To explore state laws by topic, start with Nexis Uni:
1. Enter the library through the link in your classroom.
2. Select Nexis Uni from the A-Z Databases link under the main search box on the library's homepage.
3. Once inside Nexis Uni, select the Legal tab along the top of the page.
4. Click the State tab beneath the search box, then choose the state that you need. On the state page, you can then search for laws, cases and more in that state by keyword, citation, party name, etc.
5. On your search results, look on the left side of the screen for filters. To view legislation that matches your search terms, click the Statutes and Legislation filter. See a screen capture below.
Search results example:
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES
U.S. State Governments will have a legislation or code site that can be browsed or searched by keyword. Click here to find the state you need: State Legislature Websites
You may also be able to find state laws already compiled by an advocacy organization or a published research paper. Try the following:
- National Conference of State Legislatures: The "Issues and Research" section contains many surveys of state laws; how much information about each law is given varies widely. The NCSL website also contains a bill tracking information and reports for a number of areas.
- You can also simply do a general web search for your topic along with the words “state laws” or “50-state survey”. When searching the web, be sure that you know how to evaluate the sites that you find. Below are a few examples:
- “Gun control” and “state laws”
- Guns and “50-state survey”
Subject Pages
Getting Started