Methodology

A method for an inspectable legislative record.

Every finding leads back to an official source, timestamp, or page. Every material gap and limitation remains visible.

Request a recordRead the method

Technical standard

What the record contains—and what each layer means.

Legitas separates official material from extraction, synthesis, attorney work, and unresolved material. Those categories do not receive the same visual or evidentiary treatment.

Source hierarchy

PriorityMaterialUse in the record
01Enacted text and official bill versionsEstablish the controlling language and the text at each legislative stage.
02Adopted amendments, votes, and journalsEstablish what changed, when it changed, and the recorded action.
03Official recorded proceedingsProvide the contemporaneous explanation, questions, and procedural context.
04Official reports and digestsAid orientation and cross-checking; they do not replace the enacted text.

Collection and matching

The matter begins with a defined question and source scope. Legitas collects the available official versions, amendment instruments, journals, votes, reports, and recordings. It then matches each material language change to the procedural action and relevant recorded discussion.

Recorded proceedings are transcribed for search and navigation. Relevant segments are checked against the recording before they are used to support a finding. The official recording controls when a transcript and recording differ.

Material distinctions

Official material
The source itself: enacted text, bill version, amendment, journal, vote, report, or recording.
Extracted factual description
A bounded description of what the source contains, with a page, line, date, or timestamp.
Legitas synthesis
A source-linked statement of what the collected record supports and why.
Attorney notes
Counsel’s analysis or application of the record. It remains distinct from Legitas synthesis.
Unverified or incomplete material
Material that is unavailable, conflicting, uncertain, or not yet checked. It is labeled and not presented as complete evidence.

Review, versions, and corrections

Each delivered record identifies its publication date or version. A material correction is issued as a labeled revision rather than silently replacing the prior finding. The revised record states what changed and why.

When official materials point in different directions, Legitas presents the competing evidence and a bounded synthesis. It does not force a single polished conclusion where the record remains unresolved.

Limits and data handling

A missing official source remains a limitation. Legitas identifies what is missing, why it matters, any available alternative, and whether the record can proceed without it. The absence of a located source does not establish that no discussion occurred.

Legitas uses information submitted through the public request form only to respond to the request. Do not include privileged or confidential matter details in the initial form unless an appropriate scope and handling process has been agreed.