Bill Comparison and Redlining Tool

Overview

Feature: Bill Comparison Tool
Duration: 8 minutes, 18 seconds
Tier: Platform & Enterprise
Difficulty: Intermediate

What You'll Learn

• How to compare different versions of the same bill

• Understanding redline color coding (red = removed, green = added, blue = moved)

• Comparing bills across different states

• Uploading and comparing your own documents

• Exporting comparison results

Key Concepts

Redlining Color Code

• 🔴 Red text: Content removed from previous version

• 🟢 Green text: New content added to current version

• 🔵 Blue text: Content moved to a different section of the bill

• ⚪ White text: Identical content across compared documents

Time-Saving Benefits

The comparison tool saves significant time by automatically highlighting exactly what has changed when new bill versions are released, eliminating the need for manual line-by-line review.

Section 1: Introduction to Bill Comparison

[0:00 - 0:27]

What is Bill Comparison?

The bill comparison tool allows you to:

• Compare bill text language from different versions of the same bill

• Compare different bills within your legislature

• Compare bills across states (if you subscribe to multiple states)

Key Benefit: This saves you a ton of time and lets you know exactly what has changed when new bill versions come out.

Section 2: Accessing Bill Comparison from Bill Tracking

[0:27 - 0:59]

Finding Bills with Multiple Versions

Timestamp: 0:27 - 0:51

1. Navigate to the Bill Tracking tab

2. Apply filters (example shown: filtered to Ohio bills)

3. Look for bills with a "Compare" button

   • This button appears when a bill has more than one version

   • Indicates the bill is eligible for comparison

Two Ways to Access Comparison

Timestamp: 0:51 - 1:01

Method 1: Click the Compare button directly from the bill list Method 2: Open the actual bill page (recommended approach demonstrated in video)

Section 3: Comparing Bill Versions from the Bill Page

[1:02 - 1:29]

Accessing the Documents Section

Timestamp: 1:02 - 1:08

1. Scroll down to the Documents section on the bill page

2. View all available bill versions

Understanding Bill Versions

Timestamp: 1:08 - 1:22

Example shown: Ohio HB 2 contains:

• Introduced version

• Two different committee substitutes

• Supplemental documents (if available)

• Amendments (if available)

Selecting Versions to Compare

Timestamp: 1:22 - 1:29

• You can select any two versions to compare

• Example: Comparing "Introduced" version vs. "First Committee Substitute"

• Click checkboxes next to desired versions, then click "Compare"

Section 4: Understanding the Comparison Interface

[1:29 - 2:10]

The PDF Legal Comparison Tool

Timestamp: 1:29 - 1:48

Layout:

• Left side: Previous version

• Right side: More recent version

Color Coding:

• Left (Red): Content removed from the bill

• Right (Green): Content added to the bill

Quick Page Count Analysis

Timestamp: 1:48 - 2:10

Pro Tip: Check page counts first to gauge the scope of changes

• Example: 4 pages → 4 pages (minimal changes)

• Example: 3 pages → 20 pages (substantial additions)

• Example: 20 pages → 3 pages (significant reductions)

This gives you an immediate sense of how extensive the changes are.

Section 5: Navigating Changes

[2:10 - 2:28]

Using the Changes List

Timestamp: 2:10 - 2:28

1. Click the button on the side (changes list icon)

2. This displays a complete list of all changes

3. Click any change in the list to jump directly to that section

4. Provides a quick count of total changes

Section 6: Viewing Options and Features

[2:28 - 2:40]

Zoom Controls

Timestamp: 2:28 - 2:40

• Use zoom in/out controls for closer reading

• Adjusts text size for better readability

• Helpful for detailed analysis

Section 7: Understanding Blue Highlighting

[2:40 - 2:55]

Moved Content (Blue Text)

Timestamp: 2:40 - 2:55

What blue highlighting means:

• Content has been moved to a different section of the bill

• The text itself hasn't changed, just its location

Common Scenario:

• You may see large sections of blue text

• This indicates organizational restructuring, not content changes

Section 8: Handling Minor Artifacts

[2:55 - 3:12]

PDF Comparison Quirks

Timestamp: 2:55 - 3:12

Note: Some elements may show as "changed" that aren't relevant:

• Page numbers

• Headers/footers

• Small formatting details

This is normal and part of how the PDF comparison tool works. Focus on the substantive bill text changes.

Section 9: Exporting Comparison Results

[3:12 - 3:36]

Downloading Individual Sides

Timestamp: 3:12 - 3:26

1. Click the File button

2. Download either side of the comparison

3. Highlighting is preserved in downloaded PDFs

   • Example: Downloading the right (modified) side retains all green new text

Single Document Export

Timestamp: 3:26 - 3:36

1. Click "Single Document" option

2. Combines comparison into one PDF

3. Green underlined text = new additions

4. Easy to share with colleagues or stakeholders

Section 10: Uploading Custom Documents

[3:50 - 5:32]

Comparing Non-Public Documents

Timestamp: 3:50 - 4:07

Use Cases:

• Non-public bill versions

• Draft bills you're considering floating

• Proposed amendments

• Internal working documents

Upload Process

Timestamp: 4:07 - 4:40

1. Click the "Uploaded Documents" tab

2. Click "Upload your own PDF"

3. Select your document file

4. Check the uploaded document

5. Navigate back to the original bill versions

6. Select the bill version to compare against

7. Click "Compare"

Understanding Comparison Order

Timestamp: 4:40 - 5:23

IMPORTANT: The order you click matters!

