Bill Number Madness

Bill numbers are frustratingly tricky things when you deal with normalizing every local state and Congressional legislative process in the United States. There is some commonality, but there's a lot of diversity as well.

In general bill numbers follow the form of ChamberTypeNumber, for example: HB828,  SJR15, etc. In order to be able to reliably track all legislation in the United States, LegiScan does take liberty and leeway adjusting bill number representations. Below is a table that attempts to explain the various types and formats that are in use across the US and how LegiScan will try to interpret where it can to find matching bills in the system.

Search Tips

  • Enter the full bill number to search for an exact bill number across all sessions on file. Ex: HB1, SR9, AB302
  • Specify a simple number match all chambers and all legislation with that bill sequence number. Ex: 12, 345, 42
  • Using the type and number portion of a bill only matches legislation from both chambers with that number. Ex: B1492, R17, JR3
  • DO NOT enter the state abbreviation, use the State selector to specify national or a specific state
  • DO NOT enter the year, the system returns all session and provides historical lists on bill detail pages
  • DO NOT enter draft revision number/letters, all texts on record are provided from the bill detail page

NOTE: A common problem with US Congressional House Bills is the House uses 'R' for bills and the unabbreviated 'Res' for resolutions. Whereas in most other chambers, R is a Resolution. Taking the rule over the exception, LegiScan uses the common nomenclature. Therefore if you are looking for H.R.1 (House Bill 1), it will be HB1, and if you seek H.Res.1 (House Resolution 1), it will be HR1.

State Chambers Types Examples LegiScan Notes
Alabama · H - House
· S - Senate
· B - Bill
· R - Resolution
· JR - Joint Resolution
· HB828
· SR175
· HJR1055
 
Alaska · H - House
· S - Senate
· B - Bill
· R - Resolution
· CR - Concurrent Resolution
· JR - Joint Resolution
· HB426
· SR12
· HCR36
· SJR30
 
Arizona · H - House
· S - Senate
· B - Bill
· R - Resolution
· CR - Concurrent Resolution
· M - Memorial
· CM - Concurrent Memorial
· HB2788
· SR1001
· HCR2071
· SM1
· HCM1
 
Arkansas · H - House
· S - Senate
· B - Bill
· R - Resolution
· JR - Joint Resolution
· MR - Memorial
· CMR - Joint Memorial
· HB1176
· HR1004
 
California · A - Assembly
· S - Senate
· B - Bill
· R - Resolution
· CR - Concurrent Resolution
· JR - Joint Resolution
· CA - Constitutional Amendment
· AB2799
· AR32
· SCR117
· AJR46
· SCA32
 
Colorado · H - House
· S - Senate
· B - Bill
· R - Resolution
· CR - Concurrent Resolution
· JR - Joint Resolution
· M - Memorial
· JM - Joint Memorial
· HB1432
· SR10
· HCR1009
· SJR50
· HM1005
· SJM1
 
Connecticut · H - House
· S - Senate
· B - Bill
· R - Resolution
· J - Joint Resolution
· HB5545
· HB5545
· SJ1
 
Delaware · H - House
· S - Senate
· B - Bill
· R - Resolution
· CR - Concurrent Resolution
· JR - Joint Resolution
· HB500
· SR21
· HCR60
· SJR6
 
Florida · H - House
· S - Senate
· No Declared Type · H1357
· S1234
· Single bill type, B is optional
· House bill numbers are always odd
· Senate bill numbers are always even
Georgia · H - House
· S - Senate
· B - Bill
· R - Resolution
· CR - Concurrent Resolution
· JR - Joint Resolution
· HB1527
· SR1654
· HCR19
· SJR35
 
Hawaii · H - House
· S - Senate
· B - Bill
· R - Resolution
· CR - Concurrent Resolution
· JR - Joint Resolution
· HB2994
· SR122
· HCR339
· SJR35
 
