Video & Audio Resources
- Louisiana House of RepresentativesThe House has video of all house committee meetings available online from 1999 to the present (click on Video On Demand - Library). From 2004 to the present, meetings can be accessed by "Video On Demand." From 2003 back to 1999, videos are "Available Only by Request" and must be scheduled for viewing.
- Louisiana SenateThe Senate has committee meeting videos available online from 2008 (click on Broadcast Archives).
- Louisiana Legislature ArchiveThe legislature's archives 225-922-1209 has some hearing audiotapes back to the late 1970s.
Mail Resources
- Louisiana News BureauLA News Bureau is a commercial service which provides copies of bills and other information for a fee. 504-342-1240
How Do I Compile a Legislative History?
From 1997 to the present, all available legislative history documents (except committee minutes*) are online here.
- You will need the act number, year, and session of the legislation. This information is in the historical notes following the statute in West's Louisiana Statutes Annotated. With this information, you can go to the legislature's website, scroll to bill search, choose the session and year, change HB to ACT, and click view.
*Committee minutes can be ordered from the House Docket 225-342-6458 or the Senate Docket 225-342-2365.
Before 1996, you will need the bill number, year, and session. This information is in the Acts of Louisiana. With this information, legislative histories can be ordered from the House Docket 225-342-6458 or the Senate Docket 225-342-2365.
Before 1976, there is no written or recorded legislative history information, except for entries in the Legislative Calendar.
What Documents Are Used To Compile A Louisiana Legislative History?
Official information generated before a bill becomes a law make a legislative history. These include edited verions of a bill, committee hearing minutes or recordings about a bill, and legislative calendar and journal entries which track bill progress through the legislative process. The House and Senate do not issue reports on bills.
Unofficial sources can also be helpful and include bill sponsors as well as law review and newspaper articles.
Resources in New Orleans
|
Resources |
1997-present |
Before 1996 |
Before 1950 |
|
Bills |
(bound) (microfilm 1997; unbound paper 1998-present) |
(bound back to 1970) (microfilm back to 1950) (microfilm 1952-1973; bound 1974-1986; microfilm 1987-1996) |
|
|
Calendars, Resumes, and Journals |
(complete set - some available only in French) |
||
|
Committee Meetings/Hearings |
(1999 to present) |
Legislative Archives 225-922-1209 has some audiotapes back to the late 1970s |
Definitions
Act: a bill which has been enacted by the legislature
Amendment: a bill that changes an existing act
Bill: a proposed act drafted by a legislative body. Bills are usually numbered consecutively as they are introduced
LA Calendar: lists bills in numerical order, once a week during the session. It indexes bills and gives history and status.
LA House and Senate Journals: include daily outlines of a bill's progress, voting records of legislators, absence reports, etc. They do not include verbatim floor debates.
LA Resume: is published at the end of each legislative session and includes detailed tables of all legislative activity. It has short abstracts on changes made by new acts and information on vetoed, repealed or suspended laws. It is indexed and has tables with approval and effective dates by bill number and tables with statute sections effected.
Law: used to refer to cases, statutes, acts, regulations, ordinances, etc.
Statute/code: a subject based arrangement of the acts of a legislature
People Resources
Bill sponsors are sometimes the only source of information on state legislation. Bills list the sponsor information.
- To contact lawmakers in the House225-342-6945
- To contact lawmakers in the Senate225-342-2040
- Public Update Legislative Service (PULS Line)800-256-3793
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