Guide to Compiling NY State Legislative History from the New York State Library
State Legal Resources on the Web for all states. Fewer documents are available on the web for states than for the federal government. Some print sources for New York laws are available on the 3rd floor of Bird Library, as listed below.
Findlaw- For States Other than New York
Links to the information each state makes freely available online. Some states post more than others.
Laws of New York
Select Laws of New York from the menu. That page will include consolidated and unconsolidated laws, Court Acts, Rules, and miscellaneous (constitution, NY City charter and administrative code). Unconsolidated laws are any laws passed by the legislature that are not part of the Consolidated Laws. They can include court acts, the NY City Charter and Administrative Code, miscellaneous laws that do not fit into the Consolidated Laws, and other special laws.
NY State Assembly bill search
Freely available government website allows searching by bill number or keyword; current bills only (latest amended version). Results may include summary, action, votes, memos; plus full text of bill.
New York Consolidated Laws Service-Statutory Code Lexis Nexis
This "contains the statutory code for the State of New York as published in the compilation entitled New York Consolidated Laws Service. It includes all laws of a general and permanent nature, as enacted by the New York Legislature."
New York Advance Legislative Service Lexis Nexis
"This file contains the full text of laws enacted during a legislative session." "Updated continuously throughout the legislative session."
To get to New York Advance Legislative Service:
Click on the Sources tab
Enter "New York Advance Legislative Service" in the "Find a source" box
NY - New York Consolidated Laws Service, Constitution, Court Rules & ALS, Combined Proquest Congressional
This "contains documents from the compilation entitled New York Consolidated Laws Service (Statutes, Constitution and Rules) and the New York Advance Legislative Service.
The New York Advance Legislative Service (ALS) contains the full text of all laws enacted during a legislative session. This group file includes only those ALS documents that have been enacted since the code was last updated."
McKinney's Consolidated Laws of New York Annotated (print source)
New York's statutory code, compiled into 91 subject areas. Pocket parts (located inside back covers) include text of very recent legislation. Table volumes show major revisions and trace section changes. Also includes separate general indexes and popular names table. Cross-references to New York Official Compilation of Codes, Rules, and Regulations (NYCRR). Source notes provide chapter numbers and year of passage. Historical notes show law's development and may reference corresponding Session Laws.
KFN 5030 1939 A324
Government Information Reference
3rd floor, Bird Library
McKinney's Session Laws of New York (print source)
Session laws are printed in chronological order, exactly as they were passed. Also includes related reports and memoranda. "Legislative findings and purpose," if available within the Session Law, express the official intent of the legislation. They do not show subsequent appeals or amendments. Pamphlets contain subject indexes and cumulative tables indicating which sections of the Consolidated Laws are affected by new legislation.
KFN 5025 M3
Government Information Reference
3rd floor, Bird Library
NY State Assembly Committees Commissions and Task Forces
See the Committees on Aging, Alcoholism and Drug Abuse, Children and Families, Health, Insurance, Mental Health and others. The links for Public Hearing Calendar, Press Releases, and Legislative Reports may also be of interest.
NY State Library Digital Collections
To browse legislative resources, click the browse button, New York State Government Publications, Legislative Branch, then the chamber and and files you want, such as Legislature (Assembly) and New York State Assembly Committee on Health. Text of some public hearings, committee reports, testimonies and more are available. Be sure to disable pop-up blockers to see the documents.
For more information, including some print sources, see SU Library's State/Local Government Information page and SU Libraries' NY State Legislation page.