When the language of a statute is unclear or ambiguous, attorneys will sometimes look to its legislative history to try to determine the intent or purpose of the legislature in enacting the statute. "Legislative History" can refer both to the legislative process (the steps a bill takes on its way to becoming a law) as well as the documents generated during that process. Legislative history is most relevant for providing background to interpret statutory language. Recent legislation is most easily researched utilizing electronic resources, and legislative histories for many older statutes are being made available online as well. For some older statutes, print resources may be the only option.
The Law Library has created a guide on Legislative History research (https://lawlibguides.luc.edu/legislativehistory). This guide provides overviews of the legislative processes for both the U.S. Congress and the State of Illinois General Assembly, tips for researching legislative histories for both federal and Illinois statutes, and listings of sources for finding compiled legislative histories and individual legislative documents.
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