Legislative History: Federal and Washington Bridge the Legal Research Gap 2006 Ann Hemmens University of Washington Law Library

What is Legislative History? The progress of a bill through the legislative process The documents created during that process versions of bills and amendments, committee reports, debates, and hearings

Why does it matter? Courts look to legislative history (LH) to interpret unclear statutory language & determine intent of Congress Stephen Breyer, On the Uses of Legislative History in Interpreting Statutes, 65 S. Cal. L. Rev. 845 (1992). Reasonable uses of LH avoid an absurd result correct a drafting error recognize specialized meanings of words (e.g., standing) identify reasonable purpose of phrase choose among reasonable interpretations on politically controversial issue Argue against use of LH Plain meaning rule (look to the language of the statute)

Washington Court of Appeals uses Legislative History “When a statute is ambiguous, we apply principles of statutory construction, legislative history, and relevant case law, giving effect to the Legislature's intent.” State v. Manro, 125 Wash.App. 165, 173 (2005) West Digest Topic [Statutes] & Key Number [217.2]: 361k217.2 k. Legislative History of Act.361k217.2

U.S. Supreme Court looks to Legislative History “As for the propriety of using legislative history at all, common sense suggests that inquiry benefits from reviewing additional information rather than ignoring it... Our precedents demonstrate that the Court's practice of utilizing legislative history reaches well into its past. See, e.g., Wallace v. Parker, 6 Pet. 680, , 8 L.Ed. 543 (1832). We suspect that the practice will likewise reach well into the future.” Wisconsin Public Intervenor v. Mortier, 501 U.S. 597, 610 (1991)

Questions Answered in Legislative History Who sponsored this legislation and why? What did he or she say about it during debates? How did the language of the law change in various versions of the bill? What did the Committee recommend in their Report?

Most important legislative history materials, in order: Committee Reports (contain analysis & recommendations) Bills (including different versions & amendments) Sponsor remarks made on House or Senate floor (debates) Committee hearings (public hearings held by committees considering bills)

Federal Legislative History Research Guide Remember: CIS Index / LexisNexis Congressional THOMAS USCCAN (United States Code Congressional and Administrative News)

Step 1: Look for Compiled Legislative History Sources of Compiled Legislative Histories: A Bibliography of Government Documents, Periodical Articles, and Books, 1st Congress-105th Congress (by Nancy P. Johnson) Hein Online database contains a Legislative History Library with 15 compiled legislative histories. USA Patriot Act Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 Search Library Catalogs USA PATRIOT Act: A Legislative History Federal Estate, Gift, And Generation-Skipping Taxes: A Legislative History

Step 2: Identify LH Documents CIS Index & Legislative Histories Print Online LexisNexis Congressional (available at UW) Lexis (Legal > Federal Legal - U.S. > Legislative Histories & Materials > US - CIS Legislative Histories)LegalFederal Legal - U.S.Legislative Histories & Materials THOMAS website

CIS Index (LexisNexis Congressional): Search for Legislative Histories by keyword or Public Law or Bill Number.

Antiterrorism and Effective Death Penalty Act of 1996Antiterrorism and Effective Death Penalty Act of 1996, Pub.L. No LexisNexis Congressional: Link to Bills, Debates, Reports, Hearings etc.

Thomas Free website Reliable (Library of Congress) Contains: public laws, committee reports, bills, debates, hearings Example: Partial Birth Abortion Ban Act of 2003 (108 th Congress)

Search by keyword across multiple Congresses ( 1989 – current )

Search for Bills by keyword (1989-present)

THOMAS: Bill Summary and Status

Partial Birth Abortion Ban Act of 2003 on THOMAS THOMAS: Links to Reports, Debates, Votes, Public Laws etc.

Step 3: Locate the Documents Committee ReportsCommittee Reports & Public Laws : United States Code Congressional and Administrative News (USCCAN), 1941-date. Print OR Westlaw (USCCAN) Westlaw – Graphical Statutes CIS Legislative Histories online (LexisNexis Congressional or Lexis) THOMAS (

Sample Documents Partial Birth Abortion Ban Act of 2003 Pub.L. No (Public Law) H. REP. NO (House Report)

Use Adobe’s SEARCH function Public Law: cite to 18 U.S.C found in margin

Westlaw Graphical Statutes

Westlaw GRAPHICAL STATUTES: Link to Public Law, Bills, Reports, Debates, Hearings from the statute (U.S.C.)

