One strategy for analyzing public policy is to trace the legislative history of a statute (law). A legislative history consists of all the documents compiled during the creation of a statute, such as committee reports, analysis by legislative counsel, committee hearings, floor debates, and histories of actions taken. Legislative histories are useful in determining the Legislature’s intent, meaning and effect of new statutes.
The California Legislature is not required to make all documents of a legislative history available to the public, so finding a complete legislative history in California can be a difficult process.
This guide provides a step-by-step procedure for finding primary legislative documents. It takes the legislative history one step further and includes information on finding regulations and secondary source material. An overview of the steps is provided on the left.
Legislative History for Legislation Passed from 1993 to the Present:
The easiest way to search for legislative history for legislation passed beginning in 1993 is to use the Legislative Counsel of California’s Bill Information website which is available online at http://www.leginfo.ca.gov/bilinfo.html. Bill information at this site includes, “The full text of bills, resolutions, and constitutional amendments, and their status, history, votes, analyses, and veto messages.”
Legislative History for Legislation Passed Prior to 1993:
Historical Legislative histories are trickier because SDSU might not have access to all the materials you need. If we don’t have access your local San Diego Public Law Library will and you can use their resources. Visit the San Diego Public Law Library on the web at:http://sandiegolawlibrary.org/about-us/locations-hours/ to find the nearest location, hours and contact information.
The San Diego Public Law Library has created a similar guide that one might find helpful when doing historical legislative history research. Here are the links:
• San Diego Public Law Library Research Guide: California Legislative History and Analysis
If you don't have a topic, here are three strategies to help you choose one. You can (A) identify a law addressing an issue you are interested in, (B) browse issue briefs prepared by the Senate Office of Research or (C) browse articles in the California Journal to find a topic you are interested in. You can look at the
The bill history is a chronological listing of all legislative activity for the bill (when and who introduced it, if hearings were held, if it was amended, approved, etc.).
Legislation From 1993 onward:
Legislative Counsel of California’s Bill Information website which is available online at http://www.leginfo.ca.gov/bilinfo.html, provides full text of bills.
Legislation Prior to 1993:
Print: Final Calendar of Legislative Business. 1911-1972.
Location: L500 F5 CA stacks
Arranged by bill number.
Online: California State Assembly and Senate Final History- 1881-2005
Location: online by the Clerk of the California Assembly at http://192.234.213.35/clerkarchive/. Click on Histories and Indexes, and then on the appropriate year. (Hint: Click on the active PDF document.)
Online: Summary Digest 1968-present
Location: online by the Clerk of the California Assembly at http://192.234.213.35/clerkarchive/. Click on Statutes and then on the appropriate year. (Hint: Click on the active PDF document.) The Summary Digest is a good place to locate the bill number, a summary of the bill’s text, and its effective date.
*** SDSU might not own all the titles you need. Check out your San Diego County Public law Library to get help for accessing older materials! http://www.sdcll.org/about/location.htm
Legislation From 1993 onward:
Legislative Counsel of California’s Bill Information website which is available online at http://www.leginfo.ca.gov/bilinfo.html, provides full text of bills. Note: Use this site to obtain a copy of the chapter/statute, bill and bill analysis (Steps 3, 4 and 5).
Current California Code:
California Law
An electronic version of the California Codes. Searching is by keyword. It is best to have a very specific topic or section number when using this Web site. It may be easier to view the table of contents first: Select a code and click on Search without entering keywords.
http://www.leginfo.ca.gov/calaw.html
Legislation Prior to 1993:
Statutes and Amendments to the Code. 1854-ongoing .
Location: L325 Gov Pubs Ref/CA
The official version of statutes (chapters). Arranged by year and chapter number.
Online: The Statutes and Amendments to the Code, 1850 to 2004, and, since 1968, the Summary Digest.
Location: Clerk of the California Assembly at http://192.234.213.35/clerkarchive/. Click on Statutes and then on the appropriate year. (Hint: Click on the active PDF document.)
If you are starting your research with a California Code section, look up the section in the annotated codes. (For hard copy codes, do not forget to check the pocket part for updates.) Locations for the annotated codes are listed below.
