Legal Definitions - special session

A special session is a meeting of a legislative body that is called outside of its regular schedule. It is usually called to address a specific issue or emergency situation that cannot wait until the next regular session.

• The governor of a state may call a special session of the state legislature to address a budget crisis.
• The mayor of a city may call a special session of the city council to address a public safety issue.

These examples illustrate how a special session is used to address urgent matters that cannot wait until the next regular session. It allows the legislative body to focus on a specific issue and take action quickly.