Researching California Public Policy: Tracing a Legislative and Regulatory History

[Overview of Steps]  [Tracing Legislation Step-by-Step]

Introduction

One strategy for analyzing public policy is to trace the legislative history of a statute (law). Reading the primary source documents created during the legislative process will help you determine the nature of the problem or issue the Legislature was addressing and the intent of the Legislature when it created the law. The process of studying legislative materials is sometimes referred to as tracing or compiling a legislative history. This guide provides a step-by-step procedure for finding primary legislative documents. It takes the legislative history one step further and includes information on finding regulations and secondary source material.

For more information about the legislative process, see How a Bill Becomes a Law (flowchart), Overview of Legislative Process (discussion), or The California Law Making Process. For quick links to specific public policy materials, see A Brief Guide to Researching California Public Policy See also Finding California Legislative Documents.

Overview of Steps for Tracing Legislation

Note: Students in Nursing, Public Health and Social Work classes doing a policy paper can limit their research to the steps with a redcheck mark. Students in Public Administration 605 should follow all the steps listed.

	Step 1: Choose a topic.
	Step 2: Obtain a copy of the bill history.
	Step 3: Obtain a copy of the statute (law).
	Step 4: Obtain a copy of the bill.
	Step 5: Read the bill analysis.
	Step 6: Obtain copies of legislative committee hearings and reports (if any) related to your topic.
	Step 7: Identify and read policy briefs and agency reports.
	Step 8: Obtain copies of regulations resulting from the statute or related to your topic.
	Step 9: Complete the legislative history by looking for additional publications related to your topic.

Beginning of Document

Note: Students in Nursing, Public Health and Social Work classes doing a policy paper can limit their research to the steps with a redcheck mark. Students in Public Administration 605 should follow all the steps listed.

Tracing Legislation Step-by-Step

Step 1: Choose a topic.

If you don't have a topic, here are three strategies to help you choose one. You can (A) identify a law addressing an issue you are interested in, (B) browse issue briefs prepared by the Senate Office of Research or (C) browse articles in the California Journal to find an topic you are interested in.

A. Identify a law that addresses an issue you are interested in.

For current session use:

Legislative Index: Subject. Current session.
AND
Legislative Index: Subject. 1973-ongoing.
Location: L450 L4i Ref/CAand CA stacks for previous sessions.

A subject index to bills introduced in the Assembly and Senate. Bills that have become law are referred to as either a chapter or statute.

~Legislation~. Current session.

Search by "Keyword." When a bill becomes law it is referred to as either a chapter or statute. Note: If you find a bill, use this site to obtain a copy of the bill history, statute/chapter, bill and bill analysis (Steps 2, 3, 4 and 5).

Bill Information. 1993/94-current session.

Search by keyword. Finding a bill that has been "chaptered" will make it easier to do your policy paper. When a bill becomes law it is referred to as either a chapter or statute. Note: If you find a bill, use this site to obtain a copy of the bill history, chapter/statute, bill and bill analysis (Steps 2, 3, 4 and 5).

For previous sessions use:

Summary Digest of Statutes Enacted and Resolutions. 1854-ongoing.
Location: L450 S93 CA stacks

Provides a short summary of each law enacted. Published both as a separate issue and, since 1967, as part of the Statutes and Amendments to the Codes (L325 Gov Pubs Ref/CA).

Digest of Significant Legislation. 1995-current session.
AND
Digest of Significant Legislation. 1985-ongoing.
Location: L551 S53 CA stacks.

Major Assembly and Senate bills are arranged by broad subject categories (e.g., Health, Education, Senior Citizens). Each entry provides the name of the author, a brief summary, and the disposition of the bill at the end of the session. An index by bill number is included.

West's Annotated California Codes.
Location: KFC 30 .W4 Ref

The annotated codes include references to the chapter number and year, law review articles, legislative histories (if available) and other legal materials.

OR

B. Browse Senate Office of Research issue briefs.

PICO - Policy Information Clearinghouse On-Line. Current.

"Designed to provide a one-stop source of information on some of the major policy issues facing California and the Legislature. Here you will find an overview of the issues, pending legislation, relevant research, reports, and web Sites, and upcoming events. "-from the Web page

OR

C. Read through the California Journal to find a discussion about an issue.

California Journal. 1970-ongoing.
Location: JK 8701 .C33 1986 to present 1st floor periodicals; 1985 and older 5th floor periodicals.

Monthly publication covering California politics.

[Overview of Steps]  [Beginning of Document]

Step 2: Obtain a copy of the bill history.

The bill history is a chronological listing of all legislative activity for the bill (when and who introduced it, if hearings were held, if it was amended, approved, etc.).

~Legislation~. Current session.

Search by bill number. Note: Use this site to obtain a copy of the chapter/statute, bill and bill analysis (Steps 3, 4 and 5).

Bill Information. 1993/94-current session.

Search by bill number. Note: Use this site to obtain a copy of the chapter/statute, bill and bill analysis (Steps 3, 4 and 5).

Assembly History and Senate History. 1973-ongoing.
Location: L500 A21 Ha and L500 A21 Hs Ref/CA for daily and weekly histories current and previous session; CA stacks for older sessions.

Arranged by bill number.

Final Calendar of Legislative Business. 1911-1972.
Location: L500 F5 CA stacks

Arranged by bill number.

[Overview of Steps]  [Beginning of Document]

Step 3: Obtain a copy of the chapter/statute (law).

~Legislation~. Current session.

