INTRODUCTION

Documents printed in conjunction with the enactment of a law are used to clarify the intent of the law, to interpret political factors influencing its passage, and to provide background information for citizen input on current legislation.

Fewer printed documents are available for Michigan legislation than for legislation of the United States Congress. Among the reasons are the small size of state legislative staffs, limited state financial resources, and a narrow readership.

Michigan Legislative Histories is designed for users of the Harlan Hatcher Graduate Library and is not intended as a definitive work for legal research. It lists resources readily available on The University of Michigan campus and from the State Capitol in Lansing.

For a description of the Michigan legislative process, see How a Bill Becomes a Law, issued by the State Legislature. Sources of Michigan Legislative History provides similar information to this guide from the perspective of the Library of Michigan's Law Library.

BACKGROUND INFORMATION ON BILLS

• Gongwer News Service
  • Behind-the-scenes political report on the Michigan Legislature and legislation
  • Quotations by legislators and lobbyists made on the floor, in committee, and in news conferences
  • Coverage begins with September 1993
  • Searchable by date or keyword
  • Single-site password available in Documents Center; ask staff for sign-on

• Contact the Legislator who introduced the bill within three years of its introduction for background information and copies of related publications

• Contact the House Fiscal Agency (517-373-8080) or Senate Fiscal Agency (517-373-2768) for the existence of a current bill on a given subject and any printed documents it may have

• Journals and Newsletters
  • Statewide professional organizations and state agencies may carry information in their journals
  • A few indexed in Michigan Magazine Index, 1965-88 (Doc. Cen.. Z 1297.M592)
    • Only microfiche for 1979-87, also located in the Documents Center
  • Most journals are not indexed and therefore must be skimmed

• Citizens Research Council of Michigan
  • Analyzes state and local government finances and organization (e.g. tax assessments, funding a new Detroit stadium)
  • Research reports on policy proposals as well as selected testimony before the state legislature
  • Web site indexes publications since 1916 and provides the text of some publications

• Institute of Public Policy and Social Research (MSU)
  • Search publications by keyword for an analysis of current Michigan public opinion polls on policy issues

• House Legislative Analyses
  • Summaries of all House bills and Senate bills referred to the House
  • Analyzes problem the bill addresses, impact, pros and cons
  • Full-text copies are available under bill number in the Michigan Legislature web site beginning 1997
  • Paper copies of older analyses filed by bill number at the U Mich Law Library
  • Legislative Analyses (Mich. Dept. of Labor and Economic Growth)
    • Full text of selective analyses within the department's purview, 1996+
    • Includes insurance, real estate, accounting, partial-birth abortions

• Michigan in Brief
  • Analyzes 65 issues likely to come before the State Legislature
  • Examples include AIDS, assisted suicide, casinos, civil rights, crime, firearms, Headlee Amendment, roads, taxes and welfare reform
  • Provides background with statistics, pro and con arguments, and web or address sources for additional information
  • Appendices address a variety of non-legislative issues (foundations, volunteerism, basic statistics and state symbols)
  • Economic, political and cultural history of Michigan since the 17th Century
  • Concise but meaty descriptions of state and local government
  • Sponsored by the Michigan Nonprofit Association, Council of Michigan Foundations, and Public Sector Consultants
  • Latest edition is 2002/2003 in Doc. Cen. JK 5801 .M541

• Michigan Municipal League Legislative Issues
  • Summary of proposed state legislation affecting local governments
  • Federal/state relations, environment, and public works
  • Includes links to bills and Michigan Municipal League position
  • Municipal lobbying primer

• Senate Fiscal Agency Reports
  • List of special and recurring reports on economic issues of legislative concern (e.g. prisons, local government debt, charter schools) beginning 1994
    • Full text available beginning June 1996
  • Selected analyses of bills before the State Legislature beginning 1997
    • Text of all bill analyses listed along with the bill text under the Michigan Legislature web site

• Stateline (PEW Research Center)
  • Summary of news articles about state legislative issues for all 50 states
  • States can be compared and ranked on population, economic, crime, budget, and environmental factors

