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The first step in searching for a legislation record is to select the basic filters. To search for records, regardless of the data in a specific field, leave the filter for that field blank or do not select any filter options.
Note : You must select at least one filter or keyword.
RECNO
If you know the record number (RECNO) of a specific record, enter it in this field. Because the record number is unique, you do not have to enter any other search criteria when you enter data in this field. To search for records regardless of the RECNO, leave this field blank.
General Search Term
Each legislation record contains a synopsis of the provisions and enforcement text and/or notes in the corresponding notes field. To search for a specific term or phrase in any of these fields, enter it in this field.
You can enter partial information into this field to search for records with words containing the search information. For example, if you enter the word school, the search results include all records with the words school, schools, or school-related.
To find an exact word or phrase, enclose the word or phrase in quotation marks, e.g., “cigar” or “unaccredited facility”.
Bill or Resolution Number
Enter the bill or resolution number in this field. You can enter partial information in this field to find all records as described for the General Search Term. To search for records regardless of the bill or resolution number, leave this field blank.
Status
Select the type of legislation from the dropdown list. You may select Ballot Measure,
Enacted Legislation, or Adopted Resolution or search all records regardless of type. To search
for records regardless of whether they are adopted resolutions or enacted laws, leave this options
set to All.
State
Check the box next to each State whose records you wish to search. To search for records regardless of the States in which they were enacted, select All States, or do not select any checkboxes.
Year
You may enter a beginning (From) and ending (To) year filter or a single year (From). If you enter a range of dates, all records with dates between and including the specified years are returned in the search results. If you enter only a From date, only records from that specific year are included in the search results. To search for records regardless of the year in which they were enacted, leave these fields blank.
Quarter
Select the desired quarter(s) in which the bill or resolution was enacted. You can search for bills enacted in any individual quarter or groups of quarters. Records in the database with no quarter specified will only appear in search results if no quarter is specified with this filter. Not selecting any quarter will generate search results from all quarters.
Step 2. Selecting Keywords
Each record has at least one primary keyword. Once you select the primary keyword for your search, the secondary keyword and tertiary keywords are displayed.
To search for records, regardless of their keyword assignments, do not select any keywords.
Primary Keyword
Click the radio button next to the desired primary keyword.
Secondary & Tertiary Keywords
For each primary keyword, you can choose all tertiary keywords within each secondary keyword by checking the All <Primary Keyword Name> box, or you can select individual secondary keywords.
For each secondary keyword, you can choose all tertiary keywords within a secondary keyword by checking the All <Secondary Keyword Name> box, or you can select individual tertiary keywords.
Search Buttons
Once you have entered all necessary filters and selected the keywords, click the Search Now button to view the results of your search.
How To Search for Year-End Status Records
Step 1. Entering Filters
Step 2. Selecting Keywords
Step 1. Entering Filters
The first step in searching for a year-end status record is to select the basic filters. To search for records, regardless of the data in a specific field, leave the filter for that field blank or do not select any filter options.
Reference
If you know the reference number of a specific record, enter it in this field. The reference refers to the first bill in a stream of legislation. The year-end status history for a single reference may contain multiple records.
Citation
To search for a specific section number, term, or phrase in the citation of a year-end status record, enter it in this field.
You can enter partial words or phrases. For example, if you enter the letters cod, the search results include all records with the words code, codified, or codes.
Use the mouse to select the citation symbol ( § ) and then copy and paste it into the text box as needed.
Description
To search for a specific term or phrase in the description text of a year-end status record, enter it in this field.
As with the citation field, you can enter partial words or phrases.
State
Check the box next to each State whose records you wish to search. To search for records regardless of the State in which they were enacted, select All States, or do not select any checkboxes.
Year
You may enter a beginning (From) and ending (To) year filter or a single year (From). If you enter a range of dates, all records with dates between and including the specified years are returned in the search results. If you enter only a From date, only records from that specific year are included in the search results. To search for records regardless of the year in which they were enacted, leave these fields blank.