Statutes are arranged by subject categories in the California Codes:
West's Annotated California Codes.
Print Location: KFC 30 .W4 Ref, latest received 2007
The annotated codes include references to law review articles, legislative histories (if available), and other legal materials.
Online location: Westlaw Campus Research
http://library.sdsu.edu/reference/westlaw
Legislation From 1993 onward:
Legislative Counsel of California’s Bill Information website which is available online at http://www.leginfo.ca.gov/bilinfo.html, provides full text of bills. Note: Use this site to obtain a copy of the chapter/statute, bill and bill analysis (Steps 3, 4 and 5).
Legislation Prior to 1993:
Find and note the bill number and year. (E.g. AB 2797 (1978) or SB 2221 (1984)).
Online: Summary Digest 1968-present
Location: online by the Clerk of the California Assembly at http://192.234.213.35/clerkarchive/. Click on Statutes and then on the appropriate year. (Hint: Click on the active PDF document.)
The Summary Digest is a good place to locate the bill number, a summary of the bill’s text, and its effective date.
*** SDSU might not own all the titles you need. Check out your San Diego County Public law Library to get help for accessing older materials! http://www.sdcll.org/about/location.htm
The bill analysis identifies significant features of the bill. It may also indicate which organizations support or oppose the bill. Both a committee analysis (for use by the committee) and a floor analysis (for use during floor votes) may be prepared. Bill analyses are available beginning in 1993.
Legislation From 1993 onward:
Legislative Counsel of California’s Bill Information website which is available online at http://www.leginfo.ca.gov/bilinfo.html, provides full text of bills. Note: Use this site to obtain a copy of the chapter/statute, bill and bill analysis (Steps 3, 4 and 5).
Legislation Prior to 1993:
The Legislative Counsel prepares a short synopsis or analysis of every bill as it is introduced or amended, predicting the effect of the bill on existing law. This precedes the text of the published bill and its chaptered version and is also printed in the “Summary Digest” of the Statutes and Amendments to the Codes.
Online: Summary Digest 1968-present
Location: online by the Clerk of the California Assembly at http://192.234.213.35/clerkarchive/. Click on Statutes and then on the appropriate year. (Hint: Click on the active PDF document.)
The Summary Digest can help you locate the bill number, a summary of the bill’s text, and its effective date.
Most committee hearings and reports are never published.
Current Legislation:
Senate Committees. Current session.
Check each committee for publications available on the Internet.
http://senate.ca.gov/committees
Assembly Committees. Current session.
Check each committee for publications available on the Internet.
http://assembly.ca.gov/committees
Legislation From 1993 onward:
Legislative Counsel of California’s Bill Information website which is available online at http://www.leginfo.ca.gov/bilinfo.html, provides full text of bills. Note: Use this site to obtain a copy of the chapter/statute, bill and bill analysis (Steps 3, 4 and 5).
Legislation Prior to 1993:
Use the year and number of your bill to check the Assembly or Senate Journals. These publications will sometimes inlcude floor and committee votes, Legislative Counsel Opinions, Governors’ veto messages, and legislators’ letters of intent. Begin with the index at the end of each year’s Journal.
Online: State Assembly Journals 1849-2005
Location: online by the Clerk of the California Assembly at http://192.234.213.35/clerkarchive/
Click on Journals and then on the appropriate year. (Hint: Click on the active PDF document.)
*** SDSU might not own all the titles you need. Check out your San Diego County Public law Library to get help! http://www.sdcll.org/about/location.htm
You can also search the PAC for agency reports. Use the title of your statute and appropriate committee as keywords to find government publications on your topic.
California Code of Regulations. Current.
Compilation of the full text of existing state regulations.
http://www.calregs.com/linkedslice/default.asp?SP=CCR-1000&Action=Welcome
California Regulatory Notice Register. 1982-ongoing.
Print Location: L375 Ref/CA: 1982-Current
Weekly publication of proposed and new state regulations.
Online: http://www.oal.ca.gov/California_Regulatory_Notice_Online.htm
>Step 9: