MGL line numbers...

[milktree]

Lots of legislation says something like, "in lines 174 to 193 inclusive..."

How the hell do you get a copy of existing law with line numbers? The stuff published on the Mass. website is wrapped text without many explicit linefeeds, so "line number" is dependent on page width and typeface.

There must be a way to actually see the actual laws, right?

How?

 

[pastera]

You don't - they use software that formats and adds the numbers. We don't get that since it would help empower us

I peice it together but hand using the estimated location and text matching.

 

[milktree]

You don't - they use software that formats and adds the numbers. We don't get that since it would help empower us

I peice it together but hand using the estimated location and text matching.

So I understand: The *ACTUAL LAW* isn't something we can see? We can only see the processed version they publish on the web?

There must be an official version somewhere, right? Is this one of those cases where the only way to see the actual law is to go to the state house and find the paper copy?

That's insane. I thought I just didn't know the right place to click.

 

[pastera]

So I understand: The *ACTUAL LAW* isn't something we can see? We can only see the processed version they publish on the web?

There must be an official version somewhere, right? Is this one of those cases where the only way to see the actual law is to go to the state house and find the paper copy?

That's insane. I thought I just didn't know the right place to click.

No the actual law is what is published
What we (in general) don't have is the same tool that allows us to refer to it by line number.
An attorney probably has those tools and if I knew the correct settings I could possibly recreate the numbers with a script. But I already spend too much time reading court opinions and laws.

 

[not new guy]

Are you looking for this new law specifically? I have a copy of that with numbered lines. I think they appear in the "parchment" copy that the governor actually signs.

Here: https://www.mass.gov/doc/h4885-an-a...chaptered-scanned-copy-attached-here/download

 

[milktree]

Are you looking for this new law specifically? I have a copy of that with numbered lines. I think they appear in the "parchment" copy that the governor actually signs.

Here: https://www.mass.gov/doc/h4885-an-a...chaptered-scanned-copy-attached-here/download

No, I'm looking for "laws in general".

There's a bunch of things in H.4885 that make modifications to existing law and reference line numbers.

e.g.:

SECTION 31. Said section 121 of said chapter 140, as so appearing, is hereby further amended
by striking out lines 175 to 192, inclusive.

 

[milktree]

No the actual law is what is published
What we (in general) don't have is the same tool that allows us to refer to it by line number.
An attorney probably has those tools and if I knew the correct settings I could possibly recreate the numbers with a script. But I already spend too much time reading court opinions and laws.

The implication is that somewhere the laws are stored in some format where "line number" means something. Extracting it from what's published on the web is (nearly?) impossible, because it's so dependent on window size, typeface, and font size. (and there's no line feeds or carriage returns in the published law in the big blocks of text.)

I want access to that raw text.

 

[hennypenny]

GOAL website link to Official Text of H.4885. Brings you to MA Legislature website, or you can just hit that directly. Bill H4885, Download PDF option brings it up. Hope it helps. Best of luck.

 

[hennypenny]

Disregard. Doesn't cover what you asked for. Line by line numbered Official Texts for each current law affected by H4885. Search feature on the MA website maybe? Good luck. Hope you didn't plan on doing much else for the next day or so.

 

[pastera]

The implication is that somewhere the laws are stored in some format where "line number" means something. Extracting it from what's published on the web is (nearly?) impossible, because it's so dependent on window size, typeface, and font size. (and there's no line feeds or carriage returns in the published law in the big blocks of text.)

I want access to that raw text.

And what I am saying is that those line numbers exist when formatted with the correct tool - one that may or may not be readily available if you know what to ask for.
I don't know who to ask for what so I struggle it out manually.
It's not hard to do, just time consuming

 

[hennypenny]

No arguing with Pastera on this. I tried it too a while back. He's being kind. It's pissing into the wind. Doing it my way, most likely not the smartest way, you'd need the legislative history for each law affected by H4885 and after looking up each one and finding the year each was enacted, chase each bill down by year of legislative session. Gotta be faster and better ways, but I don't know them. That's why lawyers get the big bucks. Or just wait for the law updates to come out.

 

[not new guy]

You could send a FOIA request for PDF copies of the original signed copies that have the numbering. Or maybe contact the state and just ask them where you can get copies. Someone has them.