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California Legislative History Research Guide: Step 2. Statute

Read the Chapter/Session Law (the Uncodified Law)

Step 2. Read the uncodified law - the chapter law - for each amendment to the code section to trace back the language and determine which chapter law added the relevant language. 

For chapter laws passed since 1999, you can find the full text of the chapter law under the Bill Information tab on LegInfo.  Just enter the statute year and chapter number in the search box.

California session laws are published in Statutes and Amendments to the Codes ( KFC25 - 4th Floor Research Alcove). The library has the print version of Statutes and Amendments to the Codes for the years 1849 through 2008.

Statutes and Amendments to Codes is also available online on the website of the Office of the Chief Clerk of the Assembly.  Click on the link for the specific year, then click on the link to the volume that contains the chapter law you're researching.  A PDF containing the chapter laws in numerical order will open.