• State Capital Universe (UMich Only)
  • Various policy briefs from the National Conference of State Legislatures for past ten years
  • State Net Capitol Journal for Michigan since 1998 and State Capitols Report covering all states since 1994

• Newspaper Indexes
  • Detroit Free Press
    • Full text of current issue only
    • Full text since 1982 also available through Newsbank (UMich Only)
    • Full text on microfilm (FILM X442)in the Graduate Library since 1832

  • Detroit News
    • Current issue only with indexing back to 1995
    • See Newsbank (UMich Only) for articles since 1999
    • Full text on microfilm on (FILM X881) in the Graduate Library since 1873 with a printed index since 1987 in the Reference Room (AI 21 .D48)

  • Ann Arbor News
    • Top news for past week on the web
    • Articles since July 1, 2004 available from Newsbank (UMich Only)
    • Index on microfiche, Sept. 1976-April 1984
    • MICRO-F X236 in Serials/Microform Room

BILL INDEXES AND STATUS

• Retrospective
  • House Journals
    • Graduate Library Stacks as J 87.M5c; Law Library in MICH.COLL.
    • Bound within two years after close of session
    • Indexes House and Senate bills by subject and House bills by sponsor
    • Gives status of House and Senate bills in the House
  • Senate Journals
    • Graduate Library Stacks as J 87.M5b; Law Library in MICH.COLL.
    • Bound within two years after close of session
    • Indexes House and Senate bills by subject and Senate bills by sponsor
    • Gives status of House and Senate bills in the Senate
  • Status Table, 1975 to 2002
    • Doc. Cen. KFM 4512. A32 - Ref. and in Law Libray MICH.COLL. (1964-)
    • Indexes House and Senate bills by subject category and sponsor
    • Gives status of bills in both houses

• Current
  • Michigan Legislative Information, 1997+
    • Find Bill: locate bills by bill number, subject category, or sponsor
    • Links to bill text, status, and Journals (Adobe Acrobat format)
  • The telephone number for current bill status is (517) 373-0630
  • State Capital Universe (UMich Only)
    • Full text of bills since 1991 and bill status since 1990

BILL TEXTS

• Law Library has copies, 1931- in MICH.COLL.
  
• Michigan Legislative Information, 1997+
  • Find Bill: locate bills by bill number, subject category, or sponsor
  • Links to bill text, status, and Journals (Adobe Acrobat format)
• State Capital Universe (UMich Only)
  • Full text of bills since 1991 and bill status since 1990

BILL REQUEST FOLDERS

• File folders containing correspondence and related documents which request the Legislative Service Bureau to draft a particular bill
• File arranged by bill request number, a number which appears in the lower corner of the printed text of the bill
• Subject index is maintained on cards
• Last one to four years at the Legislative Service Bureau (517-373-0170)
• Available for public use at the Legislative Service Bureau after the bill has been introduced.

COMMITTEE CALENDARS

• House and Senate meeting schedules for the upcoming weeks
• Includes subject or bill and meeting room

COMMITTEE HEARINGS

• Testimony before a House or Senate committee on the impact of a bill

• Beginning 2007, the most committees have selected testimony available on their web sites
  • Check http://senate.michigan.gov/ and http://house.michigan.gov/

• Most hearings NOT published

• Published Hearings
  • Connect to MIRLYN-Web for hearings within the University of Michigan Library system
  • Consult Michigan Documents, 1967-
    • Doc. Cen. Z 1223.5. M5 M62 with some issues only available on microfiche
    • Use to identify hearings available at the Library of Michigan
  • Library of Michigan Online Catalog
    • Most comprehensive index of state government publications

• Unpublished Hearings
  • House
    • Most committees keep tapes (speakers unidentified) and some keep transcripts for the past ten years before sending them to the State Archives
    • Accessible to public for on-site use
    • Contact committee chairperson via Clerk of the House (517-373-0135) for current material
    • Contact the State Archives (517-373-1408) for transcripts and tapes, 1965-90. State Archives Reference Services
  • Senate
    • Existence of tapes or transcripts depends entirely on the committee
    • Accessible to public for on-site use
    • Contact committee chairperson via the Secretary of the Senate (517-373-2400) in order to use
    • Some materials, 1979-90, in the State Archives (517-373-1408).State Archives Reference Services