If you want:

• Introduced bill on LEFT (showing what was removed in red)

• Your uploaded document on RIGHT (showing what was added in green)

Then:

1. Click the introduced version FIRST

2. Then click your uploaded document SECOND

3. Then click Compare

Result:

• Left: Introduced version with deletions in red

• Right: Your internal version with additions in green

Benefits of Custom Comparison

Timestamp: 5:23 - 5:35

Very helpful when you want to see the differences between:

• Bill proposals you're working on

• Internal drafts before they're released publicly

• Saves significant time in the drafting process

Section 11: Cross-State Bill Comparison

[5:35 - 8:06]

Accessing Cross-State Comparison

Timestamp: 5:35 - 5:50

1. Return to the Bill Tracking tab

2. Click the "Compare" tab

Availability:

• Available based on your state subscriptions

• National Platform customers (all 50 states) can compare any bills across the country

Use Case for Cross-State Comparison

Timestamp: 5:50 - 6:12

Scenario: You suspect a bill in one state is similar to a bill in another state

• Example: Ohio bill similar to Indiana bill

• Want to check if they share the same language

• Identify common sections across states

Performing Cross-State Comparison

Timestamp: 6:12 - 7:00

Steps:

1. Enter the first state

2. Enter the bill number (e.g., "OH HB 2")

3. System searches and displays available versions

4. Select the desired version (e.g., "Introduced")

5. Repeat for the second state and bill (e.g., "IN HB 21")

6. Click "Compare"

Note: The example shown (OH HB 2 vs. IN HB 21) were intentionally different bills to demonstrate the interface.

Interpreting Cross-State Comparisons

Timestamp: 7:00 - 7:52

When bills are very different:

• Left side: Mostly red (everything unique to first bill)

• Right side: Mostly green (everything unique to second bill)

What to look for:

• ⚪ WHITE text = Identical language across both bills

• This shows exact shared language between states

• Helps identify model legislation

• Tracks bill language as it moves across states

Cross-State Comparison Flexibility

Timestamp: 7:52 - 8:06

You can compare:

• Within your state: Multiple bills in Ohio, Michigan, etc.

• Across states: Compare bills from different states

• Any combination based on your subscriptions

Need more states? Contact State Affairs to add additional state subscriptions.

Quick Reference Guide

Starting a Comparison

Understanding Colors

Export Options

Pro Tips

💡 Tip 1: Check Page Counts First

[1:48] Before diving into details, glance at page counts to gauge whether changes are minor edits or substantial revisions.

💡 Tip 2: Use the Changes List

[2:10] Click the changes list button to see all modifications at once and jump to specific sections quickly.

💡 Tip 3: Click Order Matters

[4:52] When comparing documents, the first document you click appears on the left. Choose your order deliberately based on what you want to see removed vs. added.

💡 Tip 4: Focus on White Text in Cross-State Comparisons

[7:28] When comparing bills across states, white (unchanged) text reveals shared language and model legislation patterns.

💡 Tip 5: Export for Sharing

[3:26] Use the single document export to create clean, shareable PDFs with green underlines for new content—perfect for stakeholder updates.

Common Use Cases

Use Case 1: Tracking Committee Changes

Who: Legislative analysts, lobbyists
Scenario: A bill just came out of committee with a substitute version
Action: Compare introduced vs. committee substitute to see what was negotiated
Timestamp Reference: [1:22 - 1:29]

Use Case 2: Preparing Testimony

Who: Advocates, subject matter experts
Scenario: Need to prepare testimony on latest bill version
Action: Compare versions to understand exactly what changed before the hearing
Timestamp Reference: [1:29 - 2:40]

Use Case 3: Drafting Amendments

Who: Legislative staff, bill drafters
Scenario: Working on internal amendment language
Action: Upload draft amendment to compare against current bill text
Timestamp Reference: [3:50 - 5:32]

Use Case 4: Multi-State Tracking

Who: National organizations, policy researchers
Scenario: Suspect similar bills are circulating in multiple states
Action: Use cross-state comparison to identify shared language and model legislation
Timestamp Reference: [5:35 - 8:06]

Troubleshooting

Issue: Compare Button Doesn't Appear

Solution: This bill may only have one version. Compare buttons only appear when multiple versions exist.

Issue: Comparison Shows Everything as Changed

Solution: This is normal when comparing completely different bills. Look for white (unchanged) text to find shared language.

Issue: Page Numbers Showing as Changed

Solution: This is a normal artifact of PDF comparison. Focus on substantive bill text, not formatting elements.
Timestamp Reference: [2:55]

Issue: Can't Find My Uploaded Document

Solution: Make sure you're on the "Uploaded Documents" tab and have checked the document you want to compare.
Timestamp Reference: [4:00 - 4:40]

Related Features

• Bill Tracking - Track individual bills through the legislative process

• Bill Status - Understand where bills are in the lifecycle

• Multi-State Search - Find similar bills across states (Enterprise)

• Reports & Export - Create comprehensive bill reports

Additional Resources

Need Help?

• Contact Support: support@stateaffairs.com