The Government Information Department home page provides links to selected
resources by subject. The department's Data Center offers researchers computers
available for web searching as well as access to a number of subscription and
CD-ROM databases.
Internet Sites for State and Federal Laws and Legislation
GPO Access
- http://www.access.gpo.gov/su_docs/
Also linked through the Government Information home page, this site provides access to most of the Federal government's legislative and regulatory sites. The Databases link allows for searching as well as provides direct links to other government sites involved with laws and legislation.
US House of Representatives
- http://www.house.gov
US Congress
- http://www.senate.gov/
Thomas -- US Congress on the Internet
- http://thomas.loc.gov
This site contains federal bills from the 103rd Congress to the present, public laws, directory and other information about legislation, Congress, Congressional members and the legislative process.
Webster -- New Hampshire State Government
- http://www.state.nh.us
Along with access to leglative and gubernatorial links, this site offers access to the Revised Statutes of New Hampshire, updated through the 1998 Session of the General Court.
New Hampshire General Court
- http://www.state.nh.us/gencourt/gencourt.htm
This site offers information on the 155th Legislative Session.
New Hampshire Judicial Branch
- http://www.state.nh.us/courts/home.htm
New Hampshire's Supreme, Superior, and Probate courts; the Family Division; Administrative Offices of the Courts; and the NH law library are all linked through this site. Depending upon site, full-text of cases are available.
Legislative
United States (federal) - Congress
Congressional Bills
- http://www.access.gpo.gov/congress/cong009.html
This site offeres all published versions of bills from the 103rd (1993-1994), 104th (1995-96), and 105th (1997-98) Congresses. The 105th Congress database is updated daily.
Congressional Index
- 1937-
Reference KF49 .C6
This resource indexes federal bills by subject, author, and bill number.
Congressional Record
- http://www.access.gpo.gov/su_docs/aces/aces150.html
Docs Ref X 1.1/A:
Microforms
The Congressional Record is the official record of proceedings and debates of the US House and Senate, including extensions of remarks. It is published Daily. The Congressional Record Index is also available in paper from 1877 or online from 1992. The CRI indexes daily issues of the Congressional Record.
History of Bills and Resolutions
- 1983-
http://www.access.gpo.gov/su_docs/aces/aaces200.html
This resource provides information about bills and resolutions introduced during Congressional sessions. It is updated daily.
Lexis/Nexis
- Online subscription, see Reference Department
Lexis/Nexis provides databases for current news, business information, corporate directives, federal and state laws, legislation and legal cases.
Major Studies and Issue Briefs of the Congressional Research Service
- JK 1108 .M257 year
This resource provides an index, bibliography, and good place to start to full texts of Congressional studies and briefs
Monthly Catalog
- 1924-
http://www.access.gpo.gov/su_docs/dpos/adpos400.html
Paper GP 3.8: year
The Monthly Catalog is an index and bibliography to federal documents, including Congressional materials. It is published on the first day of every month.
Public Laws
- http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/nara005.html
This resource is a collection of slip laws enacted during the most current sessions of Congress (1995-1998).
United States Statutes at Large
- 1905-1983 Docs GS 4.111
1984- Docs Ref AE 2.111
The Statutes at Large provides a chronological arrangement of public slip laws, bound in volumes by Congressional Session: public laws, private laws, joint resolutions, concurrent resolutions, and some presidential materials. The Statutes at Large has a subject index and name index for access to private laws. This work can be used as legal evidence of the laws referenced and is considered acceptable as proof of those laws in the courts.
United States Code
- http://www.access.gpo.gov/congress/cong013.html
Current volumes are located in Reference Y 1.2/5:
Older volumes are located in the circulating collection KF 62 .A1 year
and from 345.21 U582c
The US Code contains general and permanent laws arranged by subject (50 titles) and includes general and popular names of law indices with annual supplements.
Senate, House and Treaty Documents
- http://www.access.gpo.gov/congress/cong006.html
Treaties in Force
- S 9.14
This document is an annual index of treaties, currently in force, to which the US is a party. Arranged in two parts, Part 1 covers Bilateral treaties and Part 2 covers Multilateral treaties.
Treaties and Other International Agreements of the United States of America,1776-1949
- Bevins, Charles I.