LEGISLATIVE ANALYSES

• Discusses apparent problem and how the bill addresses it, pros and cons, organizations which support or oppose it
  
• There may be several analyses of one bill, but not every bill is analyzed
  
• Prepared by the House Legislative Analysis Section and Senate Fiscal Agency

• Web Versions
  • House Legislative Analyses
    • Full-text copies are available under bill number in the Michigan Legislature web site beginning 1995
  • Senate Fiscal Agency Reports
    • Analyses of bills before the current legislative session
    • For the text of all bill analyses since 1995, search for the bill number on the Michigan Legislature web site
  • Legislative Analyses (Mich. Dept. of Labor and Economic Growth)
    • Full text of selective analyses within the department's purview, 1996+
    • Includes insurance, real estate, accounting, partial-birth abortions

• Printed Versions
  • Law Library has 1973- in MICH.COLL.
  • State Archives (517-373-1408) has 1954-70. State Archives Reference Services
  • Library of Michigan (517-373-1300) has 1969+ and State Law Library (517-373-0630) may have additional analyses not available at the Law Library. These analyses may be used at the above libraries.
  • The Senate Fiscal Agency (517-373-5383) or House Fiscal Agency (517-373-8080) can also be contacted for current analyses

COMMITTEE REPORTS

• Committee's recommendation on the passage of a bill with a record of its members' voting. Very brief.
  
• Available to the public; may be photocopied
  
• Official copy kept in the office of the committee chairperson
  
• After the close of the session, the official copy is filed with either
  • Clerk of the House (contact House Committee Office, 517-373-0015)
  • Secretary of the Senate (517-373-2400)
• The official copies are available through 1990 at the State Archives (517-373-1408). State Archives Reference Services

REPORTS FROM OTHER STATE AGENCIES

• Occasionally agencies in the Executive Branch issue reports related to bills
• Connect to MIRLYN for reports within the University of Michigan Library system
• Consult Michigan Documents, 1967-
  • Doc. Cen. Z 1223.5. M5 M62 for hearings available at the Library of Michigan
• Library of Michigan On-Line Catalog
  • Most authoritative listing of Michigan government publications
  • Indexed by author, title, subject, and keyword

FLOOR CALENDARS

• Floor Calendars, 1997+
  • Recent floor calendars are available through Michigan Legislative Information
  • Searchable session schedules since 1997 also available

FLOOR DEBATES

• Discussion on the floor of the House or Senate regarding the passage of a bill
  
• Only available on tape recording
  • Speakers ar unidentified on tape recording
  • Most discussion occurs in committee rather than on the floor
• House
  • Transcripts for 1968-90 at the State Archives (517-373-1408). State Archives Reference Services. Contact the Clerk of the House, 517-373-0015, for permission to use the 1988+ transcripts.
• Senate
  • Contact the Senate Majority Leader through the Clerk of the Senate (517-373-2400) for permission to use the current session's transcripts

FLOOR PROCEEDINGS IN THE JOURNALS

• A record of action taken on legislative matters
• The House and Senate Journals do NOT include debates but may include a Legislator's explanation of a "no" vote

• Michigan Legislative Information, 1997+
  • House Journals and Senate Journals available in Adobe Acrobat format
  • Searchable by date with additional links from the bill status section of the web site
  • Includes proceedings, roll call votes, and occasionally the text of a bill but not the debates

• Bound edition
  • Published about two years after close of session
    • Indexes bills by subject and sponsor
    • Provides status table
  • House Journal in Graduate Library Stacks as J 87.M5c and also in Law Library MICH. COLL.
  • Senate Journal in Graduate Library Stacks as J 87 .M5b and also in Law Library MICH. COLL.

