Sources and Types of Legislative History

General Information
Sources of Legislative History Document
1. House of Representative
2. Philippine Senate

Types of Legislative History Document

1. Documents cited in Court Opinions
2. Reports of Congressional Committees
3. Statements made on the floor of the Congress in Legislative Debate
4. Statements or testimony at committee hearings
5. Statements made and reports written after the enactment

To be familiar with sources of Legislative History, we must keep in mind the Steps in
the Passage of a Bill.

Bill History
An easy way to find bill history is to visit the HOR website. Through
www.congress.gov.ph
In the first reading, it consists of reading the number and title of the bill followed by
its referral to the appropriate committee for the study and recommendation.
In HOR website. Click the “download center”. Under “ Related Links” click “ House
Committee” In here, it will show 60 Standing Committees with their corresponding
chairperson. We also have 15 Special Committee with their corresponding chairman
as well.
The committee may hold public hearings on the proposed measure and submit its
reports and recommendation for calendar 2nd Reading.

Hearings
The usefulness is limited by the large amount of testimony of pros and cons on many
bills.
There are statements made in testimony before the committee which are useful
source of legislative history.
Each bill is assigned to a committee and bills that are reported out of the committee
are accompanied by a committee report. After such hearing, Committee Reports are
made which may include the votes for the recommendation of the bill. It will often
cover the background and need for legislation, cost estimate, constitutional authority
statement, and a section-by-section analysis of the legislation.
These reports are published in a separate numerical sequence for each
congressional session. If a conference committee is convened to reconcile the
differences of between House and Senate Versions a conference committee report
is issued.

Committee Prints
Are committee’s studies and reports which often contain statistics and other
background information of a bill.
In 2nd reading , the bill shall be read in full and with amendments proposed by the
committee, if any, thereafter the bill is subject to debates, pertinent motions and
amendments.

Floor Debates
Floor debates usually occurs after a bill has been reported out of the committee and
includes comments made about the bill by sponsors and legislators during
consideration or a bill on the floor.
After the amendment shall be acted upon, the bill will be voted on 2 nd reading and be
included for calendar in 3rd reading. On the third reading, a bill is approved by
Senate and House of Representative by final vote. That is why we have this Journal.

House Journals
The Journal is the official record of the session proceeding in the house which can
be accessed also in HOR website.
The bill is approved in third reading by one house then transmitted to the other
house, if there are no amendments, it will be transmitted to the President for
appropriate action.
If there are amendments, it will be settled by conference committee of both
chambers which recommendation will be approved by both houses.
Thereafter, the bill is authenticated by signing of Senate President and Speaker of
the house then it will proceed to the President for approval.

Presidential Statements
After a bill passes both houses of Congress, one of three actions may occur:
approval, no action, or veto. Messages or statements issued when the President
either vetoes or signs legislation are important sources of legislative history.