Connecticut Water Trails Association
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Connecticut Water Trails Association |
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Connecticut Water Trails Program
Connecticut Water Bar
Effective Advocacy - How To Testify At A Public Hearing
What looks large from a distance - up close ain't never that big. -- Bob
Dylan
Legislative public hearings have become less and less
user-friendly over the years, but remain an important opportunity for
advocates to raise awareness of their issues.
Committees are the heart of the legislative process.
The committee process provides legislators more opportunity to closely
study a measure than would be possible in a floor debate. Committees may
hear from many people who support or oppose the measure.
Giving public testimony before a legislative committee
can be an exciting and fulfilling experience if you are prepared.
Your testimony many influence the committee’s action.
It also becomes part of the permanent record and may be used in future
research.
Public hearings are held early in the session by legislative committees to collect public comment on bills they are considering. If you are tracking a bill and want to testify about it:
Hearings are listed in the Legislative Bulletin including date, time, hearing room at the Legislative Office Building, and the list of bills that will be considered at that hearing.
Try to meet, call and/or write committee members before the hearing
Arrive early to sign up to speak. Find others who plan to testify on your bill.
Each committee runs their hearings differently, but
the first hour (or more) of the hearing is usually reserved for public
officials - other legislators, agency representatives, other elected
officials. Then the committee chairs begin calling speakers from the
public sign up list, usually in the order you signed up. If you have a
disability or a special need, talk to the committee staff.
You will generally have only three minutes to speak, but do not rush. It is perfectly all right to speak for less than three minutes, but do not go over. A soft bell will ring when your time is up. Finish your sentence and thank the committee.
Use your speaking time to summarize your points and refer the committee members to your written testimony for more detail.
Speaking from your own experience is most persuasive.
Try not to just repeat other speakers' remarks.
After your three minutes, committee members may have
questions for you. Answer briefly and accurately. If you don't know an
answer, say so and tell them that you will get back to them.
Be polite and respectful. Do not disparage anyone who
testifies against your position. Point out the differences, answer any
concerns, but do not get personal.
Prepare written copies of your testimony. The
Legislative Bulletin will note how many copies you need to submit to the
Committee staff before you speak. Bring extras to share with other
advocates and with legislators as you see them in the hall. See sample
written testimony.
Follow up - Write a thank you letter
to the committee, include your testimony again and any updates or answers
to their questions.
Again, testifying is often not a pleasant experience.
You may arrive very early in the morning, only to find that you are far
down the list of speakers. (In recent years, professional lobbyists and
advocates have been arriving at the Legislative Office Building early to
sign up.) You may not speak until late afternoon or later. You may find
that only two or three legislators are still at the hearing and the rest
of the public has left.
But there are instances where a bill did not pass out
of committee because no one showed up to testify in favor of it.
Your Voice
Matters At The Connecticut General Assembly
A Guide for
Reaching State Legislators and Testifying at Hearings
Your elected state legislators want to know what you
think of proposed legislation before they vote on it. You can telephone
them or write them letters to express your views. Another effective way of
getting your point across is speaking at a public hearing. Here's how:
Getting
Ready
It will help to know the number of the bill you're
interested in. To find out, call the bill status information room at (860)
240-0555, or call one of the toll-free numbers listed below and ask to be
transferred to the Information Room.
The Connecticut General Assembly's internet site (www.cga.ct.gov)
will allow you to retrieve the bill status information on the bill you are
interested in, including current text, up-to-date actions on the bill,
introducer, statement of purpose and co-sponsors.
Plan your remarks so your viewpoint and reasoning will
be clear. It may help you to write them out completely. There is no need
to provide copies, but if you want to leave written testimony, it's
helpful to make enough copies for all members of the committee holding the
hearing, with about 10 extras for staff and files. Committee staff cannot
make these copies for you. Turn in written testimony before the hearing
begins so committee staff can distribute it systematically.
Know Your
Audience
The members of the committee are "citizen
legislators." They care that you have taken time out of your day to come
and testify before them.
Be respectful.
Don’t accuse committee members of causing your
particular problem.
Resist the temptation to scold, put down, or insult
the decision makers or other witnesses. This tactic will likely alienate
them from your cause.
Know The
Issue
Support your personal opinions with as many facts as
possible. Be knowledgeable of the "other side of the story." You may be
asked to discuss the differences. Draw from your own knowledge and
experience.
Be Familiar
With The Committee Process
Know the location of the building, the meeting room,
and the meeting time.
Agendas will be posted outside the meeting room. Check
to make sure the measure you are interested in has not been removed from
the agenda. The measures may not be heard in the printed order.
If possible, attend a committee meeting before you
testify to become familiar with the process and room layout.
When you arrive at the meeting, sign the witness
registration sheet. Witnesses are not necessarily called in chronological
order.