• Current Daily Edition
  • House Journal in Doc. Cen. J 87 .M5c and also in Law Library MICH. COLL.
  • Senate Journal in Doc. Cen. J 87 .M5b and also in Law Library MICH. COLL
  • Current Journals have no indexes
  • Use Status Tables as an index (Doc. Cen. KFM 4215.A32 - Ref. ; Law Library in MICH.COLL.

Votes

• Michigan Votes
  • Search for votes on legislation since 2003 by state Senator or Representative and subject
  • Search results include the legislator's position, the final disposition of the bill, and links to votes by all legislators for that bill
  • Also includes and index to bills since 2003

LAWS

• Definition: Current Enrolled Bills
  • Text of bill as passed by both houses of the Legislature and sent to the Governor for a signature)
  • Only official copy of law until the session laws are bound

• Enrolled Bills, 1997+
  • Text is available through the Michigan Legislature web site
  • Search by sponsor, bill number, subject or category
  • Links to the enrolled text are found under the bill status
  • There is a separate listing of current enrolled bills
  • Paper copy in the Law Library's Government Documents Office

• West's Michigan Legislative Service
  • Has texts of new Michigan laws
  • Cumulative index throughout year
  • Documents Center KFM 4225 .W51 - Ref. and Law Library

• Definition: Session Laws
  • The text of laws as passed by the Legislature and signed by the Governor
  • They are usually compiled at the end of the year

• Public and Local Acts
  • Annual compilation of the texts of laws, published two years after the close of the session
  • Subject index in each volume
  • Updated by Enrolled Bills
  • Doc. Cen. K .M62 A2 - Ref.; Law Library in MICH.COLL.)
  • Available from the Michigan Legislature beginning 1997

• Definition: Classified subject arrangement of existing law in force

• Michigan Compiled Laws
  • Official edition of codified laws
  • Searchable by full text, statute, popular name, and MCL number
  • The lastest printed edition (1979) is in the Doc. Cen. KFM 4230. 1979 A24 and Law Library
  • Michigan Legislature web site has list of MCL numbers modified by public act beginning 1997
  • Updated by Michigan Public and Local Arts and West's Michigan Legislature Service

• Michigan Compiled Laws Annotated
  • Laws in force annotated with court decisions
  • Similar to Michigan Statutes Annotated
  • At Law Library

• Michigan Statutes Annotated
  • Laws in force annotated with court interpretations
  • Bound volumes at Law Library are frequently revised
  • Kept up-to-date by annual pocket supplements
  • Current year updates, in a looseleaf binder, include the texts of recently passed laws
  • Also available on Academic Universe (UMich Only)

• Academic Universe/LEXIS (UMich Only)
  • State codes (laws-in-force) appear under Legal Research
  • Source is Michigan Statutes Annotated
  • Choose state and then state code
  • Sample Search
    Legal Research/State Codes/Michigan/Code
    medicaid w/5 fraud

• State Capital Universe (UMich Only)
  • Index and full text of Michigan Statutes Annotated
  • Annotations include links to relevant court decisions
  • Also has Martindale-Hubbell Law Digest, which provides easy indexing to laws across all states

• Assessing the New Federalism
  • State data base includes statistics and law tracking for the 50 states and D.C.
  • Fiscal, economic, demographic data
  • Information about income security, health, employment, housing, and child welfare programs
  • EXAMPLE: State Data Base - Use Online - Begin - Health Insurance/Proceed - Minimum Group Size/Proceed - All Years - for state laws on minimum size of group health insurance coverage
• Family Law in the 50 States (American Bar Association)
  • Tables comparing alimony, custody criteria, child support, grounds for divorce, property division, third party visitation and guardianship in the 50 states
• Law About... (Cornell Law School)
  • Comprehensive guide to federal and state laws and regulations arranged by subject category
  • Browsable by broad or narrow subject category and searchable by keyword; subjects include bankruptcy, adoption, divorce, criminal procedure, etc.
  • Sample information for each topic includes federal laws, regulations, and major court decisions; New York law; tables comparing laws of the 50 states; additional legal material on the web
• Legal Definitions
  • Legal definitions provided by Eaton County Prosecuting Attorney
  • Detailed court and criminal terms from a Michigan perspective
• Selected Acts (State Legislature)
  • Internet version of the most frequently-requested Michigan laws
  • Available in pdf or text format
  • Selections include child custody, the lemon law, open meetings act, stautory will, truth in lending, and whistleblower protection

