Guides: New York Resources: Legislative History

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Legislative History

"Legislative history" refers to the documents created by the legislature in the course of the legislative process. Legislative histories are usually consulted to investigate the legislative intent behind a statute. The following publications contribute to the understanding of how New York courts use legislative history:

Legislative Intent in New York State: Materials, Cases and Annotated Bibliography (2001) by Robert Allan Carter
McKinney's Consolidated Laws of New York Annotated (in print, KFN5030 1939 .A3, canceled in Law Library in 2014). See Book 1: Statutes. Contains a treatise on statutory construction
- New York Statutes & Court Rules on Westlaw
New York Jurisprudence 2d (in print, KFN5065 .N42 1979, currently updated in Law Library): See Statutes topic.
- New York Jurisprudence 2d on Lexis
- New York Jurisprudence 2d on Westlaw

Relatively little explanatory material is available for New York legislation.

The table in this guide serves only as a starting point to conduct a New York legislative history research. It lists the more common legislative documents that may help you understand the intent of a law and potential locations to find them. But it is not an exhaustive list.
The legislative history research guides offered by N.Y. state and academic law libraries (found further along on this page) offer more exhaustive lists of legislative documents and their locations, and more detailed research steps.

Document	Locations
Bills	See Finding Bills section on Bills & Session Laws page on this guide.
Introducer's memoranda (also known as "sponsor's memoranda," or "legislative memoranda")	New York State Legislative Annual (in print, State 1st Floor KFN5014 .N48). The most comprehensive source. Compiles sponsor's memoranda for all chapter (session) laws of the given year, with all governor's approval and veto messages. McKinney's Session Laws of New York (in print) at Library of Congress. (See Library of Congress' policies prior to visiting.) Selected memoranda are available in Volume 2 of the annual set from 1977 onwards. Legislative Session Information (New York State Legislature)
Governor's Memoranda (which include "approval memoranda" and "veto memoranda")	New York State Legislative Annual McKinney's Session Laws of New York (in print) at Library of Congress. (See Library of Congress' policies prior to visiting.). Governor's Memoranda on Approval of Bills are available in Volume 2 of the annual set from 1977 onwards. New York Consolidated Laws Service (in print, State 1st Floor KFN5030 1976 .A23, currently updated in Law Library).
Bill Jackets: For explanation of this document, see N.Y. St. Libr.'s guide on Bill, Veto and Recall Jackets N.Y. St. Archives' About Bill and Veto Jackets N.Y. Pub. Libr.'s "NY Bill Jackets - Legislation Uncloaked"	Approval Jackets: New York State Archives original copy (1905 - 2018) New York State Archives digital (1995 - 2018) New York Public Library microform (1905 [partial], 1921 - 2001) New York State Library microform & CD-Rom (1905, 1921-2001, 2002-2009) State University of New York Buffalo L. Libr. microform (1905 [partial], 1921 - 2001) State University of New York Buffalo L. Libr. CD-Rom (2002 - 2005) NY Library of Legislative Intent Appellate Division Law Library microform (1905 [partial], 1921 - ). Search for "bill jackets" as title in catalog New York Legislative History: Bill Jackets on Westlaw (1996 - 2014) Veto Jackets: New York State Archives original copy (1905 - ) New York State Archives digital (1995 - two prior sessions) New York Public Library microform (1905 [partial], 1921 - 2001) New York State Library microform & CD-Rom (1905, 1926-28, 1931-1958, 1961-64, 1965 [partial], 1970 [partial], 1973-2001, 2002-2009) State University of New York Buffalo L. Libr. microform (1905 [partial], 1921 - 2001) State University of New York Buffalo L. Libr. CD-Rom (2002 - 2005) NY Library of Legislative Intent New York Governor's Legislative Secretary, (518) 474-7182, for previous year Recall Jackets: New York State Archives microform (1938-54, 1955-93, scattered, usually at the end of the veto jackets for that particular year) New York State Library microform & CD-Rom (1936 - 1954, arranged by year and bill introduction number. Recall jackets after 1954 were sometimes filmed with veto jackets) New York Public Library microform (1905 [partial], 1921 - 2001)
Transcripts of Debates and Hearings	Senate Debates: Referenced by the bill number, subject, and the day the bill was debated Current session: New York State Senate Journal Office: (518) 455-2245; Room 323M, State Capitol, Albany, NY 12247 1960 - prior year: New York State Office of Microfilm and Records: (518) 455-3200; Room 500GA, State Capital, Albany, NY 12247 1974-1976: New York State Archives Assembly Debates: Referenced by bill number, subject, and the day the bill was debated 1974 - 1979: New York State Archives 1974 - : New York State Assembly Office of Public Information: (518) 455-4218, Room 202, Legislative Office Building, Albany, NY 12248 See also Debates & Journals page on Brooklyn L. Libr.'s NY Legislative History guide. Senate and Assembly Hearings 1966-1984 Senate Public Hearing: New York State Archives New York State Library may have some hearings. See Step 9 in their Legislative History tutorial for more information. New York Legislative Library has produced a microfiche set for hearings. New York State Library may have a set. See also Hearings & Reports page on Brooklyn L. Libr.'s NY Legislative History guide.
Governor's Annual Messages	McKinney's Session Law News of New York (in print at Library of Congress). Consult Libr. of Congress' policies prior to visiting. McKinney's Session Laws of New York (in print at Library of Congress). Consult Libr. of Congress' policies prior to visiting. New York Consolidated Law Service Session Laws (in print, State 1st Floor KFN5030 1976 .A23, currently updated in Law Library) Governor's website New York Enacted Legislation (Session Laws) on Westlaw (current legislative session) New York Historical Enacted Legislation (Session Laws) on Westlaw

