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The Library of Michigan supports digitization efforts throughout the state by offering resources to libraries. Resources include consulting, equipment access, funding opportunities, and more.
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The Library of Michigan collects copies of state publications. Legislative history materials, including copies of bills, legislative analyses, House and Senate Journals, and session laws or public acts are housed in the State Law Library, Michigan Documents, and Michigan Official Collections within the Library of Michigan.
Print materials may circulate. To find a copy for checkout, see the Library of Michigan’s ANSWER catalog or contact the Library for assistance. Keyword searches may be done in ANSWER to find additional materials relevant to legislative history or intent such as reports, studies, or commentaries. ANSWER may also have
information on holdings in the Archives of Michigan, such as descriptions of documents contained in a legislator’s papers.
Historical newspapers, periodicals, and dictionaries are also available in the Library of Michigan in digital and print formats, depending on the individual resource.
For information on researching the history of a provision in the Michigan Constitution, see the State Constitutional Materials section of this guide or the more detailed.
State Law Library, 517-335-1948 (M-F 10 am to 5 pm) or LMLawLib@Michigan.gov
Main Reference Desk, 517-335-1477 (M-F 8 am to 5 pm, Saturday 10 am to 4 pm) or Librarian@Michigan.gov
Michigan Legislature Website
History notes for current Michigan Compiled Laws (MCL) sections provide citations to the public acts that enacted and have amended the section. PDF copies of bills, House and Senate Journals, and analyses from 1995 are available, and are easily accessed through the Public Act (Signed Bills) link. The website is gradually being populated with legislative materials dating back to 1993 and 1994.
Governing Michigan (Library of Michigan Digital)
State of Michigan publications digitized by the Library of Michigan. Analysis for selected public acts are in the Legislative and Statutory Materials Collection. To locate analysis for an act, search for the public act year and number in the following format: Year-PA-Public Act # (for example, 1994-PA-451). Also included are the Final Status Tables showing the disposition of a bill from 1949-1996, as well as a publication containing commentary on the Revised Judicature Act of 1961. Note: Governing Michigan is updating to a new platform called Library of Michigan Digital as of the end of 2019.
Michigan Law Revision Commission Annual Reports
The Commission’s purpose is to “examine the common law and statutes of the state and current judicial decisions for the purpose of discovering defects and anachronisms in the law and recommending needed reforms.” The Commission’s Annual Report can provide insight into why legislation may have been drafted as it was. Reports are available online back to 1995, and earlier materials (back to 1966) are available on the LLMC Digital Law Library (see information below) and in print in the State Law Library.
Hathi Trust Digital Library
Includes digitized State of Michigan publications, including older public acts and statutory compilations. Many resources dated after 1923 have not been opened for full viewing and downloading may be restricted. For better search results, do an Advanced Search in the Catalog and select the Full Text option.
Michigan Senate and House Committee Materials
After determining which House and Senate committee has reviewed a bill, follow the prompts on that committee’s webpage to access testimony and minutes. Materials are generally included for the current legislative session only.
Library of Michigan ANSWER Catalog
Use ANSWER to find reports, studies, or commentaries on notable pieces of legislation. The catalog also covers some holdings at the State Archives as well, in which case it may be possible to locate information in legislators’ papers.
Michigan House and Senate Journals (There may be multiple records in Hathi for these titles)
The following are available in the Library of Michigan and State Law Library. State of Michigan Employees are also able to access these resources remotely by using their Library of Michigan card and PIN - for more information, contact the State Law Library at LMLawLib@Michigan.gov.
HEIN Online
Searchable databases include session laws from all 50 states and statutory compilations (Michigan goes through 1948 and supplements). The State Law Library subscription includes full-text PDF images of law review and bar journal articles, which can be invaluable when trying to find discussions of older state legislation.
ProQuest Historical Newspapers: Detroit Free Press, 1831-1999
Resource for possible commentary on historical bills before the Michigan Legislature, as well as context for the issues and events that may have given rise to the legislation.
Michigan Historical Annotated Statutes
The State Law Library’s subscription to Westlaw includes historical Michigan Compiled Laws Annotated (MCLA) sections back to 1989. The Law Library also keeps superseded print volumes of the MCLA, Michigan Compiled Laws Service, and Michigan Statutes Annotated.
Materials on Michigan Constitutional Conventions are available in the State Law Library and the State Constitutional Law and Michigan Documents Collections. To see the range of available materials, search on the keywords constitutional conventions Michigan in the ANSWER catalog.
You can also link to certain publications such as the Official Record and Journal through the Library’s ANSWER catalog.
Updated 12/16/201