• Administrative Procedures Act (State Legislature)
• Adoption Code (State Legislature)
  • Michigan Adoption Law is a private source that explains how to complete an adoption search
• Advertisements
• Age of Majority (State Legislature)
• Assisted Suicide (PA 296 of 1998) (State Legislature)
• Banking Code
• Barrier Free Design Act (Library of Michigan)
• Beverage Containers (Bottle Bill)
• Brownfield Redevelopment Financing Act (Michigan Legislature)
• Buyer's Cancellation of Sales Contracts
• Campaign Finance Law (Secretary of State)
• Charities (Attorney General)
  • Charitable Gifts, Grants, Bequests, and Devises
  • Charitable Organizations and Solicitations Act
  • Dissolution of Charitable Purpose Corporations
  • Public Safety Solicitation Act
  • Supervision of Trustees for Charitable Purposes Act
• Charter Counties Act (Michigan Legislature)
• Charter Township Act (Michigan Legislature)
• Child Abuse and Neglect Prevention Act (Michigan Legislature)
• Child Care Centers
  • Text of Public Act 116 of 1973 as amended
  • State licensing rules
  • Web page in HTML format
• Child Custody Act (Michigan Legislature)
• Child Protection Law (Michigan Legislature)
• Child Support and Parenting Time Act (Michigan Legislature)
• Children Home Alone
• City And Village Zoning Act (Michigan Legislature)
• Clean Indoor Air Act-Smoking (Michigan Legislature)
• Collection Practices Act (Attorney General)
• Condominium Act PA 59 of 1978 (Michigan Legislature)
• Construction Code (Michigan Legislature)
  • See the Bureau of Construction Codes within the Dept. of Consumer and Industry Services for additional information
• Consumer Protection Act (Michigan Legislature)
• County Zoning Act (Michigan Legislature)
• Credit Reform Act (Michigan Legislature)
• Credit Services Protection Act (Attorney General)
• Crime Victim's Rights Act (Michigan Legislature)
• District Library Establishment Act (Michigan Legislature)
• Divorce
  • Divorce Law
    • Non-University commercial site advertising family law professionals by county
    • Research value is its summary state divorce law and procedure
  • Divorce Statutes (Michigan Legislature)
  • Parenting Time (Friend of the Court)
• Downtown Development Authority (Michigan Legislature)
• Education Laws (Mich. Dept. of Education)
  • School Code of 1976 and related education laws in force
  • Revised School Code (another copy)
• Educational Opportunity Grant Program
• Elections
• Elliott-Larsen Civil Rights Act (Michigan Legislature)
• Employee Right to Know Act - Personnel Records (Michigan Legislature)
• Environmental Code
  • Michigan Environmental Code and Related Laws is a more comprehensive commercial version
• Ethnic Intimidation Statute - Hate Crimes (Michigan Legislature)
• Fax Advertising Act (Michigan Legislature)
• Freedom of Information Act [FOIA] (Michigan Legislature)
  • Additional information from the Attorney General
• Friend of the Court Act (Michigan Legislature)
• Gaming Revenue and Control Act (Michigan Legislature)
• General Sales Tax Act (Michigan Legislature)
• Gift Promotion Act (Attorney General)
• Guns
  • Firearms Law (Michigan Legislature)
  • Gun Laws (NRA)
    • Permit, carrying, and licensing restrictions for hand and machine guns
    • Adobe acrobat format
• Headlee Amendment-Property Tax Limitation (Michigan Legislature)
• Home Improvement Finance Act (Michigan Legislature)
• Home Rule Cities Act (Michigan Legislature)
• Home Rule Villages Act (Michigan Legislature)
• Home Solitication Sales Act (Michigan Legislature)
• Income Tax Act (Michigan Legislature)
