The Maryland Legislative Library and Information Services provides the General Assembly and its staff with research and reference services. The library also provides reference services, research services, and legislative information to the public. You can check out their hours of operation here. The library can be an invaluable resource for Maryland legislative research and current legislative events. The library’s extensive collection includes the Laws of Maryland dating back to 1637 and the House and Senate Journals dating back to 1826. In addition, the library is the official depository for all Maryland State agency publications and county government codes with many recent documents available online, including Mandated Reports, which are available here. The library catalog is accessible online.
The library staff also coordinates educational programs for visitors to the General Assembly, including tours of the Maryland State House, legislative complex, and governor’s residence. Last year, I participated in a tour the State House and Legislative Complex organized by the library and really enjoyed learning more about the history and inner-workings of the State House and General Assembly.
If you are new to Maryland legislative research, the Library and Information Services provides quick-start guides/resources to understanding the legislative process. Check out these resources.
For those you who wish to stay current on what’s going on in the General Assembly, check out these resources.
- Committee Meetings and Hearing Schedule
- Current Status Reports for the House and Senate of legislative that has been introduced to the respective Houses of the General Assembly
- Issue Paper – This is an information report, organized by major topic, that compiles the issue papers, this includes taxes, education, budget and transportation.
In addition to the library, the Maryland General Assembly’s website provides a wealth of information for legal researchers. Stay tuned for a post on search tips for the Maryland General Assembly’s website.
AACPLL Blog: Law Library News 