API v1.0
The v1.0 release of Richmond Sunlight’s API provides a series of JSON-based web services. (It also supports JSONP and its associated callback function.) The following methods are available:
Retrieve a list of bills.
Example URI
http://api.richmondsunlight.com/1.0/bills/2011.json
Instructions
Replace the year (“2011”) with the year for which you want a listing of all bills.
Returns
- number
- chamber
- date introduced
- status
- outcome
- title
Retrieve a given bill.
Example URI
http://api.richmondsunlight.com/1.0/bill/2010/hb1.json
Instructions
Replace the year (“2010”) and bill number (“hb1”) with the bill number and year in which it was introduced that you want.
Returns
- bill number
- catch line
- summary
- full text
- sponsor
- outcome (passed/failed)
- tags (if any)
If no bill is found, this method will return a 404.
Retrieve a given legislator.
Example URI
http://api.richmondsunlight.com/1.0/legislator/rbbell.json
Instructions
Replace the legislator (“rbbell”) with the Richmond Sunlight ID for that legislator. (You can find each legislator’s ID in the URL for their page on the site.)
Returns
- name
- party
- district number
- district description
- date took office
- partisanship (0-100 scale; 0 == Democratic, 100 == Republican)
- all bills (since 2006)
- number
- year
- title
- date introduced
- outcome
- Richmond Sunlight URL
- district office address
- capitol office address
- district office phone number
- capitol office phone number
- website URI (if any)
- e-mail address
- Virginia Public Access Project ID
- Legislative Information System ID
If no legislator is found, this method will return a 404.
Retrieve a list of bills that affect a specific section of the code.
Example URI
http://api.richmondsunlight.com/1.0/bysection/20-107.3.json
Instructions
Replace the section number with the section that you’re interested in. It will return a list of bills (from 2006 foreward) that cite that section number in the text of the bill.
Returns
- bill number
- year
- catch line
- summary
- sponsor
- outcome (passed/failed)
If no bills are found, this method will return a 404.
Retrieve a list of bills and commentary on those bills for a given Photosynthesis portfolio.
Example URI
http://api.richmondsunlight.com/1.0/photosynthesis/7l0x3.json
Instructions
Replace the portfolio number (“7l0x3”) with the number of the portfolio that you’re interested in. (You can find this in the URL.) It will return a list of the bills in that portfolio, along with any commentary that has been provided on each of those bills.
Returns
- bill number
- year
- URL
- notes
If no bills is found for that portfolio, or if the portfolio doesn’t exist, this method will return a 404.