How Many Bills Could We See in the 2026 Session?

How Many Bills Could We See in the 2026 Session? By Chris Micheli

            As we know, last December, the California State Assembly and Senate, in their respective house rules, reduced the limit on bill introductions by legislators for the biennium session. How will these limits impact 2026 bill introductions in the California Legislature?

            Based upon the current number of bill introductions, we could see the same number of bills next year as we did this year. However, the historical trend has always been a reduction in bills introduced in the second year of the California Legislative Session.

            By way of background, here are the two respective house rules with a brief explanation of each:

Assembly Rule 49

Limitation on the Introduction of Bills

49.(a) A Member may introduce not more than 35 bills in the regular session. As used in this rule, “bill” includes a constitutional amendment, but does not include a concurrent or joint resolution.

(b) This rule may be suspended with respect to a particular bill by approval of the Committee on Rules.

Commentary: While Assembly Members are capped at introducing no more than 35 bills in a regular session (which does not include any bills introduced in an extraordinary or special session), this cap does not include resolutions, but it does include constitutional amendments. In addition, a Member can seek a rule suspension to go above the cap and receive approval by the Rules Committee. As opposed to the Senate, this cap does not include “subsequently authored bills,” which means a Member at his or her cap can “take over” a colleague’s bill, or have a colleague introduce a bill, and then take it over. There is a separate Rule for authorship of committee bills.

Senate Rule 22.5

Bill Introduction Limitation

22.5.(a) A Member of the Senate may introduce or subsequently author not more than 35 bills in the regular session.

(b) This rule may be suspended with respect to a particular bill by approval of the Committee on Rules.

(c) This rule does not apply to a constitutional amendment, any type of resolution, or a bill introduced by a committee.

Commentary: While Senators are capped at introducing no more than 35 bills in a regular session (which does not include any bills introduced in an extraordinary or special session), this cap does not include resolutions or constitutional amendments. In addition, a Senator can seek a rule suspension to go above the cap and receive approval by the Rules Committee. As opposed to the Assembly, this cap includes “subsequently authored bills,” which means a Senator at his or her cap cannot “take over” a colleague’s bill, or have a colleague introduce a bill, and then take it over.

            With the current bill limit at 35 bills per 2-year Session, and with 120 legislators, there is a maximum number of 4,200 bills for introduction (1,400 SBs and 2,800 ABs). Note this does not include committee bills.

In the State Senate, the average number of bills that can be introduced in 2026 per Senator is 16.75. The total number of remaining Senate Bills that can be introduced in the 2026 Session is 670.

Because the total number of SBs introduced in 2025 was 730 (for legislators), in 2026, the total number of SBs that can be introduced is 670. So, there could be 60 fewer SBs introduced in 2026 than in 2025, although that is not the historical trend.

            In the State Assembly, the average number of bills that can be introduced in 2026 per Assembly Member is 17.9. The total number of remaining Assembly Bills that can be introduced in the 2026 Session is 1,434.

Because the total number of ABs introduced in 2025 was 1,366 (for legislators), in 2026, the total number of ABs that can be introduced is 1,434. So, there could be 68 more ABs introduced in 2026 than in 2025, although that is not the historical trend.

As a result of this data, we could see the same or fewer number of bills in the 2026 Session than we did in the just-concluded 2025 Legislative Session in California.

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