Docs Ref S9.12/2:vol
This publication offers official US Government translations of treaties and other international agreements entered into by the US from 1776 to 1950.
United States Treaties and Other International Agreements
- 1950-
Docs Ref S 9.12:
Compiled as an amendment to the United States Code, these volumes are designed to provide legal evidence of the treaties, international agreements other than treaties, and Presidential proclamations of treaties. Prior to this compilation, treateis and other international agreements were printed in the United States Statutes at Large.
Indian Affairs, Vol. 2: Laws and Treaties
- Kappler, Charles J.
Docs Ref Y 4. In 2/2: L44/ v.2
Published in 1904, this volume provides full text of treaties between the federal government and American Indians signed between December 1778 and July 1883.
Treaties and Other International Acts of the United States of America, 1776-1818
- Miller, Hunter
Docs Ref S9.5/1:vol
Replaced by Bevins, this series offers all international acts which had gone into force, whether currently enforced or not, with the exception of postal conventions and Indian treaties.
New Hampshire (state) Legislature
- http://www.state.nh.us
History and Final Disposition of Bills and Resolutions of the NH General Court
- 1965, 1967, 1969-74
NHamp KFN 1215 .A25 year
House Record
- NHamp oversize KFN 1218 .C465
The House Record is a calendar, journal, and digest of sessions of the New Hampshire General Court, House of Representatives.
Lexis/Nexis -- NH Bills and Laws
- Online subscription (for access, see Reference Department)
Databases for current news, business information, corporate directives, federal and state laws, legislation and legal cases.
Journal of the House of Representatives of the State of New Hampshire
- 1947-
NHamp 328.74 N532
The House Journal provides full text coverage of New Hampshire House of Representative Sessions, recorded daily, and published in annual cumulations. Each volume is indexed by subject and bill number.
Senate Journal
- 1978-
NHamp KFN 1218 .A87
The Senate Journal provides full text coverage of Sessions of the New Hampshire Senate, recorded daily, and published in annual cumulations. Each volume is indexed by subject and bill number.
Executive
US President, Vice-President and Executive Agencies
American Statistics Index (ASI)
- 1974-
Docs Ref Z7754.U5 A46
ASI is the index to statistics published by the federal government by subject, author, and category. Its coverage includes national, regional, state, county and city statistics.
Code of Federal Regulations (CFR)
- http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/cfr/index.html
Reference KF 70 .A34 I46 year
AE 2.106/3:
CFR is the annual cumulation of the permanent rules published in the Federal Register by the executive departments and agencies, divided into 50 titles or subjects.
Federal Register (FR)
- http://www.access.gpo.gov/su_docs/aces/aces140.html
Microform, 1973-
Reference AE2.106
The Federal Register is the official daily publication for rules, proposed rules, notices of Federal agencies and organizations, Executive Orders and Presidential documents.
Monthly Catalog
- http://www.access.gpo/gov/su_docs/dpos/adpos400.html
1924-
Docs Ref 3.8: year
This resource indexes federal documents, including Executive materials.
Public Papers of the President
- 1929-1933, 1945-
Docs Ref GS 4.113:
AE 2.114:
Public Papers began in 1957, the fifth year of the Eisenhower administration. Provision was made for retrospective collections and volumes were publisehd for the earlier years of Dwight Eisenhower's, Harry Truman's, and Herbert Hoover's presidencies. Compilations for Franklin D. Roosevelt and earlier presidents have been publisehd commercially. Public Papers is a compilation of presidential speeches, papers, White House releases and reports to the press. Material is arranged chronologically.
Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents
- 1965-
http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/index.html
Micromedia
AE 2.109:
Before 1977, the Weekly Compilation was broader than Public Papers,. The current publication was developed for contemporary readers. It includes the President's daily schedule; communications to Congress; executive orders, addresses and remarks; lists of Presidential nominations; and materials from the Office of the Press Secretary. Separate quarterly, semiannual, and annual indexes are arranged chronologically by subject, name, and documents category.
New Hampshire -- Governor, Executive Agencies
Office of the Governor
- http://www.state.nh.us/governor/index.html
State of New Hampshire Executive Council
- http://www.state.nh.us/council/execouncil.html
American Statistics Index (ASI)
- 1974-
Docs Ref Z7754.U5 A46
This index offers national, regional, state, county, and city statistics.
