statute
A statute is a law enacted by legislation. Statutes are also called acts, such as the Civil Rights Act of 1964 or the Sarbanes-Oxley Act. Federal laws must be passed by both houses of Congress (the House of Representatives and the Senate) and usually require the President’s approval before taking effect.
According to the Library of Congress, enacted federal statutes are published in three stages. First, each law is issued individually as a “slip law.” Second, all slip laws from a session of Congress are compiled as “session laws.” Finally, laws of a general and permanent nature are codified in the United States Code.
State statutes can be accessed through the LII’s page on Constitutions, Statutes, and Codes. They can also be located by subject through the LII’s Topical Index: State Statutes.
[Last reviewed in August of 2025 by the Wex Definitions Team]
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