# OpenStates MCP > OpenStates provides instant access to structured US state legislative data, allowing your AI agent to track bills, legislators, and committee structures across all 50 states, D.C., and Puerto Rico. Instead of navigating dozens of disparate government websites, you can query the entire network of policy action through a single connection. ## Overview - **Category:** data-management - **Price:** Free - **Tags:** legislation, bills, us-politics, legislators, committee-data, public-policy ## Description Your agent needs deep political context, and OpenStates delivers it. It gives your AI client instant access to bills, legislators, and committee metadata across every state and major jurisdiction in the U.S., plus D.C. and Puerto Rico. You can ask your agent to check on a policy trend or verify who sponsors specific legislation without ever opening a government website. For instance, you can search for all educational proposals active in California this session, or audit the full profile of any state representative. Vinkius hosts this MCP so your agent talks to one source, no matter which compatible client you use. It's like having a dedicated political analyst constantly plugged into every state capitol building. ## Tools ### get_bill_details Retrieves deep operational details and history for a specific legislative bill. ### get_committee_details Gets comprehensive information about a particular legislative committee. ### get_legislator_details Fetches the full profile and current status of an individual legislator. ### list_committees Generates a list of all available legislative committees within a specified jurisdiction. ### list_jurisdictions Provides an exhaustive list and description of all supported states and territories. ### search_bills Searches across thousands of legislative bills using keywords, jurisdiction, or session year. ### search_legislators Finds specific legislators and provides initial profile data based on names or roles. ## Prompt Examples **Prompt:** ``` Search for education bills in California. ``` **Response:** ``` Searching OpenStates for education-related bills in California... I've identified several active proposals, including AB-150 and SB-42. I can pull the full history and current status for any of these. ``` **Prompt:** ``` Who are the members of the New York Senate Finance Committee? ``` **Response:** ``` Retrieving membership for the NY Senate Finance Committee... I've found 25 legislators currently serving on this committee, including the chair and vice-chair. Shall I list their names and parties for you? ``` **Prompt:** ``` Get the latest actions for bill TX HB-500. ``` **Response:** ``` Fetching details for Texas HB-500... The most recent action was 'Passed in the House' yesterday. It has now been referred to the Senate State Affairs committee. Would you like to see the full list of sponsors? ``` ## Capabilities ### Track and search legislation Search for specific bills using keywords, jurisdiction, or session details to find their status and history. ### Audit legislator profiles Fetch complete records, current roles, contact information, and background data on any state representative or senator. ### Map committee membership List all legislative committees in a given area and retrieve the full roster of members serving on those boards. ### Identify supported jurisdictions Get a list of every state and territory covered by the data to confirm coverage before starting research. ## Use Cases ### Tracking state-level education reform A policy team needs to know which states are pushing for changes regarding K-12 funding. They ask their agent to 'Search for bills related to education in the Northeast.' The agent uses `search_bills` and then pulls committee membership via `list_committees`, delivering a comparative analysis of 10 state proposals. ### Verifying legal compliance A law firm needs to know if a proposed business regulation is blocked by any current state legislation. They ask the agent to 'Check the status and sponsors for environmental bills in Arizona.' The agent uses `get_bill_details` and provides the exact version number needed for their memo. ### Investigating political connections A journalist wants to know which legislators sit on both the finance committee and the technology subcommittee. They first run `list_committees`, then use `get_committee_details` on each, giving them a definitive list of overlapping members. ### Mapping political coverage A civic tech developer needs to build a national dashboard. Instead of guessing, they first run `list_jurisdictions` to confirm which states are covered and then use the results to structure their data inputs. ## Benefits - Stop cross-referencing state government websites. With this MCP, your agent gets all legislative data—bills, committees, and legislators—from one connection. - Audit any representative's background immediately. Use the `get_legislator_details` tool to pull complete profiles and current roles without manually checking state senate pages. - Track policy movement across multiple states. Search for education-related bills in California and New York using `search_bills`, then compare their statuses side-by-side. - Understand the legislative structure quickly. Use `list_jurisdictions` to see all supported states, ensuring your research scope is always correct before you begin. - Get deep context on specific laws. Beyond just finding a bill, use `get_bill_details` to analyze its full history and most recent actions in minutes. ## How It Works The bottom line is that you talk to your AI client, and it handles the complex data retrieval from OpenStates automatically. 1. Subscribe to this MCP on Vinkius and enter your OpenStates API Key. 2. Connect your preferred AI client (like Claude or Cursor) through the compatible interface. 3. Ask your agent a natural language question, like 'What bills are currently pending in Texas?' ## Frequently Asked Questions **Can OpenStates MCP find bills from all 50 states?** Yes, it provides intelligence across all 50 states, plus D.C. and Puerto Rico. Use `list_jurisdictions` first to confirm coverage for your specific research area. **How do I find out who was on a committee?** You can list all committees using `list_committees`, then use `get_committee_details` to retrieve the full membership roster and current roles of its members. **What is the difference between searching bills and getting bill details?** Searching bills (`search_bills`) finds a list of potential laws by keyword or state. Getting bill details (`get_bill_details`) pulls the full, deep history and most recent actions for one specific law. **Does OpenStates MCP help with policy analysis?** It provides the raw data needed for policy analysis. You can gather legislative stances on a topic across multiple states to build your argument, but you'll still write the final paper yourself. **What if I need legislator info that isn't current?** The MCP pulls official records and profile data. If the information is not publicly filed in a state record system, the tool won't have it. Always verify the jurisdiction first.