After 25+ years of researching New York legislative history, I’ve developed my favorite “go to” source to get started. For anything from 1995 to yesterday, Legislative Retrieval System provides me with the ability to search bills, laws and vetoes. Sponsor, Approval and Veto memoranda are also readily available (and easily searchable).

Perhaps the most unique facet of LRS is the compare function, allowing the user to view a side-by-side comparison of bills introduced. Bills that don’t pass and often reintroduced, with slight but significant changes. LRS “compare” allows me to see what was kept — and what didn’t make the cut!

Budget Bills -everything, including the kitchen sink!, LRS makes it easy to focus in on your needed area!

And then there is the all important “current awareness” function, otherwise known as “alerts.” Many of our members need to closely track the progress of NY State bills. Alerts keep everyone aware of both the small and significant changes that occur in committees as well as when a bill is calendared, vetoed, or chaptered enacted into law.

My NYLI colleagues Brooke and Emily are new users of the LRS system; I don’t know if it’s a favorite of theirs yet, but I do know that they will find it useful for any New York State legislative research!

Peter Fong, Head of Legislative Research @ NYLI….