How to testify at the capitol

Tell your lawmakers why issues matter to you

There are many steps that happen before a bill becomes a law. After a bill is introduced in Connecticut, one of the next big steps is a committee hearing. During a committee hearing, legislators on the committee hear from members of the public about why a bill should or should not pass.

Later, that committee will vote on whether to pass the bill out of committee. If a bill passes out of committee, then it usually can be considered for a vote in the state senate or house of representatives. If it doesn’t pass out of committee by a certain deadline, then it is dead.

So, committee hearings are a crucial moment in the legislative session when lawmakers need to hear from you.

Testifying to a legislative committee is a powerful way to speak up for your community, family, and your future. There are multiple ways to make yourself heard – you can show up to testify during an in-person hearing, testify virtually, or submit a written statement. You can also email your representatives year-round.

Step One: Find the Bill

You want to put your voice behind the correct bill. Search for the bill online by using a bill number, title, or keyword to find the right one.

Once you find it, you will be able to see information about who is sponsoring (supporting) it, the status, when hearing dates are, how to submit testimony, and what committee it is in.

Not every bill gets a hearing. Putting your support behind a bill early will give it a better chance of it getting one.

Step Two: Find the Public Hearing and Sign Up, and Submit your Testimony

If you want to testify on a bill, you have three options: you can submit written testimony, you testify in person at the legislature, or testify virtually.

First, find information on the bill by searching for a keyword (like “rent,” “SNAP,” “school,” etc.) or, if you know it, the bill number. The legislature has a website to help you find the bill. Once the results come up, click on the bill number to learn more about what the bill is about, who supports it, and where it is at in the lawmaking process. If it has a hearing date, then you will be able to sign up to testify in person.

You will need to submit testimony to the committee that is considering the bill. If you want to submit written testimony, click on the committee, and then click the button under “contact” that says “submit public hearing testimony.”

If the bill has a hearing date, click on “public hearings,” and then “agenda.” Then, click on the hearing date listed on the bill’s page. Next, click on “register to speak.”

If you want to testify in person or virtually, it’s a good idea to also submit written testimony, so there is a written record of your remarks for the historical record, and so legislators can find it.

The state has a website with instructions and tips on how to testify in person, online, or hybrid.

Step Three: Prepare Your Story

Your testimony should talk about why a bill would help or hurt you. For example, you can talk about why Connecticut needs to be affordable, how the cost of living crisis has hurt you, and if you think the bill would make things better or worse. Tell them what you want them to do. Be clear if you support or oppose the bill.

If you are submitting written testimony, it can be as long or as short as you’d like. The important thing is to make sure to say the number of the bill, whether you support or oppose it, how it would affect you, and what you want legislators to do. For example, if you support a renter’s tax credit, you’ll want to say the bill number, that you support the bill, and that you want legislators to pass it. You’ll then want to share why it matters to you.

If you are testifying online or in person, you will have up to three minutes to introduce yourself and speak. Practice your remarks to make sure you are under the time limit. Speak slowly and remember to take breaths. You don’t have to memorize your speech – it’s okay to read what you’ve written.

Step Four: Testify!

When you sign up to testify during a committee hearing, the committee clerk will assign you a number. This number is where you fall in the speaking order. So, if you are number one, you will be first to speak. Number two will go second, etc.

Lots of committees in Connecticut reserve the first part of a hearing for any public officials who are signed up to testify, although some reserve those spots for people who are directly impacted (one committee that focuses on children, for instance, prioritizes letting students speak early). So, do not be surprised if you do not testify right when a hearing starts. If you are testifying in person, it’s a good idea to bring water and a snack, or to grab food or a drink from the Legislative Office Building cafeteria.

If you are testifying online, you’ll want to log into the committee hearing a little bit early, so you are prepared when your name is called. When the committee chair calls your name, you’ll be able to go off of mute and deliver your testimony.

If you are testifying in person, you’ll want to arrive early at the Legislative Office Building to find the hearing room, grab a seat, and be ready when your name is called. You will want to bring an extra printed copy of your testimony and give it to the committee clerk, so they can share it with the committee. When the committee chair calls your name, you will go up to a seat facing the legislators. You’ll push a button to turn on a microphone, so they can hear you.

Whether you are testifying online or in-person, you will have three minutes to speak. When that time is over, the committee members might have questions for you. Those questions are your chance to re-affirm your position, and if you don’t know the answer to something, it is always okay to say that.

Step Five: Keep Pushing for Change

Not every bill will get a hearing, be voted out of committee, and make it to a vote in the state senate or house of representatives.

Keep trying! Many good ideas take years before they become a law, and some bad ideas will keep coming up. Your testimony will make a difference every time.

Keep an eye on our Action Center for the latest way to get involved, and join us in the fight for a more affordable Connecticut by learning more about your community action team, signing up for our newsletter list, and following us on social media.