va-lis-mcp

get_bill_versions

Every published version of a bill, oldest first, with links to its files.

Instructions

Every published version of a bill, oldest first, with links to its files.

Introduced, each substitute and amendment, engrossed, enrolled, and chaptered. Each version carries the address of its pdf and html file and of any fiscal impact_statements. chamber is the chamber that made the version, not the bill's: a Senate substitute for a House bill says S. sponsor is who offered it (House, Senate, Committee, Conference, Governor, Member) and disposition what became of it (Offered, Adopted, Rejected, Posted). Pass a document_code to get_bill_text to read that version. A chaptered version's code is its chapter number (CHAP0350).

Tool call template

Replace each placeholder with a value matching the input schema. Only required parameters are included; add optional parameters as needed.

{
  "id": 1,
  "jsonrpc": "2.0",
  "method": "tools/call",
  "params": {
    "arguments": {
      "bill_number": "<bill_number>",
      "session_code": "<session_code>"
    },
    "name": "get_bill_versions"
  }
}

Input Schema

Name	Required	Description	Default
`bill_number`	Yes
`session_code`	Yes

Output Schema

Name	Required	Description	Default
No arguments

Schema Changelog

Changes observed during successful MCP inspections.

Addedv0.2.0Oct 13, 2026

TDQS

A4/5.0

Behavior4/5

Does the description disclose side effects, auth requirements, rate limits, or destructive behavior?

With no annotations, the description carries the full burden and does meaningful work: it discloses ordering (oldest first), explains that 'chamber' is the chamber that produced the version rather than the bill's, and decodes the sponsor and disposition vocabularies. It does not cover permissions, rate limits, or emptiness/pagination behavior, but the semantic disclosures go well beyond structured fields.

Agents need to know what a tool does to the world before calling it. Descriptions should go beyond structured annotations to explain consequences.

Conciseness4/5

Is the description appropriately sized, front-loaded, and free of redundancy?

The summary is front-loaded ('Every published version of a bill, oldest first') followed by supporting field semantics, and every sentence adds information. It is dense but not padded; the only mild inefficiency is that some content belongs more to the output schema than to the description.

Shorter descriptions cost fewer tokens and are easier for agents to parse. Every sentence should earn its place.

Completeness4/5

Given the tool's complexity, does the description cover enough for an agent to succeed on first attempt?

An output schema exists so return values need not be explained, yet the description adds genuinely useful field semantics and the get_bill_text chaining step. The main gap is that it never helps the agent supply its two required inputs, so it is nearly complete but missing parameter guidance.

Complex tools with many parameters or behaviors need more documentation. Simple tools need less. This dimension scales expectations accordingly.

Parameters2/5

Does the description clarify parameter syntax, constraints, interactions, or defaults beyond what the schema provides?

Schema description coverage is 0% and both parameters are required, yet the description says nothing about bill_number or session_code — no format, no example, no indication of where a session_code comes from (e.g., list_sessions). The names are intuitive, but the description does not compensate for the total lack of schema documentation.

Input schemas describe structure but not intent. Descriptions should explain non-obvious parameter relationships and valid value ranges.

Purpose5/5

Does the description clearly state what the tool does and how it differs from similar tools?

States a specific verb and resource ('Every published version of a bill, oldest first, with links to its files') and enumerates exactly what a version covers (introduced, substitute, amendment, engrossed, enrolled, chaptered) and what data each carries. This is clearly distinguishable from sibling tools like get_bill_history (events) or list_amended_bills (a filtered list).

Agents choose between tools based on descriptions. A clear purpose with a specific verb and resource helps agents select the right tool.

Usage Guidelines4/5

Does the description explain when to use this tool, when not to, or what alternatives exist?

Gives a concrete workflow: 'Pass a document_code to get_bill_text to read that version,' which tells the agent how this tool chains into the next step. It stops short of explicit when-to-use versus related siblings (get_bill_history, get_bill), so it is clear context but without exclusions.

Agents often have multiple tools that could apply. Explicit usage guidance like "use X instead of Y when Z" prevents misuse.