 PDF version
Illinois Legislative History Research Prepared by Frank Houdek, SIU Law Library — Spring 2008
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GO TO: |
IN ORDER TO: |
| Step 1 |
Illinois Compiled Statutes (KFI1230.3 .A3)
OR
Illinois General Assembly website: Legislation & Laws: Illinois Compiled Statutes
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identify Public Act number (e.g., P.A. 78–255) listed at end of each ILCS section
[remember that first number relates to the number of the General Assembly, the second to the numerical sequence in which statutes were enacted during that particular General Assembly]
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| Step 2 |
Laws of the State of Illinois [arranged by P.A. number]
OR
Illinois General Assembly website: Legislation & Laws: Public Acts (90th G.A. (1997–98) to current)
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identify bill number listed at top of P.A.
print: KFI1225 .I4 (1819–current)
website: use lists to find Public Act by P.A. number; for Public Acts from previous General Assemblies, select G.A. from dropdown menu on Previous General Assemblies
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| Step 3 |
Legislative Synopsis & Digest [print, arranged by bill number] AND
House and Senate bills [micro]
OR
Illinois General Assembly website: Legislation & Laws: Bills & Resolutions (90th G.A. (1997–98) to current) |
review chronology of bill, to identify likely dates of floor debate (e.g., "2nd reading" or "recalled to 2nd reading")
print: KFI1215 .I4 (1917–current)
micro: Fiche V-S 0243 and 0244 (1987–98)
film KFI1206 .I4 and .I42 (1877–1986)
website: for bills and resolutions from previous General Assemblies, select G.A. from dropdown menu on Previous General Assemblies; click on "listing" link under Legislation & Laws to find the bill number; retrieve status information and links to full text of bill
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| Step 4 |
Index of Transcripts for House or Senate Debate in the ___ General Assembly
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determine page numbers for dates of debate on the bill
print: KFI1210.I4 H67 and KFI1210 .I45 (1971–98), on cabinets in micro room; must look at both Senate and House indexes for the bill since there are separate fiche sets for each chamber; NOTE: page numbers are essential because each legislative day begins at page 1
website: skip this step |
| Step 5 |
Debates of General Assembly, House and Senate [micro]
OR
Illinois General Assembly website: Senate or House: Transcripts (77th G.A. (1971–1972) to current) |
read actual debate re the bill
micro: Fiche V-S 0002 and 0003; remember to consult fiche sets for both chambers
website: for transcripts from previous G.A., select from dropdown menu on Previous General Assemblies; retrieve by legislative day or date and then use "Find on this Page" feature of browser (or "search" feature of Adobe reader) to locate relevant debate (use bill number) |
| Step 6 |
Journals of the House and Senate [print]
OR
Illinois General Assembly website: Senate or House: Journals |
locate and read any conference committee report or veto message from governor
print: KFI1218 .H62 and .S43 (1844–current); use "Record of Bills" at end of last volume for year, which lists each page in Journal where bill is mentioned
website: journals for 91st G.A. (1999–2000) to current; for journals from previous G.A., select from dropdown menu on Previous General Assemblies; retrieve legislative day after veto and use "Find on this Page" feature of browser to locate governor's veto message |
PDF version of this research guide. 
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