Help Us!

We need all the help we can get. If you'd like to contribute, e-mail us at .

In order to make laws available for public viewing on PlainSite, we need them in a machine-readable database format. Unfortunately, there isn't a standard format--so we made our own. Here is what the first eight sections of the United States Code look like in PlainSite SQL format:

INSERT INTO `statutes` (`statuteid`, `corpusid`, `parentid`, `title`, `subtitle`, `part`, `chapter`, `subchapter`, `section`, `type`, `heading`, `detail`, `createstamp`, `personstamp`, `authorstamp`) VALUES ('1', '1', '', '1', '', '', '1', '', '1', 'Statute', '§1. Words denoting number, gender, and so forth', 'In determining the meaning of any Act of Congress, unless the context indicates otherwise—\n\nwords importing the singular include and apply to several persons, parties, or things;\n\nwords importing the plural include the singular;\n\nwords importing the masculine gender include the feminine as well;\n\nwords used in the present tense include the future as well as the present;\n\nthe words “insane” and “insane person” and “lunatic” shall include every idiot, lunatic, insane person, and person non compos mentis;\n\nthe words “person” and “whoever” include corporations, companies, associations, firms, partnerships, societies, and joint stock companies, as well as individuals;\n\n“officer” includes any person authorized by law to perform the duties of the office;\n\n“signature” or “subscription” includes a mark when the person making the same intended it as such;\n\n“oath” includes affirmation, and “sworn” includes affirmed;\n\n“writing” includes printing and typewriting and reproductions of visual symbols by photographing, multigraphing, mimeographing, manifolding, or otherwise.', NOW(), 1, 1);
INSERT INTO `statutenotes` (`statuteid`, `heading`, `detail`, `createstamp`, `personstamp`, `authorstamp`) VALUES ('1', 'Source', '(July 30, 1947, ch. 388, 61 Stat. 633; June 25, 1948, ch. 645, §6, 62 Stat. 859; Oct. 31, 1951, ch. 655, §1, 65 Stat. 710.)', NOW(), 1, 1),
('1', 'Amendments', '1951—Act Oct. 31, 1951, substituted, in fourth clause after opening clause, “used” for “use”.\n\n1948—Act June 25, 1948, included “tense”, “whoever”, “signature”, “subscription”, “writing” and a broader definition of “person”.', NOW(), 1, 1),
('1', 'Short Title of 2002 Amendment', 'Pub. L. 107–207, §1, Aug. 5, 2002, 116 Stat. 926, provided that: “This Act [enacting section 8 of this title] may be cited as the ‘Born-Alive Infants Protection Act of 2002’.”', NOW(), 1, 1),
('1', 'Short Title of 1996 Amendment', 'Pub. L. 104–199, §1, Sept. 21, 1996, 110 Stat. 2419, provided that: “This Act [enacting section 7 of this title and section 1738C of Title 28, Judiciary and Judicial Procedure] may be cited as the ‘Defense of Marriage Act’.”', NOW(), 1, 1),
('1', 'References in Pub. L. 111–118', 'Pub. L. 111–118, §3, Dec. 19, 2009, 123 Stat. 3409, provided that: “Except as expressly provided otherwise, any reference to ‘this Act’ contained in any division of this Act [Department of Defense Appropriations Act, 2010, see Tables for classification] shall be treated as referring only to the provisions of that division.”', NOW(), 1, 1),
('1', 'References in Pub. L. 111–117', 'Pub. L. 111–117, §3, Dec. 16, 2009, 123 Stat. 3035, provided that: “Except as expressly provided otherwise, any reference to ‘this Act’ contained in any division of this Act [Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2010, see Tables for classification] shall be treated as referring only to the provisions of that division.”', NOW(), 1, 1),
('1', 'References in Pub. L. 111–8', 'Pub. L. 111–8, §3, Mar. 11, 2009, 123 Stat. 525, provided that: “Except as expressly provided otherwise, any reference to ‘this Act’ contained in any division of this Act [Omnibus Appropriations Act, 2009, see Tables for classification] shall be treated as referring only to the provisions of that division.”', NOW(), 1, 1),
