Category: Legislative Toolkit

Public testimony can be given virtually or in person, or you can submit written testimony, with or without registering your position on a bill that is being heard.

Remote or In-Person Testimony 

The Legislature has expanded remote testimony capabilities so people can testify on any bill from anywhere up to an hour prior to a committee meeting.

Learn how to testify or submit written comments to a legislative committee.

Written Testimony

Washingtonians have long been able to submit written comment on a bill, but in the past, those comments were only sent directly to the constituent’s own legislators.

In 2021, a new written testimony system was implemented. This system saves comments for all committee members and staff to access and read. In addition, committee staff add these written comments to the committee file and archive them, so they will be maintained as part of the public record.

Registering Your Support Without Submitting Testimony

Washingtonians can register their support for a bill without submitting written or remote public testimony.

Contact Your Legislator

Learn more about contacting your legislator here. 

Follow on TVW

Every committee meeting, floor session, press conference and special event will be broadcast at TVW.org.

 

1. Learn who your legislators are and how to reach them.
2. Learn how to track your bill.
3. Decide what the single most important piece of your story is in relation to the legislation you want to support. Be ready to state this in an email or phone call.
4. If you testify, you will have two minutes, at best – sometimes only one minute. Practice telling your story within these time limits.
5. If you’re giving testimony, listen to the person speaking before you, and alter what you’re going to say if they’ve made the same points very clearly – or say you agree with them and then get to your own main points.
6. Check to see if your legislators are active on social media; connect with them if you’re already on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram.
7. Rehearse your testimony – without reading it – until you’re comfortable.
8. If you feel nervous, that’s OK. Legislators were nervous when they were new to the process. They are genuinely grateful to you for sharing your story.
9. Be ready to act on short notice. Sometimes you will have only one or two days’ notice to ask your lawmaker for their support.
10. Always thank your lawmaker for their time and commitment to public service.

How to Share Your Story

There are several ways to share your story with lawmakers.

You can write (email, snail mail, online contact forms) your representatives, or committee chairs and members, or call their offices, to share your story. In these cases, your story is shared directly with the lawmakers and their staff, and other people don’t hear or read what you say.

But there are also opportunities to tell your story in a public setting:

• Speak at a legislator’s district town hall meeting (usually held before the legislative session starts, and mid-way through) – usually a Q&A format is followed.
• Give public testimony at a committee hearing during legislative session.

Legislative session committees offer both in-person and virtual opportunities for public testimony. 

Why We Give Public Testimony

It can feel intimidating to share your story with lawmakers–especially if it is related to something as devastating as a mental health crisis or suicide. But the stories shared by those of us who have lived experience can be powerful. Legislation is about policy and process and regulations and budgets, but at its heart, it’s about our elected representatives trying to make the best laws they can to help their constituents across Washington. And our stories help them connect from the what of legislation to the heart of the why.

If you choose to share your story publicly, we recommend reviewing the Considerations and Best Practices for Lived Experience Programs, published by the Suicide Prevention Resource Center.

Tips for Telling Your Story in Public Testimony

You want to speak straight to your lawmakers, from your heart to their heart. And you need to connect your story to the proposals in the bill that is being heard in the committee session.

You’ll have somewhere between 60-120 seconds  (1-2 minutes) to tell your story. That’s not a lot of time; so it’s important to know what your key points are and make sure you connect your story to the bill. And you may not know how long you’ll have  to speak until you’re already attending the public hearing. (It can depend on how many other people have signed up to speak and how long the meeting is scheduled for.)

Preparing Your Public Testimony

• When you have plenty of time, tell your story by yourself. Do this in a private place without leaving anything out. Tell it all.
• Next set a timer and tell your story again. Don’t worry about the timer. Just check it when you’re done and note down how long it took.
• Now briefly write three things in your story that connect to your bill. Use just a few key words for each item.
• Tell your story again – writing it all out. When you’re done circle the areas that connect to the bill.
• Next, read everything in your story that aren’t circled. What can you omit?
• Try telling your story focusing on the two or three things that matter most to the bill.
• Time your story again, still focusing on what matters most.
• Your goal is to tell your story in two minutes. Put another way, the final version of your story will be about 250 words.
• If you learn that you will have a chance to talk with your legislator – or to testify – use only a few key words as your notes.