Search by bill number. The link for Current: is to the chaptered version. It will say CHAPTERED in the heading of the bill text. Note: Use this site to obtain a copy of the bill and bill analysis (Steps 4 and 5).

Statutes. 1993-current session.

Search by chapter number and year.

Statutes and Amendments to the Code. 1854-ongoing .
Location: L325 Gov Pubs Ref/CA

The official version of statutes (chapters). Arranged by year and chapter number.

Statutes are arranged by subject categories in the California Codes:

West's Annotated California Codes.
Location: KFC 30 .W4 Ref

The annotated codes include references to law review articles, legislative histories (if available), and other legal materials.

California Law

An electronic version of the California Codes. Searching is by keyword. It is best to have a very specific topic or section number when using this Web site. It may be easier to view the table of contents first: Select a code and click on Search without entering keywords.

[Overview of Steps]  [Beginning of Document]

Step 4: Obtain a copy of the bill.

California Bills. Current session only.
Location: L500 A1 Ref/CA

Paper copy of all versions of the bill.

~Legislation~. Current session.

Search by bill number. Note: Use this site to obtain a copy of the bill analysis (Step 5).

Bill Information. 1993-current session.

Search by bill number. Note: Use this site to obtain a copy of the bill analysis (Step 5).

[Overview of Steps]  [Beginning of Document]

Step 5: Read the bill analysis.

~Legislation~. Current session.

Search by bill number.

Bill Information. 1993-current session.

Search by bill number.

[Overview of Steps]  [Beginning of Document]

Step 6: Obtain copies of legislative committee hearing and reports (if any) related to your topic.

Most committee hearings and reports are never published.

Senate Committees. Current session.

Check each committee for publications available on the Internet.

Assembly Committees. Current session.

Check each committee for publications available on the Internet. This site uses frames.

Senate Publications. 1995-ongoing.

Publications can be reviewed by subject or in chronological order. Check the PAC to see if the SDSU Library has a copy.

Assembly Publications Catalog. 1992-ongoing.
Location: L535 C3 CA stacks

Lists Assembly publications. Check the PAC to see if the SDSU Library has a copy.

Joint Publications Catalog. 1984-1989.
Location: L535 C3 CA stacks

Arranged by committee. Check the California card catalog to see if the SDSU Library has a copy.

[Overview of Steps]  [Beginning of Document]

Step 7: Identify and read policy briefs prepared by the California Research Bureau, Legislative Analyst's Office and the Senate Office of Research. Also check for agency reports.

California Research Bureau. 1991-ongoing.

The CRB provides nonpartisan research at the request of the Governor, the Legislature and other state constitutional officers.

Legislative Analyst's Office. Current.

Search options for identifying policy briefs are at the bottom on the page.

PICO - Policy Information Clearinghouse On-Line. Current.

"Designed to provide a one-stop source of information on some of the major policy issues facing California and the Legislature. Here you will find an overview of the issues, 1997-98 legislation, relevant research, reports, and Web Sites, and upcoming events. "-from the web page

Agency Reports.

Idenitifes "reports by various state and local agencies that are required or requested to be submitted to the Legislature, the Governor, or both." You will need to contact the agency directly to obtain a copy of the report.

[Overview of Steps]  [Beginning of Document]

Step 8: Obtain copies of regulations resulting from the statute or related to your topic.

California Code of Regulations. Current.

Compilation of the full text of existing state regulations.

California Regulatory Notice Register. 1982-ongoing.
Location: L375 Ref/CA

Weekly publication of proposed and new state regulations.

[Overview of Steps]  [Beginning of Document]

Step 9: Complete the legislative history by looking for additional publications related to your topic.

[Agency Publications]  [Books & Periodical Articles]
[Statistics]  [Organizations]

A. Agency Publications

the PAC

The online catalog for SDSU includes California state publications issued from 1992 to the present.

Agency Index

A list of California state agencies, departments, boards and commissions with links to their home pages.

California Card Catalog
Location: Ref

For card catalog includes California state publications issued prior to 1992.

California State Library Online Catalog

The SDSU Library will have most of the California publications listed in this catalog. Use the California document call number.

California State Publications. 1949-ongoing.
Location: Z 1223.5 .C2C4 Ref /CA

Comprehensive listing of official state publications issued by executive agencies, the legislature and the judiciary.

B. Books & Periodical Articles

the PAC

The SDSU online catalog.

The following resource is a good source for locating articles about public policy and government activities. To identify periodical databases and indexes use Periodical Indexes and Databases Arranged by Subject.

California Journal. 1970-ongoing.
Location: JK 8701 .C33 1986 to present 1st floor periodicals; 1985 and older 5th floor periodicals.

Monthly publication covering California politics.

C. Statistics

California Statistical Abstract. Current edition.
AND
California Statistical Abstract. 1972-ongoing.
Location: F275 S9 Ref/CA for current year and CA stacks for previous years.

Compendium of social and economic statistics about the state.

Statistical Reference Index (SRI). 1981-ongoing.
Location: HA 1 .S75 Ref

Indexes statistical publications issued by the states and other nonprofit organizations. Publications are available in the SRI microfiche set in the Microforms and Newspaper Center (Love Library, 1st floor).

D. Organization Directory

Associations Unlimited. Current. (SDSU affiliated users only)
AND
Encyclopedia of Associations. Current.
Location: HS 17 .G32 Ref Desk

Comprehensive source of information for over 22,000 nonprofit American membership organizations. The paper and online versions have different titles.

Overview of Steps

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