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Legislative Website Evaluation Criteria

Updated May 2005.

Members of the Access to Electronic Legal Information Committee have developed tailored sets of criteria for evaluating legal and government information at government web sites. The criteria sets include the "General Evaluation Criteria for All Web Sites Providing Legal Information" and four other criteria sets that provide "Evaluation Criteria Specific to Judicial,  Legislative, Executive Branch, and Local Government Web Sites."  


    1.
    1. Most current version of the statutes or code, session laws and state constitution.
    2. Codes and statutes are searchable by keyword or code section plus a scrollable numerical code section list.
    3. A. Includes a description of a code and how it is distinguished from other documents..
    4. Link to state administrative rules or administrative code.


  2. Legislative Bills/Bill Status
    1. A. Bills searchable by keyword, status, or bill numbers for current and prior sessions.
    2. Full text bills, bill status, legislative calendars, legislative directories, legislative documents and reports, initiatives, committee reports, code sections affected table, and key to symbols used in tables (if applicable).
    3. Search results include a description of each bill with bill number.
    4. Transcripts of floor debates.
    5. Explanation of legislative terminology.
    6. Explanation of legislative process.
    7. Explanation of how to do a legislative history using either print or electronic resources.
    8. Bill drafting guidelines or manual.
    9. Teaching opportunities for children (Kids Page), youth / young adults (high school and college), and for adults.
      (Note: Examples covered in other categories.)
  3. Legislative Calendars
    1. Calendar is searchable by session and allows you to pick a particular day or see all days.
    2. Calendar links to the bill that is being scheduled and also provides bill status.
    3. Listing of legislative committees and listing of committee members.
    4. Committee schedules.
  4. Legislator Information
    1. Ability to locate legislator via maps, zip code, address or district number.
    2. Voting records of legislators.
    3. Profiles of legislators.
    4. Listing of majority and minority leadership.
    5. Party affiliation of legislators and party leadership in legislature.
    6. Text of rules of legislative bodies.
    7. Maps of legislative districts.
    8. Full text of legislative journals with search function and/or index.


  5. Related External Links
    1. Link to state (law) library.
    2. Links to legislative commissions or task forces.
    3. Listing of legislative committees and listing of committee members.
    4. Link to state budget.
    5. Link to state administrative rules or administrative code, if available.
    6. Link to state judiciary.
    7. Link to state constitution.
    8. Link to information on how to purchase publications.
    9. Links to administrative agencies.
    10. Link to state homepage.
    11. Links to other educational/public service web sites.

Would you like to suggest other criteria that the Committee should consider?
Please email the Committee Chairperson, Timothy Coggins at: tcoggins@richmond.edu

This site has been considered and approved by the American Association of Law Libraries Executive Board.

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