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What is legislative history?

"Legislative history:  The background and events leading to the enactment of a statute, including hearings, committee reports, and floor debates.  Legislative history is sometimes recorded so that it can later be used to aid in interpreting the statute."   (Black’s Law Dictionary, 7^th ed.)

A legislative history records official action taken by either the Senate or Assembly affecting the legislative process of a bill or resolution, including action taken on measures considered but not passed by the Legislature.

A compiled legislative history for a bill enacted by the Nevada Legislature would normally include the following: 

• Chronology of legislative actions, also called the bill history page (1947-current)
• Summary of legislation (1975-current)

• All versions of the bill – the introduced bill, any reprints/redrafts if the bill was amended, and the final, or enrolled, version of the bill (enrolled version 1864-current, all other versions 1911-current)

• Fiscal note, if submitted
• Committee minutes and exhibits from the Senate and Assembly (1965-current)

• Journal pages showing any amendments, floor votes, and legislator comments.  Remarks are recorded in the journals only if requested by the legislator; otherwise the journal entry simply reports, “Remarks made by Senator X.”

A history might also include, among other things:

• The report from an Interim Study, called a bulletin, if the legislation was recommended by the Study committee
• Ballot question language, explanation and vote for measures from the general election
• Committee minutes of related legislation
• Governor’s veto message if the bill was vetoed
• Copies of applicable sections of the Joint Standing Rules of the Senate and Assembly or sections of the Nevada Constitution