As the legislative session gets started in Augusta, we would urge lawmakers to show some self-restraint, but it might be too late.

This year, more than 2,100 bills have been filed, each carrying a significant cost. According to House Speaker John Richardson, each submitted bill can cost the state as much as $10,000, regardless of whether it ever becomes a law.

We understand the legislators are elected because they offer voters ideas for how to make things better. They all go to Augusta with the desire to make a difference and to implement policy ideas that they think are important.

But there’s also some silliness that just isn’t needed. State Sen. Ethan Strimling filed what he called a “lighthearted” bill to annex part of New Hampshire as a way for Maine to get hold of a tollbooth there. It’s a funny joke, but it’s not funny enough to warrant a state expenditure just to make it part of the legislative record. Save the jokes for the chicken dinners or on the stump. Legislating is serious business and should be treated as such.

Term limits also play a role in the high numbers of bills that will be considered this year. New lawmakers may not be aware of the actions taken by previous legislatures and introduce bills that are going nowhere. And, with the clock ticking on a limited amount of time to get things done, new members rush ideas that aren’t ready for prime time.

The number of bills will likely be reduced from 2,135 as redundancies are eliminated and some bills are withdrawn. But so many competing measures draw attention away from the biggest issues of the day: tax reform and health care, among them.

By its very nature, the Legislature works by passing laws. In many cases, though, the best interests of the state are protected when lawmakers don’t.

It’s up to Senate and House leaders to maintain order and prioritize which bills will receive the most attention. With so many, their work will be cut out for them.