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Using Internet Resources to Research
House Bill and Senate Bill Status

In order to access the verbatim floor session or committee recordings you will need the information printed on the bill status screens. Follow these instructions. You may want to print this guide so you may refer to it while using the search engines.

If you know the House File (HF) number, follow the House Instructions below. If you know the Senate File (SF) number, complete the Senate Instructions below.

House Instructions

Go to the House Bill Information search engine and do the following:

  1. Select the appropriate year in the drop down box at the top of the page.
  2. Type in the House File number in the "Search by Bill Numbers" box.
  3. Click on the "Go" button.
  4. Once the new page is loaded, find the "Status" column and click on the bill number listed below this heading.
  5. Print the ensuing screen out in landscape format.
  6. Some committees provide the actual hearing dates under the "Further Committee Actions" link on this bill status screen. Find this link and click on it, if the dates are listed print this screen too. Beginning in 2009, you may find direct links to the minutes and recordings on this page.
  7. Go back to the previous screen. To the right of the House File number at the top of the screen, the corresponding Senate File (if there is one) should be located after the term "Companion". Below this locate the "Bill Status" link and click on it.
  8. Once that screen is loaded, print it out in landscape format as well.
  9. Check the "Unofficial Actions" link for the companion bill, if the dates are listed print this screen too.
  10. Proceed to the Final Instructions section below.

Senate Instructions

Go to the Senate Bill Information search engine and do the following:

  1. Select the appropriate year in the drop down box at the top of the page.
  2. Type in the Senate File number in the "Search by Bill Numbers" box.
  3. Click on the "Go" button.
  4. Once the new page is loaded, find the "Status" column, then click on the bill number listed below this heading.
  5. Print the ensuing screen out in landscape format.
  6. Some committees provide the actual hearing dates under the "Committee Hearings and Actions" link on this bill status screen. Find this link and click on it, if the dates are listed print this screen too. Beginning in 2007, you may find direct links to the minutes and recordings on this page.
  7. Go back to the previous screen. To the right of the Senate File number at the top of the screen, the corresponding House File (if there is one) should be located after the term "Companion". Below this locate the "Bill Status" link and click on it.
  8. Once that screen is loaded, print it out in landscape format as well.
  9. Check the "Unofficial Actions" link for the companion bill, if the dates are listed print this screen too.
  10. Proceed to the Final Instructions section below.

Final Instructions

Now you have the information needed to listen to the discussions on these bills. Use the printout of the bill status screens to determine which committee books/minutes to review in order to determine the exact hearing dates (if they weren't listed under the "Unofficial Actions" or "Further Committee Actions" links).

Listen to/watch the hearings, if recordings exist (location of tapes, by year).

To purchase copies of House audio recordings that haven't been transferred to the Minnesota Historical Society, contact House Public Information, (651) 296-2146. Copies of Senate audio recordings that haven't been transferred to the Minnesota Historical Society may be purchased from Senate Supply at (651) 296-5720. Older tape recordings may be purchased from the Minnesota Historical Society, (651) 259-3300. Free listening facilities are available at the Legislative Reference Library or the Minnesota Historical Society's Library for the tapes that are stored at those locations.

Please note, the House and Senate Journals record the official House and Senate actions on all bills. The Journal of the House is available online from 1994 to the present. The Journal of the Senate is available online from 1996 to the present. Although it is not necessary in order to obtain the correct hearing tapes, you can also follow the bill's progress using journal entries. In order to use the journals, be sure the bill status screen printouts include the journal page numbers. If they do not, print the screens in landscape format.

 

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