Librarian
State Websites
To understand state legislation, you will need more than just the text of the bill. You need to know:
- Background and Context
- What the bill does and WHY?
- What problem it the bill trying to solve and HOW?
Search the State Legislature Website
Each state legislature website is different. From state to state, legislative bodies vary greatly in size and staffing, resulting in a wide range of what is available on their websites.
When browsing a state legislature website, look for the following helpful information (again, not all of these things are available on all websites):
- Plain-English summaries of the bill (which are updated as the bill is amended)
- Background information to provide context and history
- Videos / transcripts of committee hearings and floor consideration
- List of bill supporters and opponents
Some state legislature websites do not allow for plain-text searching. You may need to know the actual bill number to find the full-text.
In many cases, trying alternative websites may provide you with more information.
Information adapted from Jennifer Horne's (Business, Economics, and Government Information Librarian at the University of Kentucky) presentation on February 15, 2023 for the Research and User Services Association, entitled "Supporting an Informed Citizenry with State Legislative Research Strategies and Tools".
Alternatives to State Legislature Websites
These sites aggregate legislative information from all 50 states
- OpenStates.orgOpen States aggregates legislative information from all 50 states, Washington, D.C., Puerto Rico, and US Congress. This information is then standardized, cleaned, and published to the public via OpenStates.org, a powerful API, and bulk downloads. OpenStates.org enables individuals to find out who represents them, look up information on an important bill that’s been in the news, discover how their representatives are voting, or just stay current with what is happening in their state.
- Legiscan.comYou will need to register for a free account.
Identify legislation of interest or concern through the LegiScan national legislative search engine, receive alerts based on saved full text keyword searches when bills are introduced that match your criteria. - Billtrack50.comYou will need to register for a free account.
Search results from all states and Congress are presented in an easy to understand grid that includes links to more detailed information. We present congressional bills in the same format across all states. We also provide full contact details for all current legislators.
Finding Additional Information
Use these sources to get additional background and contextual information about bills at the state legislative level:
- National Conference of State LegislatorsThe National Conference of State Legislatures, created by state legislators and legislative staff in 1975, serves America’s 50 states and its territories. NCSL is home to the comprehensive information available on legislatures in the 50 states, territories and commonwealths.
- Stateline.com (Pew Charitable Trusts)Stateline provides daily reporting and analysis on trends in state policy. Since its founding in 1998, Stateline has maintained a commitment to the highest standards of nonpartisanship, objectivity, and integrity. Its team of veteran journalists combines original reporting with a roundup of the latest news from sources around the country.
Conduct news searches for the bill's title, topic, number or sponsor. Try state-level news outlets (like state newspapers or local NPR affiliates) and national news outlets (like The Washington Post or the New York Times). Use the databases below to search news articles.
- Boston Globe Current This link opens in a new window
Date(s): 1980-present
Text-only articles from the Boston Globe. - New York Times Current This link opens in a new window
Date(s): 1980-present
Text-only articles from the New York Times. **Blogs are not included.** - News (Gale OneFile) This link opens in a new window
Local, regional, national and international newspapers, in addition to images, transcripts and recordings from radio and TV broadcasts.
- ProQuest Newspapers This link opens in a new window
National and international news sources, including major titles like the Boston Globe, New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Washington Post, USA Today, and LA Times.
Identify the stakeholders that may support or oppose the bill.
- What National/State Policy Groups & Special Interest Groups would be concerned with this bill?
- Use this directory from VoteSmart.org to search nationally, by state, and by issue. Interest groups often provide plain-English summaries.
- Who is/are the bill sponsor(s)?
- Look at the elected officials sponsoring the bill and those who are opposed.