Legal Research: Finding Laws/Regulations

U.S. LAWS

United States Code — Government Information, 4th floor, Y 1.2/5:

Also find U.S. Code online.

United States Code Annotated (USCA) — KF62 1927 .W45

United States Code, Congressional and Administrative News (USCAN) — KF48.U554

USCAN is a monthly update to the United States Code Annotated. Thus statutory law will appear here more quickly. Public laws will also appear in Statutes at Large.

United States Statutes at Large — Government Information - 4th floor, AE 2.111:

The official U.S. statutes publication. Slip laws are also shelved with this set.

TEXAS LAWS

General and Special Laws of the State of Texas — KFT1230 .A2

The Legislature meets in odd-numbered years and is frequently called into extra sessions.  Information on recently introduced bills is available through the Texas Legislature Online.

Vernon's Annotated Constitution of the State of Texas — KFT1230.5 Al

The Texas Constitution is also online.

Vernon's Texas Session Law Service — KFT1225 .V47

Vernon’s Texas Statutes and Codes Annotated — KFT1230.5 .V4 A31

Vernon's Annotated Revised Civil Statutes of the State of Texas —KFT1230.5.A2

San Marcos City Code — Ref KFX2371 .S33 A35

Summaries of U.S. Laws

Congress and the Nation — JK1 .C67

Congressional Quarterly Almanac —  JK1 .C66 (Also available online)

Congressional Quarterly Weekly Reports (CQ Weekly) — JK1 .C15, also available online

Legislation often creates the need for enforcement of that law. Agencies are thus empowered to create rules and regulations that enforce legislation at the federal, state, and local levels.

U.S. Rules/Regulations

Code of Federal Regulations — Government Information, 4th floor, also available online

Multivolume set of federal regulations, organized by topical volumes. Has separate index volumes. Regulations published in the Federal Register will eventually be included in the CFR.

Congressional Record — Government Information, 4th floor, X1.1/A:, also available online

The Congressional Record contains proceedings, debates, and hearings information that may be helpful, especially regarding pending legislation or regulation as well as for historical research.

Congressional Information Service — Government Information, 4th floor, KF49.C622

The CIS is a good source of information on pending or very recent legislation as well as legislative history. House and Senate bills can be traced by topic or bill number. Some content available online through LexisNexis Congressional

Federal Register — Government Information, 4th floor, AE 2.106:, also available online

Daily publication. All federal regulations are supposed to be published here. Regulations are arranged within the FR by their sponsoring agencies.

Texas Rules/Regulations

Texas Register —  6th Floor  KFT1236.T47, also available online

Copies on Reference floor, 3rd floor, and in Gov. Docs. Semi-weekly publication of Texas legislation, regulation, open meetings, etc. Regulations will also appear in the Texas Administration Code

Texas Administrative Code - 6th Floor  KFT 1235 1988 .A4, also available online

All the rules and regulations adopted by Texas departments, agencies and commissions.