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Minnesota Bill Status Search Examples and Explanations

Bill Versions

  • After searching, the version that appears when you click on "Bill Text" is always the most recent version available on the web. The date of the version is on the bill.
  • For previous versions of the bill, from the bill text click on "List versions".

Search by Bill Number

  • Multiple numbers can be entered by leaving a space between the numbers or separating the numbers with commas. For example: 1 2 3 6 23 or 1,2,3,6,23
  • A single range of numbers can be entered using a hyphen. For example: 3-20.
  • You can switch the body you would like to search - House, Senate or Both - by selecting a different radio button.
  • Search does not have to include SF, SC or HF, HR, or HC. If you do include one of these, your results will be limited to the corresponding file. For example, search for HF1 or SF328.
  • Searching is not case sensitive.
  • Remember that bill status in the House can include Senate bills, and bill status in the Senate can include House bills.
  • To find all of the Senate bills in the House, go to House Bill Information - Basic Search. In the "Search by Bill Numbers" section, type "SF*" to find all Senate bills in the House or "S*" to find all Senate bills & resolutions & concurrent resolutions in the House.
  • To find all of the House bills in the Senate, go to Senate Bill Information - Basic Search. In the "Search by Bill Numbers" section, type "HF*" to find all House bills in the Senate or "H*" to find all House bills & resolutions & concurrent resolutions in the Senate.

Revisor Number

  • Search bill status for a revisor number. For example select the 90th legislature and search: 17-1270.

Search by Keyword

  • Use * to search for all versions of a word. For example, financ* would find finance, finances, financing.
  • Default searches the full text of bills. Keyword searching has the option to search the short description, long description, bill title, and/or full text. Note: The House no longer adds long descriptions. The search option is still on the bill search page because the Senate does add long descriptions for some bills.
  • All of the words: Search for several words. Example: adoption birth certificates - The results will contain all of these words.
  • Any of the words: This search will find documents that contain at least one of the terms. Example: cold weather - The results will contain cold or weather or both.
  • Exact phrase: Search for a phrase like property tax. No quotes needed.
  • Advanced Search: Search for phrases and keywords. Use quotes around phrases. Example: "open meeting" and body - The results will contain the phrase and the keyword. When searching for an exact phrase containing the word and put brackets around the and. Example: "House {and} Senate" and taxes - The results will contain the phrase "House and Senate" and the keyword taxes. Search for multiple phrases, using quotations around each. Example: "Fergus Falls" and "junior college" - The results will contain both phrases.
  • Searching is not case sensitive.

Search by Chief Author or Author

  • Select the author(s) you would like to search. Hold the CTRL Key and click to select more than one author.
  • Searching by Chief Author will return bills that list the legislator as a "Chief Author". Searching by Author will return bills that list the legislator as an "Author" or "Chief Author".
  • The number in parentheses is the number of bills with the legislature listed as the Chief Author or Author, depending on the search box.

Topic Search

  • Choose a topic heading to retrieve all bills related to that topic. Hold CTRL Key and click to select more than one topic.
  • The number in parentheses is the number of bills with that topic.

Committee Search

  • Choose a committee to retrieve all bills referred to that committee. Hold CTRL Key and click to select more than one committee.
  • The number in parentheses is the number of bills with that committee.

Action Search

  • Choose an action type to retrieve all bills that have had that type of action. Hold CTRL Key and click to select more than one action.
  • The number in parentheses is the number of bills with that action listed.

Statutory Citation

  • Search the title for a statutory citation. For example: 144.057.
  • To include multiple sections, search the chapter. For example, if you search for 290, you will retrieve 290, 290.01, 290.33, etc.
  • Searching is not case sensitive.