# Laws > Bylaws, the terms they define, and the documents governments publish: staff reports, plans and notices. The bylaws a government adopts, and the documents it publishes on its own site. A document says whether its text is held. ## Bylaws Filter by `subject` for a bylaw's core subject; subject `fees_charges` is a fees and charges bylaw. ### `GET /v1/bylaws` **List bylaws.** Bylaws by number, title, kind and adoption date. Billed as one records request a page. Filters: jurisdiction, region, country, kind, subject, from, to, since. [Reference and playground for list bylaws](https://data.heytownhall.com/docs/reference/documents/get-v1-bylaws) | Parameter | What it takes | | -------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ | | `jurisdiction` | A jurisdiction id. | | `region` | A two-letter province or state code. | | `country` | CA or US. | | `kind` | bylaw, amendment, consolidated, repeal. | | `subject` | A bylaw's core subject, as the bylaw-subject model read its text. fees_charges is a body's fees and charges bylaw. | | `from` | On or after this date (YYYY-MM-DD). | | `to` | On or before this date (YYYY-MM-DD). | | `since` | Records read at or after this instant: what is new since your last read. | Pages with `limit` and `cursor` ([pagination](https://data.heytownhall.com/docs/pagination)). | Field | Type | What it holds | | ----------------- | -------------- | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | `id` | string | | | `jurisdiction_id` | string | | | `country` | string or null | | | `region` | string or null | | | `number` | string or null | | | `title` | string or null | | | `kind` | string or null | | | `adopted_on` | string or null | YYYY-MM-DD. | | `text_available` | boolean | | | `subject` | string or null | The core subject its text regulates: zoning, building, animal_control, fire_burning, noise, trees, business_licence, fees_charges or other. Null: not yet read, or nothing says. | | `first_seen_at` | string or null | ISO 8601 instant, UTC. | | `source_url` | string or null | The page, document, video or platform the record was read from. | | `read_at` | string or null | When it was read. | ### `GET /v1/bylaws/{id}` **Retrieve a bylaw.** One bylaw. Billed as one records request. [Reference and playground for retrieve a bylaw](https://data.heytownhall.com/docs/reference/documents/get-v1-bylaws-id) Path: `{id}` such as 123456. ## Defined terms The terms a government's bylaws define, such as "accessory building", each with the start of its definition as printed. Read them to learn a place's own word for a thing before you search. ### `GET /v1/defined-terms` **List defined terms.** The terms a body's bylaws define (an 'accessory building', a 'protected tree'), each with the start of its definition, as printed. Billed as one records request a page. Filters: jurisdiction, region, country, term, since. [Reference and playground for list defined terms](https://data.heytownhall.com/docs/reference/documents/get-v1-defined-terms) | Parameter | What it takes | | -------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------ | | `jurisdiction` | A jurisdiction id. | | `region` | A two-letter province or state code. | | `country` | CA or US. | | `term` | Words in the defined term. | | `since` | Records read at or after this instant: what is new since your last read. | Pages with `limit` and `cursor` ([pagination](https://data.heytownhall.com/docs/pagination)). | Field | Type | What it holds | | ----------------- | -------------- | ----------------------------------------------------------------- | | `id` | string | | | `jurisdiction_id` | string | | | `country` | string or null | | | `region` | string or null | | | `term` | string | As the bylaw prints it. | | `definition` | string | The definition's first words, at most 400 characters, as printed. | | `source_url` | string or null | The page, document, video or platform the record was read from. | | `read_at` | string or null | When it was read. | ## Documents For a meeting's agenda package, minutes and attachments, see [meeting documents](https://data.heytownhall.com/docs/records/meetings#meeting-documents). ### `GET /v1/documents` **List documents.** The documents a government publishes on its own site, by kind (staff reports, budgets, plans, bylaws, notices), and whether their text is held. Billed as one records request a page. Filters: jurisdiction, region, country, kind, from, to, since. [Reference and playground for list documents](https://data.heytownhall.com/docs/reference/documents/get-v1-documents) | Parameter | What it takes | | -------------- | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | `jurisdiction` | A jurisdiction id. | | `region` | A two-letter province or state code. | | `country` | CA or US. | | `kind` | staff_report, budget, plan, bylaw, agenda, minutes, notice, map, form, other. | | `from` | On or after this date (YYYY-MM-DD). | | `to` | On or before this date (YYYY-MM-DD). | | `since` | Records read at or after this instant: what is new since your last read. | Pages with `limit` and `cursor` ([pagination](https://data.heytownhall.com/docs/pagination)). | Field | Type | What it holds | | ----------------- | -------------- | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | `id` | string | | | `jurisdiction_id` | string | | | `country` | string or null | | | `region` | string or null | | | `kind` | string or null | staff_report, budget, plan, bylaw, agenda, minutes, notice, map, form, other. | | `title` | string or null | | | `bylaw_number` | string or null | | | `dated_on` | string or null | YYYY-MM-DD. | | `text_available` | boolean | | | `last_changed_at` | string or null | ISO 8601 instant, UTC. | | `source_url` | string or null | The page, document, video or platform the record was read from. | | `read_at` | string or null | When it was read. |