There's nothing unusual about legislators rushing to meet the adjournment deadline. All too often they also count on extending the session, by a two-thirds vote, primarily to deal with gubernatorial vetoes on last-minute legislation. But Democrats in the Senate gave the Republican leadership a little political payback last week by refusing to add any extra days. That left a special session as the last recourse.

Those bemoaning the loss of significant legislation to a filibuster on the last day had some hope that the governor might exercise his power to call the Legislature back. He was right not to take the risk. There simply was no good reason to believe there would be speedy resolutions of the legislative impasses. The governor also was perfectly aware that there was no way for him to limit the subject or the length of a special session. Imagine the public reaction in this tight budget year to the return of the Legislature at a cost of about $75,000 per day for what could be an indeterminate period.

Maybe there's nothing to do about the legislative madness that seems inherent to adjournment deadlines. But there is something that can be done about a session that runs from January to June.

The House has tried, year after year, to shorten the session. The Senate, that deliberative body, hasn't been interested. The fact is the Senate took so much time to deliberate bills such as the budget this year that some key legislation, including bills touted to stimulate the economy, didn't get passed at all.

The longer they are given, the longer lawmakers will take to do their jobs. They should vote early next year to shrink the sessions, knuckle down to work three full days per week and save the taxpayers' money. That would help make them worth re-electing.