Emory Law School Website

Legislative History

• Documentation of the process of the enactment of a law
• Legislative Intent
  • Reasons for enactment
  • Issues considered
  • Resolving ambiguities
  • Explaining the language used
• Bill Tracking
  • Status of pending bills

Using Legislative History

• Legislative Intent
  • Reasons for enactment
  • Issues considered
  • Choosing among reasonable interpretations of language
  • Statutes sometimes intentionally vague or unclear
• Debate over use
  • Sponsor's views
  • Textualists:  Plain meaning of legislative language only
  • Reduced use in recent years
  • Exxon Mobil v. Allapattah Services:  Impermissible to consult legislative history when statutory language is unambiguous
• General purpose of act vs. smaller provisions
• Bill Tracking
• Status of current and pending legislatio
• State of the legislative process
• Monitoring for legislation that may affect a statute relied on in a case, or may affect a client