Maryland Gov. Wes Moore has called state lawmakers back to Annapolis on Tuesday to elect a new speaker of the Maryland House of Delegates.

But that won’t be the only action at the State House once the General Assembly gavels to order.

Here’s a rundown of how a special session works and what to expect.

Why will there be a special session?

Typically, the 188-seat Maryland General Assembly is in session for 90 days per year, from January into April. But special sessions have been called outside of those months for many reasons.

In this case, the House of Delegates is without a leader, as Del. Adrienne A. Jones stepped down as speaker on Dec. 4. She’s planning to remain as a delegate representing western Baltimore County.

Del. Dana Stein, the speaker pro tempore, has been leading the House since Jones stepped back.

But lawmakers want to install a permanent speaker quickly, and ahead of their next regular session that starts Jan. 14.

Democrats who hold a supermajority in the House have settled on Del. Joseline Peña-Melnyk of Prince George’s County as their pick for speaker. The House Democratic caucus will take a closed-door vote at 10 a.m. on Tuesday, followed by a full vote in the House of Delegates chamber.

Will the session be limited to only the speaker vote?

Delegates and senators — yes, they’re being called in, too — are legally required to consider bills from their last session that Gov. Wes Moore vetoed. They will choose which vetoes to overturn and which ones they’ll allow to stand.

Be prepared to hear about reparations.

Moore vetoed a bill that would have created a state commission to study how the state could make amends for the effects of slavery and state-sanctioned discrimination. The commission would study a variety of options, from direct payments to individuals to official statements of apology and policy changes.

Moore’s veto put him at odds with the Legislative Black Caucus of Maryland, which pushed for the legislation.

The reparations study is among 30 bills Moore vetoed, including measures to study the state’s energy needs and data centers.

This is the only chance lawmakers have to override the vetoes; they can’t take up veto overrides in future sessions.

Will redistricting be considered?

As states engage in a back-and-forth of partisan gerrymandering for congressional districts, Maryland is not joining in — at least not now.

Senate President Bill Ferguson and House of Delegates Speaker Pro Tempore Dana Stein announced that the special session’s only business will be the speaker election, veto overrides and routine administrative tasks.

Technically speaking, any senator or delegate can propose any bill they wish, whether it’s on redistricting or another matter.

But just because a bill is introduced does not mean that it will be given serious attention.

The General Assembly’s rules only declare that every bill is “considered,” which has been interpreted to mean that each submitted bill is introduced — with no guarantee of a committee hearing or vote.

Stay tuned for a likely debate on redistricting come January.

Why can’t they just wait and elect a House speaker in January?

Peña-Melnyk and her yet-to-be-announced leadership team will want time to prepare for the 2026 General Assembly session.

Once Peña-Melnyk is in the role of speaker, she can begin naming committee chairs and other leaders, moving members into new offices and filling out her staff.

She can also begin the work of setting her priorities for the session.

How long will it last?

With a limited to-do list, lawmakers may be in session for just one or two days.

If they decide to entertain issues beyond the speaker’s election and vetoes, the session would likely last longer. It’s up to lawmakers to determine when to gavel an end to the session, but they can’t be in session longer than 30 days.

How much will it cost?

The estimated cost of a special session is in the neighborhood of $2,500 to $5,000 per day, according to the state Department of Legislative Services.

But there are variables that can affect the cost, such as how many days the session lasts and how many lawmakers decide to book accommodations in Annapolis.

Lawmakers can receive a per diem for meals and a lodging stipend when they’re in session, and officials can’t predict how many will tap those funds.

How common are special sessions?

In the last 25 years, the General Assembly has met in special sessions seven times.

The last special session in December 2021 was to redistrict following the 2020 Census.

During that four-day session, lawmakers passed a new congressional map, watched as then-Gov. Larry Hogan vetoed the map, overrode that veto, overrode vetoes from the prior legislative session, and held a joint meeting to elect Dereck Davis as the state treasurer.

There were two special sessions in 2012. The first, in May, resolved lingering budget and tax issues after the regular session ended weeks earlier without an agreement on the state budget. Later that summer, lawmakers held another special session on gambling, paving the way to build a casino in Prince George’s County and add table games at all casinos for the first time.

Special sessions were also held in 2004, 2006, 2007 and 2011.