Question: Where can I find executive orders?

Presidential Executive Orders

• Presidential Executive Orders can be found in CFR (Code of Federal Regulations) Title 3. Earlier editions of Title 3 are kept with the current CFR sets in Smith and Ref Coll.
• Executive Order for every president since Clinton (1994-) is available on the Federal Register's website.
• Older Presidential Executive Orders (1862-1938) are also available at HeinOnline’s U.S. Presidential Library database.
• Executive Orders and Proclamations of the current White House administration are available at the White House website.

Michigan Executive Orders

In Michigan, Executive Orders are orders made by Michigan’s governor. 

• There are two kinds of Executive Orders: 
  • Executive Reorganization Orders re-assign functions throughout the executive branch of Michigan’s government. They have the force of law unless rejected by the legislature within 60 days of the governor’s signature and seal. 
  • Other Executive Orders do not have the force of law. They are used primarily for special projects and to “establish Boards or Commissions prescribed by federal or state law.”
• Executive Orders of the current administration are available on the State of Michigan's website.
• Executive Orders from previous governors' administrations are also available, organized by governor (2001-) on the page Former Governors of Michigan.

Library Resources 

• The law library carries Executive Orders and Executive Reorganization Orders (Smith KFM4234 .A2 M54x) from 1973-2009.
  • Note that Executive Reorganization Orders are not clearly marked in this set. In the MLaw Library Catalog, title is “Executive Order,” and author is “Michigan. Governor.” 
• The Michigan Register (Smith KFM 4236 .M53x) contains both Executive Orders and Executive Reorganization Orders. 
• Executive Reorganization Orders are printed in Michigan Compiled Laws (Smith KFM4230 1999 .A47 1999x) and Michigan Compiled Laws Annotated (MCLA) (Smith & Ref Coll KFM 4230 1948 .A44).
  • For both sources, look in the index under “Governor,” then look under the sub-topic “Executive Orders.” 
  • MCLA has copies of the most recent Executive Orders. Once the softbound pamphlets are discarded, however, the replacement volumes will not contain executive orders. 

Government Resources

• Executive Orders are available free to download from michigan.gov.
• Executive Reorganization Orders can also be obtained as part of the Michigan Compiled Laws on the Michigan Legislature website.