('1', 'References in Pub. L. 111–5', 'Pub. L. 111–5, §4, Feb. 17, 2009, 123 Stat. 116, provided that: “Except as expressly provided otherwise, any reference to ‘this Act’ contained in any division of this Act [American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, see Tables for classification] shall be treated as referring only to the provisions of that division.”', NOW(), 1, 1),
('1', 'References in Pub. L. 110–329', 'Pub. L. 110–329, §3, Sept. 30, 2008, 122 Stat. 3574, provided that: “Except as expressly provided otherwise, any reference to ‘this Act’ or ‘this joint resolution’ contained in any division of this Act [Consolidated Security, Disaster Assistance, and Continuing Appropriations Act, 2009, see Tables for classification] shall be treated as referring only to the provisions of that division.”', NOW(), 1, 1),
('1', 'References in Pub. L. 110–161', 'Pub. L. 110–161, §3, Dec. 26, 2007, 121 Stat. 1845, provided that: “Except as expressly provided otherwise, any reference to ‘this Act’ contained in any division of this Act [Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2008, see Tables for classification] shall be treated as referring only to the provisions of that division.”', NOW(), 1, 1),
('1', 'References in Pub. L. 110–116', 'Pub. L. 110–116, §2, Nov. 13, 2007, 121 Stat. 1295, provided that: “Except as expressly provided otherwise, any reference to ‘this Act’ contained in any division of this Act [see Tables for classification] shall be treated as referencing only to the provisions of that division.”', NOW(), 1, 1),
('1', 'References in Pub. L. 109–289', 'Pub. L. 109–289, div. A, title VIII, §8112, Sept. 29, 2006, 120 Stat. 1299, provided that: “Except as expressly provided otherwise, any reference to ‘this Act’ contained in this division [Department of Defense Appropriations Act, 2007, see Tables for classification] shall be referring only to the provisions of this division.”', NOW(), 1, 1),
('1', 'References in Pub. L. 109–148', 'Pub. L. 109–148, div. B, title V, §5002, Dec. 30, 2005, 119 Stat. 2813, provided that: “Except as expressly provided otherwise, any reference to ‘this Act’ contained in either division A [Department of Defense Appropriations Act, 2006, see Tables for classification] or division B [Emergency Supplemental Appropriations Act to Address Hurricanes in the Gulf of Mexico and Pandemic Influenza, 2006, see Tables for classification] shall be treated as referring only to the provisions of that division.”', NOW(), 1, 1),
('1', 'References in Pub. L. 109–115', 'Pub. L. 109–115, div. A, title VIII, §847, Nov. 30, 2005, 119 Stat. 2507, provided that: “Except as expressly provided otherwise, any reference to ‘this Act’ contained in this division [Transportation, Treasury, Housing and Urban Development, the Judiciary, and Independent Agencies Appropriations Act, 2006, see Tables for classification] shall be treated as referring only to the provisions of this division.”', NOW(), 1, 1),
('1', 'References in Pub. L. 108–447', 'Pub. L. 108–447, §3, Dec. 8, 2004, 118 Stat. 2810, provided that: “Except as expressly provided otherwise, any reference to ‘this Act’ contained in any division of this Act [Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2005, see Tables for classification] shall be treated as referring only to the provisions of that division.”', NOW(), 1, 1),
('1', 'References in Pub. L. 108–199', 'Pub. L. 108–199, §3, Jan. 23, 2004, 118 Stat. 4, provided that: “Except as expressly provided otherwise, any reference to ‘this Act’ contained in any division of this Act [Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2004, see Tables for classification] shall be treated as referring only to the provisions of that division.”', NOW(), 1, 1),
