I Don't Know Where to Start
You can start with a topic to find more specific details. Select of the following options:
Current Minnesota Statutes
If you think the law you are researching is a current one (still in effect), you can either:
Tip! When using the keyword search, select: Minnesota Statutes. Unselect: Minnesota Laws, and Minnesota Rules. Then, select the year(s) to search and enter your keywords in the search box.
Once you have identified the statute number, use that statute number to continue your legislative history research.
Archived Minnesota Statutes
If you think the law you are researching is historical (no longer in the current statutes), you can either:
Tip! When using the keyword search, select: Minnesota Statutes. Unselect: Minnesota Laws, and Minnesota Rules. Then, select the year(s) to search and enter your keywords in the search box.
Once you have identified the statute number, use that statute number to continue your legislative history research.
The Laws of Minnesota
This option works better if you know the approximate year that the law passed.
Perform a keyword search of the Laws of Minnesota.
Tip! When using the keyword search, select: Minnesota Laws. Unselect: Minnesota Statutes, and Minnesota Rules. Then, select the year(s) to search and enter your keywords in the search box.
Once you have identified the session law number, use that session law number to continue your legislative history research.
Search for bills introduced in a specific session
You will need to narrow your search to a specific legislative session.
- 1995 to the present: Search for bills online
Tip! The bill search page defaults to searching only bills in the current session. To search for previous sessions, select either "Search House Bills" or "Search Senate Bills." When the next page is displayed, change the year in the box at the top-center of the page.
- Prior to 1995: Use the print volumes of the House and Senate Journals. They include an index that is searchable by topic and by author.
Location of House and Senate Journals:
1858-present - in print at the Legislative Reference Library. (Collection is nearly complete).
Also available at the Minnesota Historical Society Library.
Once you have found the correct bill, use the bill number to research the legislative history.