USCCAN: Contains Public Laws & Committee Reports

View Public Law & link to Legislative History Documents

Step 3: Locate the Documents: Committee Hearings GPO Access covers 1997-date, selective. v/chearings/index.html v/chearings/index.html only online source of official published hearings (other sources are testimony transcripts only). Partial Birth Abortion Ban Act of Partial Birth Abortion Ban Act of 2003

free source of Congressional publications (e.g., hearings)

Step 4: Analyzing the Documents Norman J. Singer, Statutes and Statutory Construction (6th ed.). [also known as Sutherland on Statutory Construction] Ronald Benton Brown et al., Statutory Interpretation: The Search for Legislative Intent (2002).

Washington State Legislative History Research

Basics of WA Legislative History Research In 1897, WA Supreme Court looked at sequential drafts of a bill to determine legislative intent. Howlett v. Cheetham, 17 Wash. 626 (1897).

Basics of WA Legislative History Research Materials (mid 1970s-current) Available in print at law libraries WA Legislature’s website, TVW website, Westlaw & LexisNexis. Types of Materials? Bill Files, Committee Reports, versions of bills, House & Senate Journals (audiotapes of debates), Committee Meetings (audiotapes) Contact People WA State Archives -- request copies of “Bill File” House & Senate Journal Clerks – audiotape of Debates

Washington Legislative History Research Guide Remember Legislature’s website State Archives TVW website

Step 1: Start with RCW section RCW § Interfering with dog guide or service animal. Statutory history in parenthetical [2003 c 53 § 52; 2001 c 112 § 2.] WA Legislature’s RCW page

WA Legislature’s website: Bill Information (1997-current) Laws and Agency Rules (RCW)

Step 1: RCW RCW

Step 2: Look at Session Law to Get Bill Number WA Legislature’s Bill Information page, Legislative documents: bills & amendments, session laws, committee reports (1997 – current) How to find Bill Number? Chapter to Bill Table, RCW to Bill Table, Topical Index Example: Use “Session Law to Bill Table” (2001, c.112 § 2) → Senate Bill 5942: Increasing penalties for crimes against dog guides and service animals

What is the bill number? Use “Bill to Law Cross Reference” Tables

“Bill Information” page: Search for legislative documents by Bill # or keyword (1997-current)

Step 2: Bill Information PageBill Information Page Links to bills, amendments, reports etc.

Step 3: Documents Available Online (1997-current) House and Senate Committee Reports Final Legislative Report (Final Bill Report) (in print: 1979-current) Bills & Amendments Legislative Digest and History of Bills (chronology & reporting committee) (in print: 1970-current) Roll Call Votes

Step 4: WA House & Senate Journals In print at law libraries (1889-current) online at Legislature’s website (2005-current). Includes: dates of floor action amendments “point of inquiry” or “debate ensued” (debate about a bill)* *Debates are not printed in Journal; they are available on audiotape from House or Senate Journal clerks (not transcribed).

WA Senate Journal Example Journal of the Senate (March 12, 2001) POINT of INQUIRY [concerning Engrossed Substitute Senate Bill No. 5372] Senator Brown: “Senator Prentice, is it the intent of this legislation to provide only for agreements with twelve tribes that own and operate smoke shops and not provide a precedent for other tribes which have different circumstances such as independent smoke shops that are licensed by the tribal government, such as Puyallup?” Senator Prentice: “Yes, this bill represents terms and conditions agreed to by only the tribes listed in the bill. The state recognizes that agreements with other tribes may involve alternative rates and conditions.” Debate ensued.

Step 6: Contact WA State Archives Committee Bill Files Mid-1970’s forward Committee Meeting audiotapes Mid-1970s forward (not transcribed). Research Section of the WA State Archives in Olympia ( ) They copy and send bill files for reasonable fee. Open to the public. Governor's files on specific bills ( & ) Legislative Council records ( ) and personal papers of some legislators (files are incomplete).

Step 7: TVW WA’s Public Affairs Network WA House and Senate Committee Hearings and Floor Debates audio and video 1996/97 to current

REMEMBER: Federal LH Research Guide USCCAN (WL Graphical Statutes) THOMAS website CIS (LN Congressional) Washington LH Research Guide Legislature’s website State Archives & TV W