• Item Pricing and Advertising of Consumer Items (Michigan Legislature)
  • Questions and Answers (Dept. of Agriculture)
• Juvenile Code Revisions (Michigan Legislature)
• Land Division Act (Michigan Legislature)
• Landlord and Tenant Relationships (Michigan Legislature)
• Lemon Law - Automotive
  • Lemon Law (Attorney General)
  • Lemon Law - Autos (Michigan Legislature)
• Library Privacy Act (Michigan Legislature)
• Liquor Control Code (Michigan Legislature)
• Lobbyists, Lobbying Agents And Lobbying Activities (Michigan Legislature)
• Management and Budget Act (Michigan Legislature)
• Marriage Law (Michigan Legislature)
• Medical Malpractice (McCullough, Campbell and Lane)
  • Summary of liability, court, and judgment laws from commercial web site
• Mental Health Code
• Militia Definition and Michigan Military Act of 1967
• Minimum Wage Act (Michigan Legislature)
• Mobile Home Commission Act (Michigan Legislature)
• Motor Vehicle Service and Repair Act (Michigan Legislature)
• No Fault Auto Insurance (Michigan Legislature)
• Nonprofit Corporation Act (Michigan Legislature)
• Nonprofit Health Care Corporation Act (Michigan Legislature)
• Open Meetings Act (Michigan Legislature)
• Part-Time Independent Student Grants (Michigan Legislature)
• Payment for Earned Degrees Act (Michigan Legislature)
• Persons With Disabilities Civil Rights Act (Michigan Legislature)
• Power of Attorney-Medical Directives (Michigan Legislature)
• Proposal A
  • Proposal increased Michigan sales taxes from 4% to 6% and reduced property taxes for school finance
  • Approved by voters on March 15, 1994
  • Text of proposal, links to constitutional changes
• Public Employees Relations Act (Michigan Legislature)
• Public Safety Solicitation Act
• Public School Employees Retirement Act (Library of Michigan)
• Pupil Transportation Act (Library of Michigan)
• Pyramid Promotion Sales Act (Michigan Legislature)
• Regulation of Certain Sales / Going Out of Business (Michigan Legislature)
• Rental Purchase Agreement Act (Michigan Legislature)
• Retail Installment Sales Act (Michigan Legislature)
• Returnable Beverage Containers (Bottle Bill) (Michigan Legislature)
• Scanner Law - Retail Sales (Michigan Legislature)
• Seller Disclosure Act - Real Property (Michigan Legislature)
• School Aid Act (Michigan Legislature)
• Self-Service Storage Facility Act (Michigan Legislature)
• Sex Offenders Registration Act (Michigan Legislature)
• Single Business Tax (Michigan Legislature)
• Small Claims Court (Michigan Legislature)
• Social Welfare Act (Michigan Legislature)
• State Aid to Libraries Act
• Statutory Will (Michigan Legislature)
• Telecommunications Act
• Townships
  • Charter Township Act (Library of Michigan)
  • Michigan Townships Associations provides sample township laws
  • Township Rural Zoning Act (Micigan Legislature)
• Truth in Renting (Michigan Legislature)
• Uniform Unclaimed Property Legislation
• Unlawful Trade Practices (Michigan Legislature)
• Unsolicited Merchandise (Michigan Legislature)
• Vehicle Scanner Law
• Whistleblower Protection Act (Michigan Legislature)
• Work-Study
  • Post Secondary Students
  • Graduate Students
• Youth Tobacco Act (Library of Michigan)

Original written by Grace York in 1987 with assistance from the late David L. Angus, Emelyn B. House, Peter M. Kempel, Michigan Legislative Service Bureau, Rosemary C. Sarri, Gertrude Stolper, and Charles B. Wolfe
Updated by Ursula Arnold, Documents Assistant, May 2004

http://www.lib.umich.edu/govdocs/michleg2.html

The Regents of the University of Michigan. All Rights Reserved

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