The 82nd Legislature
Convenes at noon Jan. 11Adjourns May 30What to watch for: Lawmakers have 140 days to tackle a host of demands, notably the budget and redistricting, raising a strong possibility that the governor will have to call lawmakers back for at least one, if not several, special sessions to get the job done.The House:150 membersRepublicans: 101Democrats: 49What to watch for: Republicans are at the height of power since taking control of the chamber in 2003. After clinging to a precarious 76-74 majority in 2009, they now control two-thirds of the seats in the House, a "super-majority" that empowers them to ram through conservative priorities such as voter identification, toughened immigration enforcement and a no-tax balanced budget that could sharply pare back state services.The Senate:31 membersRepublicans: 19Democrats: 12What to watch for: There are only two new members after the Nov. 2 elections and the partisan makeup remains unchanged from 2009. Democrats still have the 11 votes to block legislation under a rule that requires a two-thirds vote to consider bills. Some Republicans would like to dismantle the rule to give House-passed bills clear sailing in the Senate.Have more to add? News tip? Tell us
