Still stumped? Try one of these research guides:
A legislative history is a record of sources documenting a bill’s passage into law. The most important legislative history source documents are:
A legislative history can take many forms, including the following:
Why research legislative history? Researching legislative history is sometimes used to interpret the meaning of statutory text, though such a practice is criticized by some. Legislative history can also help you understand the purpose and function of a statute, i.e., what it was intended to do and how it was intended to do it. Students and new associates will often be tasked with the job of compiling a legislative history. So knowing about legislative history will let you hit the ground running.
To understand what you are looking for in legislative history, you have to know about legislative procedure. The following sources can provide you with a basic background.
These databases contain legislative histories that have already been compiled, bringing together bill drafts, committee reports, floor debates, hearings, and other relevant documents.
