Put shortly, a bill is drafted and then introduced in either the House or Senate. There, it will go to a committee or subcommittee for an initial review and vote. If the legislation “makes it out” of the committee, it is then discussed and voted on by the entire chamber. A bill must make its way through this process for both chambers. If passed in both the House and Senate, it passes on to the Governor. The Governor then has 30 days to sign, amend, or veto the bill.

For more information on this process, click here.

This year’s crossover deadline is Wednesday February 18, 2026.

The letters have to do with the type of legislation introduced and the chamber of the General Assembly where it was introduced. Most are designated as “HB” (House Bill) or “SB” (Senate Bill). A “J” indicates the legislation is a Joint Resolution, and an “R” indicates it is a Resolution.

Sometimes, a similar (or exact copy) bill will be introduced in the House and Senate as a matter of strategy. If only one passes, it stands. If both pass, they are reconciled before the final vote.

A Patron is the person who formally introduced the legislation in either the House or Senate. Though the legislation is typically crafted by a team, one person - the patron - is the one legislator who is the person responsible for the legislation.

There are many reasons legislation can fail. For example;

• It can be revoked by its patron,

• It can be defeated by vote in a subcommittee, committee, or on the floor,

• It can be “passed over” or “put on the shelf” for a later session,

• It can get “stuck” in committee and not make it out to the chamber for a vote before the switch, or

• It can be vetoed by the Governor.

With over 2,500 bills introduced this session, it is impossible for us to track each one. We looked through each and identified those most relevant to our work at the Institute and within the Lab. Those most relevant to mental health, public health, decision-making, and relevant legal issues are listed below.