Question: Where do I find session laws?

Session laws are the laws passed in a legislative session by a legislature, published in chronological order (as opposed to being arranged by subject, as in codifications like the United States Code, the United States Code Annotated, or the United States Code Service).

Federal Session Laws

• United States Statutes at Large
  • Smith KF50 .U5x and Micro-10 S534
  • HeinOnline Session Laws (1789-2011)
  • Main collection of federal session laws
• United States Code Congressional and Administrative News ​(USCCAN)
  • Smith KF 48 .W45
  • Recent session laws; generally published in pamphlet form within a month or two of enactment. USCCAN also reprints selected legislative history materials. 
• United States Code Service Advanced Series
  • Smith KF 62 .U553 1936x 
  • Recent session laws; softbound advance sheets published within a month or two of enactment. They are kept only until the law is codified into the United States Code Service codification.
• United States Code Annotated Statutory Supplement
  • ​Smith KF 62 1927 .W45 and Ref Coll
  • Recent session laws; softbound advance sheets published within a month or two of enactment. 

Michigan Session Laws

• Public and Local Acts of the Legislature of the State of Michigan
  • ​Issued annually following the Legislative session. They are arranged by Public Act number, not by bill number. Beginning in 1985, there is a cross-reference table in the back of each volume which translates bill numbers to public act numbers.
  • In the Law Library: Smith KFM 4225 .A25 M53x
  • Also available on the Michigan Legislature website 
  • Also available on Hein's Session Laws Library. 

Other States' Session Laws

The Law Library's collection of state session laws is a mix of both paper and fiche.

• To determine the holdings for a specific state, conduct a title search in the MLaw Library Catalog for "Session Laws of American States and Territories," limit the search by the state you are interested in (e.g. Rhode Island). 
• The only exception to this is Michigan.  
• In general:
  • Pre-1871 will be in paper, shelved in the CLOSED STACKS. 
  • 1871-1925 will be in paper in the CLOSED STACKS. 
  • 1900-current will be in fiche at the Circulation Desk. See the MLaw Library Catalog for microfiche call number. 

Also check HeinOnline Session Laws Library for state session laws.