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Historical Resources: Legislation, Regulation, and Courts
This page presents material related to the history of Rhode Island's legislation, regulations, and courts. Most of these materials are state publications in print format. They are housed on the Lower Level of the library Ranges A to C. Reference materials relating to Rhode Island State publications are shelved on the First Floor Government Publications Range 37. The state publications resources listed below are cataloged under an in-house classification system (the Swank system), which is based on the issuing state agency preceded by the number 39, e.g. 39-E68 (39=Rhode Island, E68=Dept. of Economic Development).
Some of these resources are also located in the Reference Area of the library on the first floor. If you need help locating materials, please contact the Info & Research Help Desk.
- Acts and Resolves Passed by the General AssemblyURI State Pub. 39-A3 2: 1900-
URI R.I. Collection KFR25 A3 1798-1899
Text of private laws (laws pertaining to one person, corporation, or municipality) and resolutions passed by the General Assembly. Arranged in chronological order of passage. Index by subject. - Code of Rhode Island RulesURI Ref KFR35 .A24 (22 vols)
Text of all state regulations on file. Arranged by an 8-digit numbering system based on issuing agency. Indexed by subject, rule number, and citing authority. - General Laws of Rhode Island (print, completely annotated)URI Ref KFR30 1956 A2
1990- Earlier in Serial Stacks
URI State Pub. Ref KFR30 1956 A2 Latest edition only.
Code of all current civil and criminal laws of Rhode Island. Arranged by broad subject areas called “titles." Subject Index. Updated by annual pocket supplements. Online version searchable by keyword through Nexis Uni (see below). - Journal of the House of RepresentativesURI State Pub. 39-A4 1:
1907-. (some years missing)
Latest year on State Pubs Reference
Record of daily proceedings of the Rhode Island House of Representatives. No index. - Journal of the SenateURI State Pub 39-A5 1:
1906- (some years missing)
Latest year on State Pubs Reference
Record of daily proceedings of the Rhode Island Senate. No index. - Legislative Meetings ReportURI State Pub 39-S82 6:L34mr
1995-2002 (some missing)
Announcements of hearings and committee meetings to be held within the next seven days.
- Nexis Uni (LexisNexis) This link opens in a new window
This link opens in a new window
- What’s included? News, law, and business information service. Includes news from national and international newspapers; wire services and articles from hundreds of periodicals; and a number of other reference sources. All sources are full-text. Updated daily.
- Public Laws of Rhode IslandURI State Pub 39-A3 5: 1900-.
URI RI Collection KFR25 A4: 1798-1898
Text of laws as they are passed by the General Assembly. Arranged in chronological order of passage. Indexed by subject. - Rhode Island Government RegisterURI Ref KFR36 .R48
1998- Latest on Reference, earlier volumes in Serial Stacks
Text of latest state rules. Includes regulations, executive orders, appointments to state offices, and opinions of the Attorney General. Subject index in the latest issue cumulates for the current year. - Rhode Island ReportsURI State Pub. 39-C45s 1:
1898-1980
Text of opinions of the Rhode Island Supreme Court. Indexed by case name. Subject access is through the Rhode Island Digest (Ref. KFR57 .W4). Continued as West's Rhode Island Reporter (see below). Also available online through Nexis Uni (see above). - Weekly Legislative ReportURI State Pub 39-S82 6:L34
1995-2002
Weekly summary of actions taken by the General Assembly. Arranged by bill number. Online version under Bill Status/History for current year and Bill Status for previous years. - West's Rhode Island ReporterURI Ref KFR45 .R464 (Older volumes in Serial Stacks)
1989- (Annual). Latest 10 years in Reference; earlier in Serial Stacks.
Text of opinions of the Rhode Island Supreme Court that have appeared in the Atlantic Reporter. A “Key Number Digest” is included. Subject access is through the Rhode Island Digest (Ref KFR57 .W4). Pre-1989 editions under variant titles, check catalog records.