To begin to compile a legislative history of a New York State statute, you first need to find the law's citation in the session laws or, if the law is currently in effect, to find the law's citation in the code. In either source, you can find the year of the law's enactment and its chapter number.
Codes:
- McKinney's Consolidated Laws of New York (KFN 5030 .A4 M15) Laws currently in force in New York State arranged in 64 titles or subjects. Text of the statute includes the year of enactment and the chapter number. Annotated with references to cases and historical notes. Updated with annual pocket parts. Digital version available in Westlaw: New York Statutes and Court Rules.
- New York Consolidated Laws Service (KFN 5030 .A4 L33) Laws currently in force in New York State. Text of the statute includes the year of enactment and the chapter number. Includes case annotations, historical notes, annual pocket parts and advance sheets. An additional feature of this set is the inclusion of forms for some statutes. Digital version available in Lexis+: New York Consolidated Laws Service.
Session Laws:
- Laws of the State of New York (KFN 5025 .A23) Official version - currently prepared by the New York State Bill Drafting Commission. Published annually. BLS Library has print vols. from 1785-1977 (incomplete) and print vols. from 1988- 2010 (received as a New York State depository item). Also available in BLS Library in microfiche (KFN5025 .A23 (MICRO)) back to 1691. Digital version available in HeinOnline's Session Laws Library, described below.
- Session Laws Library This HeinOnline subscription database database available through BLS LIbrary includes:
- McKinney's Session Laws of New York (KFN 5025 .M3) BLS Library has 1954 to date. Unofficial version published by Thomson/West. Two volumes per year; volume one contains the text of new laws arranged by chapter number; volume two contains the governor's annual message, executive orders and approval memoranda. Digital version from current year available in Westlaw: New York Enacted Legislation (Session Laws).
- New York Consolidated Laws Service: Session Laws (KFN 5025 .L42) BLS Library has 1976 to date. Unofficial version published by LexisNexis. Two volumes per year; volume one contains the text of new laws arranged by chapter number; volume two contains the governor's annual message, executive orders and approval memoranda. Digital version of New York Consolidated Laws Service Session Laws (2022) available in LexisNexis Digital Library.