Judicial
US Supreme Court
- The following three sources contain decisions of the United States Supreme Court.
- Supreme Court Decisions: Slip Opinions
- DocsRef Ju 6.8/A:
Slip opinions are the first format in which decisions are published.
United States Reports,
- http://www.access.gpo.gov/su_docs/supcrt/
http://www.findlaw.com
1789-1818, 1820-1917, 1884-
Docs JU 6.8
This series provides the bound, permanent edition of court decisions (slip opinions) and, once this bound version is received, libraries usually dispose of the individual opinions and preliminary prints. US Reports include per curiam decisions, orders, and chamber decisions as well as the full-text of these decisions.
West's Supreme Court Reporter
- 1832 -
Loose Issues are located in Ref KF101.22
Bound volumes are available in Periodicals
This series provides text of Supreme Court cases, tables of cases, statutes construed, federal rules of civil and criminal procedures, ABA standards for criminal justice, dispositons, and judicial highlights.
New Hampshire Courts
New Hampshire Judicial Branch
- http://www.state.nh.us/courts/home.htm
New Hampshire's Supreme, Superior, and Probate courts; the Family Division; Administrative Offices of the Courts; an the NH law library are all linked through this site.
NH Supreme Court Slip Opinions
- http://wwww.state.nh.us/courts/supreme/opinions.htm
1995-
This site links researchers to slip opinions rendered by the NH Supreme Court.
NH Supreme Court Speeches and Press Releases
- http://www.state.nh.us/courts/supreme.htm
NH Superior court Administrative Orders
- http://www.state.nh.us/courts/superior/orders/orders.htm
The Laws of the State of New Hampshire
- 1792-
NHamp (Stark) KFN 1230 .A35
Loan Desk 345.52 H511
NH Reports
- 1816-
Reference KFN 1245 .A26 vol. year
This resource offers reports of cases argued and determined in the Superior Court of Juridicature for the State of new Hampshire.
Juris Quaesitor
- 1976-1986, volumes 1-8
University Archives UA 18/7/18
NH Bar Journal
- 1966-
Bound Periodicals KF 332 .N4
Supreme Court Reporter(New Hampshire)
- Reference KFN 1245 .A3 14:8
The Reporter offers full text of NH Supreme Court decisions.
West's NH Digest
- 1760-
Reference KFN 1257 .W48
Notes on Social and Public Policy Research
- This handout provides information regarding resources of importance to persons interested in researching social and public policy. Both social and public policy can be effectively researched in government resources. Public and Social Policy Resources have been listed according to the three branches of government: legislative, executive, and judicial.
Policy
- This is the most general term, as it can deal with business, society, government, an organization, etc. A policy is an overall plan embracing general goals and acceptable procedures.
Social Policy
- This is a more specific term. It deals with issues found in society and can be based on customs, laws, and ideas of various groups. Social policies allocate resources in society-at-large and in local communities as government(s) collectively seeks enduring solutions to the problems that affect them. Such policies frequently cut across the entire society and economy. Social policy is expressed in laws, regulations, court decision, policies, and practices that affect the social relationships of individuals and their relationship to the society of which they are a part. Some examples of social policy are the 1960s Great Society goal to eliminate poverty, the 1995 Republican "Contract with America" goal of replacing federal programs with state and private solutions to social problems, and the need for a social service "safety net" for all.
Public Policy
- This is the most specific term. It is social policy that has been incorporated in an official and legal form of some sort. In the broadest of sense, public policy is whatever a government decides to do or not to do, to deal with a particular problem or concern. In a democracy, these official policies are based on the will of the majority. More specifically, public policy is a set of decisions by government concerning the selection of goals and the methods of attaining them, within a specified situation. These may be expressed in a variety of forms including legislation/laws, local ordinances, regulations, executive orders, court decisions, or decisions of administrators. Some examples of public policies include:
Affirmative Action hiring goals,
Medicare,
Gun Control,
Industry clean up of toxic waste sites,
Subsidized day care, and
WIC (Women, Infants, and Children Program).