How to Research the History of a Statute

Understanding Legislative History in the Hawaii Revised Statutes

Legislative history can be found in the source note following each section of the Hawaii Revised Statute (HRS). The information in brackets [   ] at the end of a HRS section provides the history in chronological order of when the section was enacted and amended.

Source Note Abbreviations

  • L – Year of enactment in Session Laws of Hawaii
  • c – Act #
  • s or § – Section
  • am – amended
  • rep. – repealed
  • gen ch – gender change
  • CC – Civil Code
  • PC – Penal Code
  • RL – Revised Laws of Hawaii

Source Note Example

Source note for HRS 26-14.6  [L 1989, c 211, §2, etc.]
L 1989 = 1989 year Act passed; c 211 = Act 211; §2 = section 2 of the Act

Session Laws of Hawaii (SLH)

How to Find the Bill Number

Search for the Act in Session Laws of Hawaii (SLH) to find the bill number. Acts are arranged in numerical order and will provide the originating House or Senate bill number.

How to Find the Committee Report Numbers for the Bill

Use the table at end of the SLH to find the committee report numbers for the bill. The measures are normally arranged by Act or Bill number.

Tracking Amendments

Sample of Legislative History Chart

Download a Blank Legislative History Chart (Word)
Download a Blank Legislative History Chart (PDF)

Chart showing the legislative history for section 26-14.6, Hawaii Revised Statutes.

Sample Source Note

Use the table at end of the SLH to find the committee report numbers for the bill. The measures are normally arranged by Act or Bill number.

Senate and House Journals

Contents of the Journals

Day-to-Day Proceedings

  • Daily proceedings of the legislative session
  • Communications received after adjournment

Appendices

  • Rules of the House and Senate
  • Conference Committee Reports
  • Standing Committee Reports

History Sections

  • Senate Concurrent Resolutions
  • House Bills
  • House Concurrent Resolutions
  • Senate Bills

Sample Table of Contents for a Journal

Appendix and History sections are highlighted; arrows point out the Conference Committee Reports, Standing Committee Reports, House Bills, and Senate Bills.

Finding Committee Reports

Find the committee reports in the House and Senate Journals. Below are three examples.

Researching Acts Prior to 1961

For Acts prior to 1961, information is not available in SLH or the Digest and Index of Laws Enacted.

Find the bill number in the History of Bills Table located in the back of the House and Senate Journals.

Check each page number referenced in the House and Senate Journals for committee report numbers mentioned.

Resources

To access to the following print sources, please visit our office in person:

  • Session Laws of Hawaii: 1848+
  • House and Senate Journals: 1901+
  • Digest and Index of Laws Enacted
  • 1945-1961 (includes brief summaries of acts)
  • 1962-1994 (includes brief summaries of acts and committee report numbers)
  • Penal Code 1850
  • Civil Code 1859
  • Compiled Laws 1884
  • Penal Code 1897
  • Civil Laws 1897
  • Revised Laws of Hawaii: 1905, 1915, 1925, 1935, 1945, 1955
  • Supplements to RL of 1955: 1957, 1960, 1961, 1963, 1965
  • Hawaii Revised Statutes 1968
  • Hawaii Revised Statutes replacements: 1976, 1985, 1993 (After 1993, selected volumes replaced each year along with supplements for other volumes)
  • Supplements to HRS: 1972+

Assistance

Should you have any questions about the legislative history process, please feel free to contact us through email [email protected] or by phone at (808) 587-0690.