Legislative History Records

The records of many offices provide history of legislation; you may need to access records created by the House, Senate, Legislative Research and General Counsel (who conduct legal and policy research for drafting bills), Legislative Fiscal Analyst (who reviews bills for cost implications), Governors and Lieutenant Governors, etc. Another research guide entitled Legislative Intent and Legislative History provides more information on how to use these records.

The following is not a complete list of records, but just some of the series most commonly used. Search the Archives catalog for a more complete listing. Most current records are still in the creating office, and some may be available online on the legislature's website; older records can be reviewed through the Utah State Archives. Click on series number links to go to more complete descriptions of the records.

Code and Laws

Legislature's Laws of Utah, 1851-[ongoing]. (Series 83155)

Legislature's Utah Code Annotated, 1851-[ongoing]. (Series 83238)

Legislature's Utah Code Unannotated, 1982-[ongoing]. (Series 1052) The current code is also available online on the legislature's website.

Various Utah Historical Statutes, 1847-1888, available from the Marriott Library Digital Collections.

Legislative Minutes

Legislative Assembly's Journals, 1851-1880. (Series 3145)

Legislative Assembly. House's Journal record books, 1858-1878. (Series 16660)

Legislative Council's [aka Senate] Journal record books, 1858-1882. (Series 3167)

Legislature. House's Journals, 1882-[ongoing]. 1992-present available online. (Series 456)

Legislature. Senate's Journals, 1882-[ongoing]. 1992-present available online. (Series 409)

Legislature. House's Floor debate recordings, 1957-[ongoing]. Most recent years online. (Series 23020)

Legislature. Senate's Floor debate recordings, 1965-[ongoing]. Retained by the Senate. (Series 22224 and 22515).

Legislative Bill Files

Legislative Assembly's Territorial legislative records, 1851-1894. (Series 3150)

Legislature. House's Working bills, 1896-[ongoing]. (Series 432)

Legislature. Senate's Working bills, 1896-[ongoing]. (Series 428)

Lt. Governor's Legislative bills, 1896-[ongoing]. (Series 4076)

Office of Legislative Research and General Counsel's Bill drafting and research records, 1980-1989 available on fiche at the Archives; 1990-present available online on the legislature's website. (Series 7073)

Committee Records

Office of Legislative Research and General Counsel's Interim committee histories, 1967-1989 available on fiche at the Archives [search committee holdings index]; 1990-present available online. (Series 7230)

Legislature. House's Standing committee minutes, 1967-[ongoing]; 1998-present available online on the legislature's website. (Series 3159)

Legislature. Senate's Standing committee minutes, 1972-[ongoing]; 1998-present available online on the legislature's website. (Series 18459)

Legislature. House's Standing committee audio recordings, 1994-[ongoing]; CDs 1996-present retained in the House. (Series 23013)

Legislature. Senate's Standing committee audio recordings, 1994-[ongoing]. (Series 21084)

Publications

Office of Legislative Research and General Counsel's Legislative Interim Reports, 1948-[ongoing]. 1948-1993 available on microfilm at the Archives; 1994-present available online on the legislature's website. (Series 22117)

Office of Legislative Research and General Counsel's Digest of Legislation reports, 1949-[ongoing]. (Series 17929)

Office of Legislative Research and General Counsel's Research reports, 1976-[ongoing]. (Series 24138) *

Governors' Records

Governor Bamberger's Legislative bills record, 1917-1919. (Series 12365)

Governor Rampton's Legislative bill records, 1965-1976. (Series 17586)

Governor Matheson's Legislative bill files, 1977-1984. (Series 1595)

Governor Bangerter's Legislative case files, 1985-1992. (Series 8583)

Constitutional Records

Statehood Constitutional Convention's Records, 1895. (Series 3212)

Election Office's Voter Information Pamphlets, 1975-[ongoing]. (Series 21810)

See also Utah's Road to Statehood exhibit.

Contacts

Legislative Research and General Counsel

Legislature. House

Legislature. Senate

Legislative Fiscal Analyst

Legislative Auditor General

State Law Library