New York Legislative History
Linda HolmesBrooklyn Law School Library
Federal Legislative History: House & Senate Hearings & Reports,
Congressional Record, Compiled Legislative Histories.
New York State Legislative History has been referred to as “looking for a needle in a haystack.”
New York State Legislature, Albany
New York legislative activity in 2010:
6,719 bills introduced in the Senate 9,261 bills introduced in the Assembly
496 bills signed by the Governor
A statute is the result of the combined action of the Legislature and the Governor on a bill.
New York Times series on the “Albany Syndrome,” October 2002.
Brennan Center for Justice at New York University School of Law
(www.brennancenter.org)◦ The New York State Legislative Process: An
Evaluation and blueprint for Reform (2004)◦ Unfinished Business: New York State Legislative
Reform (2006 Update)
Articles/Reports Critical of the New York State Legislative Process:
Laws of the State of New York (KFN 5025 .A23) 1797 to date
McKinney’s Session Laws of New York (KFN 5025 .M3) 1954 to date
New York Consolidated Laws Service: Session Laws (KFN 5025 .L42) 1976 to date
Session Laws
McKinney’s Consolidated Laws of New York (KFN 5025 .A4 M15)◦ Westlaw: Database: NY-ST-ANN
Consolidated Laws of New York (KFN 5030 .A4 L33)◦ Lexis: New York – NY Consolidated Laws Service
Codes
Lexis: Source: NYTEXT
Westlaw: Database: NY-BILLS
New York State Assembly: http://assembly.state.ny.us/leg/
Bills for Current Session of Legislature
Online:◦ Lexis: Source: NYTRCK◦ Westlaw: Database: NY-BILLS
Print: ◦ New York Legislative Record and Index (1971-1984)
KFN 5007 .N43◦ State of New York Legislative Digest (1985 to date)
KFN 5007 .N44◦ New York Legislative Service State Report (1996 to date)
KFN 5007 N42
Bill Tracking
New York State Library in Albany◦ www.nysl.nysed.gov
New York Public Library Science, Business and Industry Library in Manhattan◦ www.nypl.org
Legislative Journal: Daily record of actions taken by the Senate & Assembly, not verbatim
proceedings
http://assembly.state.ny.us/av
http://www.nysenate.gov/video
Channel 159 of Time Warner Cable also broadcasts legislative proceedings
Debates: Bills in the NYS Legislature can pass without debate
Transcripts: ◦ New York State Library – www.nysl.nysed.gov◦ New York Legislative Service – www.nysl.org
Live Hearings:◦ New York State Assembly –
http://assembly.state.ny.us
◦ New York State Senate – www.nysenate.gov/calendar
Committee Hearings
New York State Library – www.nysl.nysed.gov
New York State Legislative Documents (KFN 5005 .N496)
New York State Assembly – http://assembly.state.ny.us/Reports
New York State Senate – www.nysenate.gov
Committee Reports
Sponsor’s memoranda: ◦ New York Legislative Annual (KFN 5005 .N499)
Governor’s approval memoranda:◦ New York Legislative Annual ◦ McKinney’s Session Laws◦ Consolidated Laws of New York: Session Laws◦ Public Papers of the Governors of the State of
New York (J 87 .N717)
Memoranda: On introduction or approval of a bill
For current legislative session: Contact Governor’s Counsel’s office
1905 & 1921 to date (Microform): New York State Library, New York State Archives, New York Public Library Science, Business & Industry Library
New York Legislative Service (Fee-based service) – www.nyls.org
Bill Jackets
The BLS Library may be able to obtain a bill jacket on interlibrary loan for you from the State Library in Albany. Please speak to a reference librarian directly if you would like for us to try and obtain one for you.
Bill Jackets, cont’d.
New York State Archives:www.archives.nysed.gov
Digital Bill Jackets: 1995-2009
2008 Bill Jacket
Letter from Commissioner ofDept. of Correctional Services
NY-LH-REP: Documents include executive, legislative, judicial and sponsor memoranda, 1996 to date
NY-LH-VOTES: Voting records for bills passed 2005 to date
NY-LH-BILLJACKET: Bill jackets from the Governor’s office, 1996 to 2006
Electronic Legislative Historyfor New York on Westlaw: NY-LH
New York State Law Revision Commission Reports, 1935-1977 (KFN 5014 .L33)
From 1970 – 1995 the Law Revision Commission Reports were reprinted in McKinney’s Session Laws (KFN 5025 .M3)
Their reports are also available on their website: www.lawrevision.state.ny.us
New York State Law Revision Commission
New York Law Journal New York Times Syracuse Law Review: Annual Survey of
New York Law (P Sy 8)
Legislative Gazette◦ www.legislativegazette.com
Times Union (Albany)◦ www.timesunion.com/capitol
Commentaries on Legislation
Adelman, Elizabeth, New York Legal Research(1 Ref. KFN 5074 .A34 2008)
Manz, William, New York Legal Research Guide (1 Ref. KFN 5074 .G53 2004) Manz, William, “If it’s Out There: Researching Legislative
Intent in New York,” 77 New York State Bar Association Journal 43, March/April 2005.
New York Red Book (1 Ref. JK 3430 .N5 2010) State Legislative Sourcebook: A Resource Guide to
Legislative Information in the Fifty States (1 Ref. JK 2495 .S68 2011)
Print Sources for Further Research
Legislative History of a New York State Law: A Tutorial and Guide to Library Resources.◦ Prepared by librarians of the New York State
Library. www.nysl.nysed.gov/leghist/
Legislative Intent in New York State: Materials, Cases and Annotated Bibliography.◦ By Robert Allan Carter, 2nd ed., New York State
Library, 2001. www.nysl.nysed.gov/legint.htm
Electronic Sources for Further Research from the New York State Library