('1', 'References in Pub. L. 108–7', 'Pub. L. 108–7, §3, Feb. 20, 2003, 117 Stat. 12, provided that: “Except as expressly provided otherwise, any reference to ‘this Act’ contained in any division of this joint resolution [Consolidated Appropriations Resolution, 2003, see Tables for classification] shall be treated as referring only to the provisions of that division.”', NOW(), 1, 1),
('1', 'Continental United States', 'Section 48 of Pub. L. 86–70, June 25, 1959, 73 Stat. 154, provided that: “Whenever the phrase ‘continental United States’ is used in any law of the United States enacted after the date of enactment of this Act [June 25, 1959], it shall mean the 49 States on the North American Continent and the District of Columbia, unless otherwise expressly provided.”', NOW(), 1, 1);
INSERT INTO `statutes` (`statuteid`, `corpusid`, `parentid`, `title`, `subtitle`, `part`, `chapter`, `subchapter`, `section`, `type`, `heading`, `detail`, `createstamp`, `personstamp`, `authorstamp`) VALUES ('2', '1', '', '1', '', '', '1', '', '2', 'Statute', '§2. “County” as including “parish”, and so forth', 'The word “county” includes a parish, or any other equivalent subdivision of a State or Territory of the United States.', NOW(), 1, 1);
INSERT INTO `statutenotes` (`statuteid`, `heading`, `detail`, `createstamp`, `personstamp`, `authorstamp`) VALUES ('2', 'Source', '(July 30, 1947, ch. 388, 61 Stat. 633.)', NOW(), 1, 1);
INSERT INTO `statutes` (`statuteid`, `corpusid`, `parentid`, `title`, `subtitle`, `part`, `chapter`, `subchapter`, `section`, `type`, `heading`, `detail`, `createstamp`, `personstamp`, `authorstamp`) VALUES ('3', '1', '', '1', '', '', '1', '', '3', 'Statute', '§3. “Vessel” as including all means of water transportation', 'The word “vessel” includes every description of watercraft or other artificial contrivance used, or capable of being used, as a means of transportation on water.', NOW(), 1, 1);
INSERT INTO `statutenotes` (`statuteid`, `heading`, `detail`, `createstamp`, `personstamp`, `authorstamp`) VALUES ('3', 'Source', '(July 30, 1947, ch. 388, 61 Stat. 633.)', NOW(), 1, 1);
INSERT INTO `statutes` (`statuteid`, `corpusid`, `parentid`, `title`, `subtitle`, `part`, `chapter`, `subchapter`, `section`, `type`, `heading`, `detail`, `createstamp`, `personstamp`, `authorstamp`) VALUES ('4', '1', '', '1', '', '', '1', '', '4', 'Statute', '§4. “Vehicle” as including all means of land transportation', 'The word “vehicle” includes every description of carriage or other artificial contrivance used, or capable of being used, as a means of transportation on land.', NOW(), 1, 1);
INSERT INTO `statutenotes` (`statuteid`, `heading`, `detail`, `createstamp`, `personstamp`, `authorstamp`) VALUES ('4', 'Source', '(July 30, 1947, ch. 388, 61 Stat. 633.)', NOW(), 1, 1);
INSERT INTO `statutes` (`statuteid`, `corpusid`, `parentid`, `title`, `subtitle`, `part`, `chapter`, `subchapter`, `section`, `type`, `heading`, `detail`, `createstamp`, `personstamp`, `authorstamp`) VALUES ('5', '1', '', '1', '', '', '1', '', '5', 'Statute', '§5. “Company” or “association” as including successors and assigns', 'The word “company” or “association”, when used in reference to a corporation, shall be deemed to embrace the words “successors and assigns of such company or association”, in like manner as if these last-named words, or words of similar import, were expressed.', NOW(), 1, 1);
INSERT INTO `statutenotes` (`statuteid`, `heading`, `detail`, `createstamp`, `personstamp`, `authorstamp`) VALUES ('5', 'Source', '(July 30, 1947, ch. 388, 61 Stat. 633.)', NOW(), 1, 1);
INSERT INTO `statutes` (`statuteid`, `corpusid`, `parentid`, `title`, `subtitle`, `part`, `chapter`, `subchapter`, `section`, `type`, `heading`, `detail`, `createstamp`, `personstamp`, `authorstamp`) VALUES ('6', '1', '', '1', '', '', '1', '', '6', 'Statute', '§6. Limitation of term “products of American fisheries”', 'Wherever, in the statutes of the United States or in the rulings, regulations, or interpretations of various administrative bureaus and agencies of the United States there appears or may appear the term “products of American fisheries” said term shall not include fresh or frozen fish fillets, fresh or frozen fish steaks, or fresh or frozen slices of fish substantially free of bone (including any of the foregoing divided into sections), produced in a foreign country or its territorial waters, in whole or in part with the use of the labor of persons who are not residents of the United States.', NOW(), 1, 1);