Finding Other Legislative-Related Materials

Names of the Standing Committees and Names of the Members

Senators, Committees, And Other Legislative Groups (The New York State Senate)
Committees, Commissions and Task Forces (New York State Assembly)
McKinney's Session Laws of New York (in print at Library of Congress). Consult Library of Congress' policies prior to visiting.

Judiciary's Legislative Program

Report of the Advisory Committee on Civil Practice, Report of the Advisory Committee on Criminal Law & Procedure, and others (current and archive back to 2003)

Research Guides & Readings

A number of New York law libraries have published research guides that provide background information on the New York legislative process, list documents that may be produced in the course of the legislative process, specify the sources for legislative documents, and give recommendations in compiling a legislative history. There are also published articles that provide similar information.

In print: Part I: New York State Legal Research, in Gibson's New York Legal Research Guide (2014)
Call Number: State 1st Floor KFN5074 .G53 2014. See Chapter 6: Legislative History.
In print: Part II: New York City Legal Research, in Gibson's New York Legal Research Guide (2014 4th ed.)
Call Number: State 1 Floor KFN5074 .G53 2014. See Chapter 25: Legislative History, Proceedings, and Legislative Compilations.
Guide to records of the New York State Legislature in the State Archives and Records Administration (1989) (N.Y. State Archives)
Dated but oft referenced guide on locating legislative-related material. Useful for older legislation.
Legislative History of a New York State Law: A Tutorial & Guide to Library Sources (N.Y. St. Libr.)
A 12-step guide in compiling a legislative history.
New York Legislative History (U. at Buff. Libr.)
Provides resources to locate legislative materials.
New York Legislative History Research Guide (N.Y.U. L. Libr.)
Provides possible alternate locations to legislative documents than found on this guide.
New York State Legislative History Research (Brook. L. School Libr.)
Comprehensive guide on the different types of legislative materials & other helpful publications, the information they contain and their potential locations.
New York State Legislative Intent (N.Y. St. Libr.)
Provides an explanation and a list of legislative intent sources.
New York State Legislative Research (Pace U. L. Libr.)
Provides document sources for general legislative research.

Databases

New York Legislative History on Westlaw (coverage from 1996). Includes: Sponsor's Memoranda, Executive and Judicial Memoranda, Assembly Bill Summaries, Senate Bill Summaries, Bill Tracking, Bill Votes, Bill Jackets, Committee Reports and Veto Messages.
New York Legislative History section on Lexis: Includes New York Legislative Bill History and NY State Voting Records

Legislative History Research Service

New York Legislative Service: A pay-for-service and not-for-profit membership corporation focused on compiling New York State and City legislative intent. The Service created a NY Library of Legislative Intent which holds a million legislative-related publications.

New York Resources

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