SEARCH THE COLLECTIONS

Search BASIS (Bill Action & Status Inquiry System)

BASIS currently contains legislative history materials from Alaska’s 18th Legislature (1993-1994) forward, however fewer documents are available for the 18th Legislature than the more recent Legislatures.

Search Older Legislation (1982-1992)

Legislative records from 1982-1992 are available digitally in text-searchable format via our Infobases system.

Legislative Library Collections

For legislative history records prior to 1982, please contact the library. Much of this body of records has been digitized but is still in the process of being added to our online databases.

Unfortunately, the availability of our early records is dependent on several factors, which include the requirements at the time for maintaining the legislative records, the consistency with which those were followed (i.e., human fallibility), and the media into which records that were initially recorded were published or otherwise saved. Even when made, original older recordings were susceptible to poor quality and deterioration over time. Thus many of Alaska’s legislative records up to the 1970s were already lost by the time record keeping became more standard and preservation efforts began.

LLIB Collection

The LLIB contains entries for Alaska legislative history materials. The catalog includes reports written, contracted, or requested by the legislature from other state agencies (not annual reports), and some transcripts of legislative meetings. Many catalog entries include a link to a PDF copy of the document. Documents not yet online will be digitized upon request.

Alaska Legislative Committee Minutes and Audio Collection Finding Aid

Committee Bill Files

Committee Bill Files (1965 – Present) are available upon request as unofficial digitized PDF copies. The original papers are held at the Alaska State Archives. Recent years’ files can also be found on BASIS.

Alaska Legislative Publications Collection Finding Aid

This collection of publications contains Alaska’s Legislative history. The publications date from the current legislature back to Alaska’s First Territorial Legislature in 1913.

Circulation:

The Legislative Reference Library is a non-circulating library. Items may not be checked out from the library.

RESEARCH GUIDANCE

What is legislative history research?

Are you interested in how a section of the Alaska Statutes was added, amended, or repealed? Do you want to know how a certain piece of legislation was developed as it made its way through the Legislature? Are you looking for the different versions of a legislative bill and the associated analysis? Performing Alaska Legislative History Research can provide you with this information.

In general, a legislative history is a compilation which follows a bill chronologically through the legislative process, usually with the purpose of discovering legislative intent.

Roadmap to Legislative Research

Below are the steps for gathering the resources needed for the legislative history of a bill.

1. Find a current set of Alaska Statutes
2. Find All relevant Session Laws
3. Find the Bill History and/or Final Status
4. Find the House & Senate Journals
5. Find the Minutes / Audio
6. Find the Committee Files
7. Find Any Additional Resources

Consult our Guide to Alaska Legislative History Research to learn why and where to find the above resources or contact the Legislative Reference Library for help with a legislative history inquiry.

ABOUT THE LIBRARY

Visiting the Library

• Laptops may be used in the Library, no public computer available.
• Self-service copies and printouts cost $.25 per copy after the first 10 pages, however, sending scans to your email is free.

Library Mission

Collect, preserve, and provide access to records documenting Alaska’s legislative history for use by the legislature, government agencies, and the public.

Our Four Main Functions

1. Distribute legal material to the legislature.
2. Maintain a library collection that supports the work of drafting attorneys, research analysts, and all legislative staff.
3. Collect, preserve & make available the records of the Alaska Legislature.
4. Aid researchers using the legislature’s records.

History of the Library

The existence of the Alaska State Legislative Reference Library was enshrined in Alaska Statute by Governor William Egan when he signed Senate Bill 136 in 1960, which became CH 17 SLA 1960. This Alaska Session Law granted the Legislative Council the power to “maintain and operate the state legislative reference library for the use of the legislature and other state agencies.”

In 1966 the Statute was amended to remove “for the use of the legislature and other state agencies” (CH 126 SLA 1966, HB 513) and the Library opened for public use as well.

The library has changed location several times over the years. The earliest records have the library on the 6th floor of the Juneau Court Plaza building from 1990-1992. It was located on the fourth floor of the Goldstein building from 1994-1999. Finally, in November/December of 1999 the Library moved from the Goldstein Building to its current location in the Terry Miller Legislative Building, occupying the former Juneau High School’s Library/Study Hall room.

Staff