Why not just write it out? Because if you write every word, you’re more likely to read every word aloud. And reading your story puts a barrier between you – amazing you – and your audience. Though the approach of writing out your whole story works well for some people.

If you prefer to write out your full story so you can refer to it while you’re speaking, check the time as you go through your story so you know how long each section takes, and so you decide what to omit if you’re suddenly told you have 30 seconds less than you expected.

Practice, practice, practice! Giving public testimony is a form of public speaking. This is YOUR story, and the more comfortable you are telling it in a short time, the more comfortable you will feel when it’s your turn to share it in a committee hearing.

Changing Things On The Fly

It’s not uncommon to prepare 2 minutes of testimony and then partway through the hearing, the committee chair announces that time has been halved, or cut to 90 seconds. This is usually for time reasons: more people have signed up to speak than the time allows.

When this happens, it’s best not to try and rush through your whole testimony so fast that you’re cramming it in but no one can understand. Listen to what is being said by others who are testifying, and decide which points you most want to make–it’s probably best to focus on things that no one else has said. Omit other things you wanted to say. You can also say something like “I agree with the people who supported ____.”

Feeling Nervous? Remember:

Your legislators have seen it all. Nervousness is common among individuals who are participating in the process for the first time.

Most legislators are genuinely grateful for your effort to share your story. They understand the pain and the jitters involve for you.

Find bill information here. 

You need to know the bill’s number. Your legislators’ office staff will have this information.

HB stands for House Bill; SB stands for Senate Bill; SHB stands for Substitute House Bill, etc.

If your bill makes it to the second house (usually the Senate) it will be given a new bill number.

Many bills each year do not make it through the legislature, sometimes by failing to meet a deadline for action, or by lack of action or support.

An Overview of the Legislative Process

Legislation, or bills, start in the committee that covers the bill’s general topic. A suicide prevention bill could originate in a committee on health care, education, Veterans, or elsewhere, depending on the bill’s focus. The first step for any bill to succeed is to be referred to the committee, then to be scheduled for a public hearing, and then to gain a vote of support from the committee members to pass out of committee.

Next the bill must be debated on the floor, with all (or most) House (or Senate) members attending and voting. Not all bills are scheduled on the Floor Calendar.

If the bill passes the resulting vote, it goes on to the other chamber (the Senate or House), for a similar process, starting with the appropriate committee.

Once a bill passes both houses, it needs to receive funding in the general appropriations bill. This does not always happen, or the funding appropriated may be less than expected.

The Role of the Committee

Committees are bipartisan, but chaired by a member of the majority party. Committee members and chairs are appointed by their parties between the election in November and the start of Legislative Session in January. Often committee members serve on the same committees for several years, ensuring continuity of knowledge and legislator experience.

The role of the committee is to ensure that well-crafted legislation that has been through thorough review, and that has support from a majority of committee members is passed to the floor for a potential vote.

Note that not every bill is heard in committee, and not every bill makes it out of committee. Sometimes a bill that doesn’t succeed during one legislative session may be successful (usually with revisions) in a later year.

How to Contact Your Legislators

If you aren’t sure who your state legislators are, use Washington’s District Finder.

After entering your address, make sure the toggle for District Type is on Legislative, not Congressional.

Washington has 49 Legislative Districts. Your district number and the name and political party of your legislators will pop up: one senator and two representatives.

To learn more about your legislators, click on their name. Helpful information that you will find includes email address, telephone number, and the legislative committees they serve on. You might want to make note of their contact information.

If they serve on a committee for health care or veterans, note the committee name.

Remote testimony is taking place, and individuals can participate via remote public testimony, written testimony or by signalling their support for a bill. Click here to learn more.

A phone call to your legislator’s office and speaking with staff is another option. Email or mailed letters are the last option. Email or letters should be written individually. Sending a pre-printed form letter often has the least effect on your legislator and their staff.

Many legislators are active on social media, especially Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. This can be a good way to connect with them if you’re already using one or more of those platforms.

When to Contact Your Legislators

There is no wrong time to reach out to your legislators. However, the last few days before a deadline or vote offer you the chance to let your legislators know about your support for a bill.

At times, legislative action is taken with rather short notice. If you wish for your legislators to act on your position, it is important to be ready at any time during the session to connect with your lawmakers.

Your legislators will have aides whose role is specifically to help them with legislation. If you are not able to reach your lawmaker, their legislative aide is a valuable resource for you to connect with.