Notes
If applicable, the notes field contains additional clarifying information not included in the law itself. To search for a specific term or phrase in a year-end status note, enter it in this field.
As with the citation field, you can enter partial words or phrases.
Step 2. Selecting Keywords
Each record has at least one primary keyword. Once you select the primary keyword for your search, the secondary keyword and tertiary keywords are displayed.
To search for records, regardless of their keyword assignments, do not select any keywords.
Primary Keyword
Click the radio button next to the desired primary keyword.
Secondary & Tertiary Keywords
For each primary keyword, you can choose all tertiary keywords within each secondary keyword by checking the All <Primary Keyword Name> box, or you can select individual secondary keywords.
For each secondary keyword, you can choose all tertiary keywords within a secondary keyword by checking the All <Secondary Keyword Name> box, or you can select individual tertiary keywords.
Search Buttons
Once you have entered all necessary filters and selected the keywords, click the Search Now button at the top or bottom of the page to view the results of your search.
Using Search Results
General Legislation Search Results
The Search Results Table
The search results table shows a brief overview for each record that fits your search criteria. Click on the RECNO to open the detail screen for an individual record.
Export Options
Export Table to Excel
Click this button to export the contents of the table to a MS Excel workbook. This file will open in a new browser window with limited MS Excel functions available. For best results editing the workbook, save the file to your local machine.
Export Table to PDF
Click this button to export the contents of the table to a PDF file.
Export Detail to PDF
Click this button to create a PDF file containing the detailed information for each record in the search results table.
General Legislation Record Details
The detail screen shows specific information about the legislation record, the provisions associated with the bill, and information about its enforcement.
Navigation Options
Previous/Next Buttons
If your search results include more than one record, you can scroll through the record detail screen without returning to the search results table by clicking in the Previous and Next buttons.
Export Options
Export to PDF
Click this button to create a PDF file containing the detailed information for the current record.
Tables
There are two tables at the bottom of each detail screen. These tables provide the history of the legislation shown in the current record. Click the links to display or hide the desired tables.
List of Stream Table
This table shows each bill that is created to amend or repeal the original piece of legislation at which the stream began.
History of Year-End Status Table
At the end of each year, if a bill's status has changed, due to amendment or repeal, a year-end status record is created to reflect the changes. This table shows the history of these changes.
Year-End Status Search Results
The Search Results Table
The Search results table shows a brief overview for each record that fits your search criteria. Click on the Reference to open the detail screen for an individual record.
Export Options
Export Table to Excel
Click this button to export the contents of the table to a MS Excel workbook. This file will open in a new browser window with limited MS Excel functions available. For best results editing the workbook, save the file to your local machine.
Export Table to PDF
Click this button to export the contents of the table to a PDF file.
Export Detail to PDF
Click this button to create a PDF file containing the detailed information for each record in the search results table.
Year-End Status Record Details
The detail screen shows specific information about the year-end status record, the citation, and an abstract of the citation text.
Navigation Options
Previous/Next Buttons
If there are year-end status records for more than 1 year, you can scroll through the record detail screen for the individual years without returning to the search results table by clicking in the Previous and Next buttons.
NOTE: The number of records in the detail screen reflects the total number of years for which there is a year-end status record for the selected Reference, not the number of records in the search results as in the General Legislation Record Details.
Export Options
Export to PDF
Click this button to create a PDF file containing the detailed information for the current record.
Tables
There are two tables at the bottom of each detail screen. These tables display the history of the legislation shown in the current record. Click the link to display or hide the desired tables.
List of Stream Table
This table shows each bill that is created to amend or repeal the original piece of legislation at which the stream began.
History of Year-End Status Table
At the end of each year, if a bill's status has changed, due to amendment or repeal, a year-end status record is created to reflect the changes. This table shows the history of these changes.
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