INSERT INTO `statutenotes` (`statuteid`, `heading`, `detail`, `createstamp`, `personstamp`, `authorstamp`) VALUES ('6', 'Source', '(July 30, 1947, ch. 388, 61 Stat. 634.)', NOW(), 1, 1);
INSERT INTO `statutes` (`statuteid`, `corpusid`, `parentid`, `title`, `subtitle`, `part`, `chapter`, `subchapter`, `section`, `type`, `heading`, `detail`, `createstamp`, `personstamp`, `authorstamp`) VALUES ('7', '1', '', '1', '', '', '1', '', '7', 'Statute', '§7. Definition of “marriage” and “spouse”', 'In determining the meaning of any Act of Congress, or of any ruling, regulation, or interpretation of the various administrative bureaus and agencies of the United States, the word “marriage” means only a legal union between one man and one woman as husband and wife, and the word “spouse” refers only to a person of the opposite sex who is a husband or a wife.', NOW(), 1, 1);
INSERT INTO `statutenotes` (`statuteid`, `heading`, `detail`, `createstamp`, `personstamp`, `authorstamp`) VALUES ('7', 'Source', '(Added Pub. L. 104–199, §3(a), Sept. 21, 1996, 110 Stat. 2419.)', NOW(), 1, 1);
INSERT INTO `statutes` (`statuteid`, `corpusid`, `parentid`, `title`, `subtitle`, `part`, `chapter`, `subchapter`, `section`, `type`, `heading`, `detail`, `createstamp`, `personstamp`, `authorstamp`) VALUES ('8', '1', '', '1', '', '', '1', '', '8', 'Statute', '§8. “Person”, “human being”, “child”, and “individual” as including born-alive infant', '(a) In determining the meaning of any Act of Congress, or of any ruling, regulation, or interpretation of the various administrative bureaus and agencies of the United States, the words “person”, “human being”, “child”, and “individual”, shall include every infant member of the species homo sapiens who is born alive at any stage of development.\n\n(b) As used in this section, the term “born alive”, with respect to a member of the species homo sapiens, means the complete expulsion or extraction from his or her mother of that member, at any stage of development, who after such expulsion or extraction breathes or has a beating heart, pulsation of the umbilical cord, or definite movement of voluntary muscles, regardless of whether the umbilical cord has been cut, and regardless of whether the expulsion or extraction occurs as a result of natural or induced labor, cesarean section, or induced abortion.\n\n(c) Nothing in this section shall be construed to affirm, deny, expand, or contract any legal status or legal right applicable to any member of the species homo sapiens at any point prior to being “born alive” as defined in this section.', NOW(), 1, 1);
INSERT INTO `statutenotes` (`statuteid`, `heading`, `detail`, `createstamp`, `personstamp`, `authorstamp`) VALUES ('8', 'Source', '(Added Pub. L. 107–207, §2(a), Aug. 5, 2002, 116 Stat. 926.)', NOW(), 1, 1);

So, here are the laws we still need help indexing:

• Alabama
• Alaska
• Arizona
• Arkansas
• Colorado
• Connecticut
• Delaware
• District of Columbia
• Florida
• Georgia
• Hawaii
• Idaho
• Illinois
• Indiana
• Iowa
• Kansas
• Kentucky
• Louisiana
• Maine
• Maryland
• Massachusetts
• Michigan
• Minnesota
• Mississippi
• Missouri
• Montana
• Nebraska
• Nevada
• New Hampshire
• New Jersey
• New Mexico
• New York
• North Carolina
• North Dakota
• Ohio
• Oklahoma
• Oregon
• Pennsylvania
• Rhode Island
• South Carolina
• South Dakota
• Tennessee
• Texas
• Utah
• Vermont
• Washington
• West Virginia
• Wisconsin
• Wyoming

We'd love to credit you for your work. Getting state and local laws into PlainSite will help the whole country.