Anyone who grew up with Schoolhouse Rock knows how a bill becomes a law. But the true complexities of the process go far beyond the verses of the song. Who proposed it? Why did they propose it? Have similar bills made it through? If not, how far have they gotten? The careful scrutiny of a bill’s tumultuous passage through (and, often, untimely demise within) our legislative process is a branch of study unto itself, called legislative history research.
The proposal of a bill is not the inception of the idea itself. Prior to the official proposal, there are countless meetings and committees and discussions. Some of these steps are documented. Others are far too casual to be official (a word in passing as two colleagues meet in the hallway), yet could easily have played a crucial role in the formation of a bill. Legislative research attempts to cull this information to provide a valuable insight in the formation and evolution of our federal statutes and regulations.
Proponents of a certain bill are measured against their legislative history. Is this in line with what they’ve done in the past? Or does it break from their established and expected patterns? If so, for what reason? Are they realigning their ideals, or has something in the legislative lay-of-the-land altered in some significant way? Knowing the answers to these questions can provide lawmakers and legislative research with crucial information when searching for support, clarification, or precedence on certain legal statutes.
Sometimes, a particular proponent or sponsor may have such a strong history of passage that their mere presence in the development of the bill can aid its progress through the system. Similarly, the inclusion of a legislator with a poor track record may, on occasion, dissuade certain supporters.
Along with a snapshot of the legislators themselves, legislative research can shed light on the legislative intent of an entire administration, by showing which laws they passed, which laws they attempted to pass, and how strenuously they pushed for certain bills over others. Bringing together this information in a collated, searchable system is vital for historical hindsight, as well as a clearer and more structured vision for our legislative future.