Latin “si-ne di-eh.” Common variations you might hear in Annapolis include:

  • “Sign die”
  • “Sin day”
  • “Seen die”

Correct pronunciation?
“SIGH-knee DYE”

No matter how it’s said, sine die marks the dramatic end of session, when unfinished bills officially die, the curtains lower and confetti falls, and hardworking lawmakers finally go home.

The Session Is Constitutionally Locked at 90 Days… No Extensions… Mostly

Unlike Congress, Maryland’s Constitution strictly limits the General Assembly to 90 days. When the clock strikes midnight on the final day, the session ends immediately, whether lawmakers are finished or not.

This hard stop explains:

  • Late-night floor sessions
  • Bills moving at lightning speed in March
  • The intense scramble before crossover and sine die

When time runs out, it runs out, even if debate is still ongoing. The only exception is… if the General Assembly has not passed an operating budget for the year ahead, they cannot leave town, and an extended session immediately resumes for that purpose. It’s been since 1992 that Maryland saw that situation. (ask our Director Michael Sanderson about that year, sometime)

“Crossover” Is Not a Dance Move, It’s a Deadline

On the 69th day of each session, Maryland hits crossover, the deadline by which a bill must pass its chamber of origin (House or Senate) to have a realistic path forward, and avoid unwanted obstacles toward passage.

Bills that miss crossover aren’t technically dead, but statistically, their chances drop sharply. That’s why, in the days leading up to “crossover” we’ll see:

  • Committees work late
  • Floor sessions are often long, and sometimes more than once per day
  • Amendments fly to put bills into position to get support
  • Calendars get crowded fast

For county advocates, and all stakeholders, crossover week is often the most intense stretch of session.

Budget Bills Are…Different

While most legislation must pass both chambers by sine die, the budget bill follows special rules.

Maryland’s budget process includes:

  • The Governor’s introduced operating budget – constitutionally it’s just a one-year spending plan, and cannot make changes to statutes
  • An especially detailed agency-by-agency review by both chambers of the General Assembly (the Senate “goes first” this year, and will pass their plan)
  • A separate Budget Reconciliation and Financing Act (BRFA) – making statutory and administrative changes that cannot be part of the budget bill

Because the budget is constitutionally required, it often continues moving even as other bills stall or fall away, making it one of the most powerful vehicles for policy changes and cost shifts affecting counties. Most fiscal matters that affect counties are actually part of the BRFA bill, since they amend statutory formulas, and the like.

Annapolis Has Its Own Calendar (and Vocabulary)

During session, time is measured less by dates and more by phrases like:

  • “Before bill introduction”
  • “After crossover”
  • “During the 80s”
  • “In conference”

And if someone says:

  • “It’s a House bill” → expect a different path than a Senate bill
  • “It’s a departmental” → negotiations are already underway
  • “It’s in Rules” → could be a final resting place … or not

It’s a language all its own, and one counties learn quickly.

Midnight Votes Are a Feature, Not a Mistake

Major bills often pass:

  • Late at night
  • After hours of debate
  • With lawmakers running on coffee and pure adrenaline

Voting after 11:00 p.m. isn’t unusual, especially in the final week. In fact, some of the session’s most consequential decisions are made minutes before the Monday midnight sine die bells ring.

If a Bill Dies One Year…It Often Comes Back

Bills that fail one year often return the next, sometimes:

  • Renamed
  • Amended
  • Reworked through task forces, commissions, or stakeholder compromises

For counties, this means legislative advocacy is rarely one-and-done. Many issues require multi-year engagement, relationship-building, and steady education.

If you would like your county featured in Fun Facts, please get in touch with Shantelle Malcolm-Lym at shantelleml@mdcounties.org.