Making laws
slip law
The first official publication of a new law: a single pamphlet issued right after enactment, before it appears in the Statutes at Large or the Code.
In full
Within days of a bill becoming law, the Archivist issues it as a slip law with its public law number, the date of approval, and marginal notes on its legislative history. It is the authoritative text until the bound Statutes at Large volume appears, which can be a year or more later.
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A plain-language explanation for civic education, not legal advice. When in doubt, the official source named above controls.