Michigan Legislative History: Key Information and Citations

The first step in creating a legislative history is to identify key information about the statute or bill.  Information available at the start will determine the proper approach to begin research.

 Before beginning your search, assess the following:

• What type of statute or bill is it?
  • An enacted statute (that is, a bill that became law when passed by the state legislature);
  • A bill that failed to become law; or
  • A bill that is currently being considered by the legislature.
• Dates
  • The approximate date the statute was passed or the bill was considered
  • Dates of subsequent changes to the law through later bills, such as amendments

For legislative research, three basic citations are often used:

• Public Act Year and Number ("P.A.") 
  • e.g., P.A. 1962, No. 174 §2315
• Michigan Compiled Laws Annotated Number (M.C.L.A.)
  • e.g., §36.31
• Bill Number and Year Enacted
  • e.g., 0102 (1999)

Keep a note all of the citation information you have for the statute or bill you are researching.

The "Finding" sections of this guide can assist with citation conversion. 

Limited to 1996-Present

MI Legislature Website

Legislative material including:

• MI Constitution
• MI Compiled Laws
• House Journal
• Senate Journal
• Bills
• Public Acts
• Resolutions
• Legislative Analysis
• Committee Records
• Fiscal Analysis

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