Gallagher Law Library - UW School of Law

Washington State Legislative History

Updated Nov. 1, 2010.
Prepared by Peggy Jarrett & Cheryl Nyberg.

Print Sources

The Gallagher Law Library has the print sources used in Washington legislative history research; these are located in the Reference Area.

  1. Start with an RCW section. Note the citation to the session law you wish to follow (found at the end of each section in brackets).
  2. Proceed to the Laws of Washington (1889/90-date; KFW25.A22). Note the bill number, which along with the year and session, is the key to finding legislative history. Look for veto messages and effective dates.
  3. Look at the Final Legislative Report (1979-date; KFW15.2) for the background, summary, votes on final passage, effective date, and veto message if applicable.
  4. Check various versions of the bill (1889/90-date; Senate, KFW6.S4; House, KFW6.H6).
  5. Check the Legislative Digest and History of Bills (1970-date; KFW15.A2) for chronology and reporting committees.
  6. Look at both the Journal of the Senate (1889/90-date; KFW18.2.W32) and Journal of the House (1889/90-date; KFW18.2.W3) for points of inquiry, amendments and substitutions, and dates of floor action.

For current bills (those introduced in the past two years) contact the reporting committee for copies of the bill files. Occasionally, a committee may keep a bill file beyond the two-year mark. Both the Final Legislative Report and the Legislative Digest and History of Bills note the reporting committees. House and Senate committee information is available on the Internet.

Current Committee Files

For current bills (those introduced in the past two years) contact the reporting committee for copies of the bill files. Occasionally, a committee may keep a bill file beyond the two-year mark. Both the Final Legislative Report and the Legislative Digest and History of Bills note the reporting committees. House and Senate committee information is available on the Internet.

House & Senate Journal Tapes

You can request tapes of floor action from the Journal Clerks. As with the committee tapes, they are not transcribed and are in real time. To request a tape, you need the bill number and date of action before writing or calling.

  • Senate: tapes are available from 1971-date; contact the Journal Clerk, Washington State Senate, Legislative Building, PO Box 40482, Olympia, WA 98504, (360) 786-7579.
  • House: tapes are available from 1969-date; contact the Journal Clerk, Washington State House of Representatives, Legislative Building, PO Box 40600, Olympia, WA 98504, (360) 786-7790.

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State Archives

The Washington State Archives in Olympia, (360) 586-1492, has files on bills introduced after the mid-1970s. The date varies by individual committee. The files include whatever material the reporting committee compiled. Committees usually keep bill files for two years; for current bills, you must contact the reporting committee.

For bills considered before the mid-1970s, little material is available. Governor's files on specific bills are sometimes available from 1951-1955 and 1965-1984. Governors' files are not open until six years after he or she leaves office.

Legislative Council records from 1947-1973 and personal papers of some legislators may also be useful, although the files are incomplete. See Guide to the Papers of Washington State's Legislative Archives. CD3576.5.W37 1984 at Reference Office

Committee meeting tapes (real time, not transcribed) are also available from the mid-1970s. Tapes are not automatically sent when requesting a bill file; you must specifically request them.

The Research Section of the Archives will pull, copy, and send bill files and committee tapes on request for a reasonable fee. Archives staff cannot pull and copy sections of massive legislation: the files are not organized by topic or bill section. The Archives are open to the public, so you may research any legislative history yourself. For more information, see the Legislative History guide prepared by the State Archives and/or contact the Archives staff by email: Research@secstate.wa.gov.

The Washington State Digital Archives provides audio of House committee hearings from 1973-2002, arranged by committee.

The Washington State Legislature offers several oral histories of former legislators. These oral histories might be useful if a bill's sponsor discussed the bill in the oral history.

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