Idaho · H - House
· S - Senate
· B - Bill
· R - Resolution
· CR - Concurrent Resolution
· JR - Joint Resolution
· P - Proclamation
· JM - Joint Memorial
· H730
· SR102
· HCR64
· SJR103
· HP3
· SJM106
· For Bill types, the B is optional, required for all other types
Illinois · H - House
· S - Senate
· B - Bill
· R - Resolution
· JR - Joint Resolution
· EO - Executive Order
· JSR - Joint Session Resolution
· JRCA - Constitutional Amendment
· HB6881
· SR825
· HJR121
· EO0009
· JSR0001
· SJRCA121
· EO and JSR types do not use a chamber
Indiana · H - House
· S - Senate
· B - Bill
· R - Resolution
· CR - Concurrent Resolution
· JR - Joint Resolution
· HB4213
· SR16
· HCR34
· SJR15
 
Iowa · H - House
· S - Senate
· F - Bill
· R - Resolution
· CR - Concurrent Resolution
· JR - Joint Resolution
· HF2534
· SR115
· HCR109
· SJR2009
 
Kansas · H - House
· S - Senate
· No Declared Type · H2746
· S1602
· Single bill type, B is optional
Kentucky · H - House
· S - Senate
· B - Bill
· R - Resolution
· CR - Concurrent Resolution
· JR - Joint Resolution
· HB601
· SR320
· HCR283
· SJR35
 
Louisiana · H - House
· S - Senate
· B - Bill
· R - Resolution
· CR - Concurrent Resolution
· SR - Study Request
· CSR - Concurrent Study Request
· HB1493
· SR195
· HCR274
· SSR3
· HCSR14
 
Maine · H - House
· S - Senate
· LD - Bill
· P - Paper
· LD1831
· SP746
· LD are the Bill type equivalent and do not use a chamber
· The P in Papers is optional
Maryland · H - House
· S - Senate
· B - Bill
· R - Resolution
· J - Joint Resolution
· HB1571
· SR320
· HJ35
 
Massachusetts · H - House
· S - Senate
· No Declared Type · H1023
· S3499
· Single bill type, B is optional
Michigan · H - House
· S - Senate
· B - Bill
· R - Resolution
· CR - Concurrent Resolution
· JR - Joint Resolution
· HB6302
· SR169
· HCR61
· SJRB
· JR do not use numbers, instead A-Z, AA..ZZ, etc
Minnesota · H - House
· S - Senate
· F - Bill · HF3864
· SF3430
 
Mississippi · H - House
· S - Senate
· B - Bill
· R - Resolution
· C - Concurrent Resolution
· HB1759
· SR16
· HCR148
 
Missouri · H - House
· S - Senate
· B - Bill
· R - Resolution
· CR - Concurrent Resolution
· JR - Joint Resolution
· RB - Repeal Bill
· RM - Remonstration
· HB2476
· SR2042
· HCR84
· SJR45
· SRB715
· SRM1
 
Montana · H - House
· S - Senate
· B - Bill
· R - Resolution
· J - Joint Resolution
· HB679
· SR38
· HJR43
 
Nebraska · L - Legislature · B - Bill
· R - Resolution
· LB1109
· LR571
· Nebraska is Unicameral
Nevada · A - Assembly
· S - Senate
· B - Bill · AB564
· SB435
· Single bill type, B is required
New Hampshire · H - House
· S - Senate
· B - Bill
· CR - Concurrent Resolution
· JR - Joint Resolution
· R - Resolution
· A - Address
· CACR - Constitutional Amendment
· HB2010
· SCR3
· HJR21
· HA3
· HCA34
 
New Jersey · A - Assembly
· S - Senate
· B - Bill
· R - Resolution
· CR - Concurrent Resolution
· JR - Joint Resolution
· A2956
· SR76
· ACR154
· SJR45
 
New Mexico · H - House
· S - Senate
· B - Bill
· R - Resolution
· CR - Concurrent Resolution
· JR - Joint Resolution
· HB302
· SR320
· HCR19
· SJR35
 