Finding The
Hearing Room
Most hearings are held in the Legislative Office
Building (LOB), though some are in the Capitol. TV monitors at LOB and
Capitol entrances show the locations. A daily bulletin also gives this
information and lists all bills scheduled for hearing. You can get a
bulletin in the LOB's ground floor bill room during regular sessions or on
the General Assembly's internet site (www.cga.ct.gov).
Signing Up
Pick up a copy of the bill from the rack outside the hearing room.
When You
Come To Testify
Read the legislative bulletin for the particular
information on the sign-up process, for that day. The sign up sheet has
space to print your name legibly, the bill(s) you are speaking on, and
sometimes, whether you are for or against the bill. Sign up sheets are
usually in place one hour before the hearing
After signing up, you may be seated in the hearing
room, or look around the building until the hearing begins. It is a good
idea to read the bill before you speak, to be sure you understand it.
The Hearing
Procedures
Speaking Order:
One of the committee's co-chairpersons will preside over the hearing,
setting rules that seem fair for the circumstances and calling speakers
from the signup sheets. At many, but not all hearings, the first hour is
reserved for legislators and agency heads or invited guests. Remaining
speakers are usually called in the order in which their names appear on
the signup sheet, although some chairpersons alternate between supporters
and opponents of a bill. Chairpersons often ask large groups to appoint a
single spokesperson. Some committees hear all testimony on one bill before
proceeding to the next, following the agenda printed in the bulletin.
Comings and Goings:
Some hearings last for several hours. Legislators may leave and reenter
the room if they are scheduled for more than one hearing or meeting. But
all testimony is recorded so they can read it later.
Decorum:
A hearing is an important step in the process of making law, so it is a
formal occasion. Please give your courteous attention to other speakers,
regardless of their views. Don't applaud or indicate pleasure or
displeasure with anyone's remarks.
Your Turn
At The Microphone
When you are called, sit at the speaker's desk. You may begin with "Madam Chair, Mr. Chairman" (as appropriate) "and members of the committee." Introduce yourself very distinctly so the transcriber can understand, and mention your town and the number and title of the bill you'll be speaking on. In addition, most hearings and meetings are covered by Connecticut Network (CT-N) for broadcast over local cable access stations.
Indicate right away whether you support the bill,
oppose it, or are offering suggestions to improve it. Then explain your
reasoning. Follow this procedure for each bill you discuss.
Keep your remarks short; 3-5 minutes is usually enough, but be sure not to exceed any announced time limits. If other speakers have already made your point, you can say that you agree with, or want to associate yourself with the remarks of one or more previous speakers. Your views and your name will then be clearly on record.
When you finish, remain at the microphone for a
moment, in case committee members want to ask questions. Then return to
your seat or leave the hearing, as you wish.
Presenting
Your Written Testimony
1.
When
you are called to testify, give copies of your testimony to committee
staff before you begin your presentation. The number of copies requested
is printed on the bottom of the committee meeting agenda.
2.
Begin your presentation by addressing the chairperson first, then members
of the committee.
3.
For
the record, state your name, address, and the organization or group you
represent.
4.
State whether you support or oppose the legislative measure being heard
and briefly explain. Do not read your testimony to the committee word for
word. Prepare an outline.
5.
Keep
in mind you may have a ten minute version of your testimony–be prepared to
summarize it in one minute–that may be all the time you are allowed!
6.
Thank the committee members and offer to answer any questions."Thank
you for the opportunity to testify before you today. I would be happy to
answer any questions."
7.
When a member asks you a question respond:
8.
Relax! The members understand that this can be an intimidating
experience–they don’t expect a perfect presentation.
Group
Testimony
Select several people to cover different topics so the
testimony is not repetitive.
Address the problem, possible solutions, and your
group’s best solution.
Special
Requirements
You can help committee staff plan for comfortable,
efficient hearings if you notify them in advance when you intend to bring
an unusually large group or a large number of people requiring wheelchair
space, or if you need projection equipment. The staff can provide headsets
for hearing-impaired people without advance notice.
To Contact
Your Legislator
The blue pages of the telephone directory (available for free and found in
the League of Women Voters Information Service areas of the LOB and the
Capitol) list the home or business numbers of your state representative
and senator. You will find them under "Connecticut, State of. State
Legislators."
The General Assembly maintains several toll-free
numbers through which you may be transferred to a legislator or to the
bill status information room.
To reach a committee office, obtain the number from the League of Women
Voters Capitol Information Service (860-240-0222) or ask to be transferred
from a toll-free number.
If you use a TDD (Telecommunications Device for the
Deaf), you can call these numbers:
To Follow A
Bill
During the legislative session, the bill status
information room (860-240-0555) can tell you how far a bill has progressed
through the legislative process. The Connecticut State Library can provide
this information during end between sessions (860-757-6550). You may dial
either of these numbers or be transferred from one of the toll-free
numbers.
Bill status information is also available on the
General Assembly's internet site (www.cga.ct.gov).
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