Any law library (law school, courthouse) — and many public libraries– will carry your state’s statute books. In addition, many state lawsare now available online. Free online legal research sites such as findlaw.comcan assist you in tracking down such resources.
Two other sites are particularly worth mentioning:
- The National Freedomof Information Coalition Web site includes information and useful linksto state FOI sources in every state.
- The Reporters Committeefor Freedom of the Press publishes an online version of its 1,300-page,50-state publication, Open Government Guide, that includes detailed explanations and legalanalysis of state open meetings and open records law geared specificallyto reporters. The appendix of the print version also includes the text for most state’s laws. Every student newsroom should have a copy of at least their own state’sguide.
(Current as of October 2009)
| Alabama | Ala. Code Secs. 36-12-40 to 36-12-41 |
| Alaska | Alaska Stat. Secs. 40.25.100 to 40.25.220 |
| Arizona | Ariz. Rev. Stat. Ann. Secs. 39-121 to 39-126 |
| Arkansas | Ark. Stat. Ann. Secs. 25-19-101 to 25-19-109 |
| California | Cal. Gov’t Code Secs. 6250 to 6276.48 |
| Colorado | Colo. Rev. Stat. Secs. 24-72-201 to 24-72-402 |
| Connecticut | Conn. Gen. Stat. Ann. Secs. 1-200 to 1-242 |
| Delaware | Del. Code Ann. tit. 29, Secs. 10001 to 10005 |
| District of Columbia | D.C. Code Ann. Secs. 2-531 to 2-540 |
| Florida | Fla. Stat. Ann. Secs. 119.01 to 119.19; 395.3035 [public hospital records]; 815.045 [trade secrets] |
| Georgia | Ga. Code Ann. Secs. 50-18-70 to 50-18-77 |
| Hawaii | Haw. Rev. Stat. Secs. 92-1; 92-21 to 92-71; 92F-1 to 92F-42 |
| Idaho | Idaho Code Secs. 9-337 to 9-350 |
| Illinois | 5 Ill. Comp. Stat. Secs. 140/1 to 140/11 |
| Indiana | Ind. Code Secs. 5-14-3-1 to 5-14-5-12 |
| Iowa | Iowa Code Secs. 22.1 to 22.14 |
| Kansas | Kan. Stat. Ann. Secs. 45-215 to 45-250 |
| Kentucky | Ky. Rev. Stat. Ann. Secs. 61.870 to 61.884 |
| Louisiana | La. Rev. Stat. Ann. Secs. 44:1 to 44:41 |
| Maine | Me. Rev. Stat. Ann. tit. 1, Secs. 401 to 434 |
| Maryland | Md. State Gov’t Code Ann Secs. 10-611 to 10-628 |
| Massachusetts | Mass. Gen. Laws Ann. Ch. 4, Sec. 7, Cl. 26; Ch. 66, Secs. 10 to 18 |
| Michigan | Mich. Stat. Ann. Secs. 15.231 to 15.246 |
| Minnesota | Minn. Stat. Ann. Secs. 13.01 to 13.99 |
| Mississippi | Miss. Code. Ann. Secs. 25-61-1 to 25-61-17 |
| Missouri | Mo. Rev. Stat. Secs. 610.010 to 610.225 |
| Montana | Mont. Code. Ann. Secs. 2-6-101 to 2-6-111; 2-6-201 to 2-6-405; 22-1-1103 [library records]; 22-3-807 [historical burial sites] and Article II, Section 9 of the Montana Constitution |
| Nebraska | Neb. Rev. Stat. Secs. 84-712 to 84-712.09 |
| Nevada | Nev. Rev. Stat. Ann. Secs. 239.005 to 239.330; 239C.210 to 239C.270 |
| New Hampshire | N.H. Rev. Stat. Ann. Secs. 91-A:1 to 91-A:9 |
| New Jersey | N.J. Stat. Ann. Secs. 47:1-1 to 47:1A.13 |
| New Mexico | N.M. Stat. Ann. Secs. 14-2-1 to 14-2-12 |
| New York | N.Y. Pub. Off. Law Secs. 84 to 90; 91 to 99 |
| North Carolina | N.C. Gen. Stat. Secs. 132-1 to 132-10 |
| North Dakota | N.D. Cent. Code Secs. 44-04-17.1 to 44-04-18.18; 44-04-21 to 44-04-21.3; 44-04-23 to 44-04-31,and Article XI, Section 6 of the N.D. Constitution |
| Ohio | Ohio Rev. Code Ann. Secs. 149.43 to 149.44 |
| Oklahoma | Okla. Stat. Ann. tit. 51, Secs. 24A.1 to 24A.28 |
| Oregon | Or. Rev. Stat. Secs. 192.410 to 192.524 |
| Pennsylvania | Pa. Stat. Ann. Tit. 65, Secs. 66.1 to 66.9 |
| Rhode Island | R.I. Gen. Laws Secs. 38-2-1 to 38-2-15 |
| South Carolina | S.C. Code Ann. Secs. 30-4-10 to 30-4-165 |
| South Dakota | S.D. Codified Laws Ann. Secs. 1-27-1 to 1-27-33 |
| Tennessee | Tenn. Code Ann. Secs. 10-7-503 to 10-7-515; 10-7-701 to 10-7-702; 10-8-101 to 10-8-103 |
| Texas | Tex. Gov’t Code Ann. Secs. 552.001 to 552.353 |
| Utah | Utah Code Ann. Secs. 63-2-101 to 63-2-1001 |
| Vermont | Vt. Stat. Ann. Tit. 1 Secs. 315 to 320 |
| Virginia | Va. Code Ann. Secs. 2.2-3700 to 2.2-3714 |
| Washington | Wash. Rev. Code Ann. Secs. 42.17.010 to 42.17.471 |
| West Virginia | W.Va. Code Secs. 29B-1-1 to 29B-1-7 |
| Wisconsin | Wis. Stat. Ann. Secs. 19.31 to 19.39 |
| Wyoming | Wyo. Stat. Secs. 16-4-201 to 16-4-205 |