New York · A - Assembly
· S - Senate
· No Declared Type · A09502
· S08296
· Single bill type, B is optional
North Carolina · H - House
· S - Senate
· No Declared Type · H2082
· S1461
· Single bill type, B is optional
North Dakota · H - House
· S - Senate
· B - Bill
· R - Resolution
· CR - Concurrent Resolution
· M - Memorial
· 1577
· 4038
· 5001
· 8501
· ND does not use chamber or type, it is based on the first position of a 4 digit number
· Odd numbers originate in the House
· Even numbers originate in the Senate
· The exact number specifies type:
   1 - House Bill
   3 - House Concurrent Resolution
   5 - House Resolution
   7 - House Memorial
   2 - Senate Bill
   4 - Senate Concurrent Resolution
   6 - Senate Resolution
   8 - Senate Memorial
Ohio · H - House
· S - Senate
· B - Bill
· R - Resolution
· CR - Concurrent Resolution
· JR - Joint Resolution
· HB556
· SR262
· HCR39
· SJR11
 
Oklahoma · H - House
· S - Senate
· B - Bill
· R - Resolution
· CR - Concurrent Resolution
· JR - Joint Resolution
· HB3422
· SR145
· HCR1068
· SJR72
 
Oregon · H - House
· S - Senate
· B - Bill
· R - Resolution
· CR - Concurrent Resolution
· JR - Joint Resolution
· HB5102
· SR3
· HCR100
· SJR50
 
Pennsylvania · H - House
· S - Senate
· B - Bill
· R - Resolution
· HB2640
· SR320
 
Rhode Island · H - House
· S - Senate
· No Declared Type · H7199
· S2646
· Single bill type, B optional
South Carolina · H - House
· S - Senate
· No Declared Type · H5047
· S1463
· Single bill type, B optional
South Dakota · H - House
· S - Senate
· B - Bill
· CR - Concurrent Resolution
· JR - Joint Resolution
· M - Memorial
· HB1278
· SCR5
· HJR1006
· SM30
 
Tennessee · H - House
· S - Senate
· B - Bill
· R - Resolution
· JR - Joint Resolution
· HB7016
· SR228
· HJR1356
 
Texas · H - House
· S - Senate
· B - Bill
· R - Resolution
· CR - Concurrent Resolution
· JR - Joint Resolution
· HB4836
· SR1120
· HCR293
· SJR55
 
Utah · H - House
· S - Senate
· B - Bill
· R - Resolution
· CR - Concurrent Resolution
· JR - Joint Resolution
· HB464
· SR2
· HCR19
· SJR19
 
Vermont · H - House
· S - Senate
· B - Bill
· R - Resolution
· CR - Concurrent Resolution
· JRH - Joint Resolution (House)
· JRS - Joint Resolution (Senate)
· H.793
· SR25
· SCR365
· JRH66
· For Bills, the B is optional, also can be substituted with a '.' period.
· For Joint Resolutions, the chamber comes AFTER the type
Virginia · H - House
· S - Senate
· B - Bill
· R - Resolution
· JR - Joint Resolution
· HB1396
· SR18
· HJR495
 
Washington · H - House
· S - Senate
· B - Bill
· CR - Concurrent Resolution
· JR - Joint Resolution
· M - Memorial
· JM - Joint Memorial
· HB5297
· SCR8413
· HJR4225
· SM8027
 
West Virginia · H - House
· S - Senate
· B - Bill
· R - Resolution
· CR - Concurrent Resolution
· JR - Joint Resolution
· HB4670
· SR125
· HCR135
· SJR35
 
Wisconsin · A - Assembly
· S - Senate
· B - Bill
· R - Resolution
· JR - Joint Resolution
· AB978
· SR2
· AJR138
 
Wyoming · H - House
· S - Senate
· B - Bill
· F - Bill (In Senate)
· J - Joint Resolution
· HB132
· SF79
· HJ19
· Note: In House it's a B, in Senate it's a F
US Congress · H - House
· S - Senate
· B - Bill
· R - Resolution
· CR - Concurrent Resolution
· JR - Joint Resolution
· HB5592
· SR536
· HCR280
· SJR375
· The House of uses R for bills and Res for Resolutions, however LegiScan uses B and R respectively
DC City Council   · B - Bill
· CER - Ceremonial Resolution
· PR - Resolution

· B20-0023
· CER19-0012
· PR20-2093

· Chamber is not used, however the session number is the numeric after the type before the individual number
· District of Columbia is Unicameral

 

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