As spring legislative session ramps up, House Minority Leader Tony McCombie is encouraging constituents to stay engaged! One way to do that is to file a witness slip on a piece of legislation.
Witness slips are a vital piece of the legislative process. Before a bill is heard in committee, the chairperson will read who has submitted witness slips and whether they support or oppose the bill. This helps inform lawmakers where Illinoisans and organizations stand–and can help direct lawmakers how to vote on bills.
Here’s how to file a witness slip:
- Go to www.ilga.gov. You will need to know the bill number and the committee which will be hearing the bill.
- Scroll down the page and click on GA Dashboard (in red ink along the left side of the page)
- Click on the Register icon on the left-hand side of the screen and fill in your information (registration is recommended, but not required)
- Click on House, then Committee Hearings, and then on the “Month” tab. A list of all committees occurring that week or month will appear.
- Find the committee for the legislation that interests you. Click on the piece of paper icon to the right of the listed hearing.
- You will be taken to a page that shows all legislation that will be heard in that committee. Click on Create witness slip (the icon with a pencil on paper) to the right of the bill sponsor’s name.
- Fill out the form
- In the “subject matter” portion click “proponent” or “opponent”
- The last question asks what type of testimony you’d like to submit. The most common is “Record of Appearance Only,” which means you would like to register your support or opposition. During the hearing, the chairman or chairwoman will read how many people support and oppose a piece of legislation. If you are interested in presenting oral testimony in person at the committee hearing, click “Oral.” If you are unable to attend the hearing but would like to submit a written statement, click “Written Statement Filed.” It is your responsibility to get a copy of your written statement to the chairman or chairwoman of that committee.
- Click the box to accept the terms and then hit ‘Submit’.
A “Frequently Asked Questions” document is available for those who have additional questions about the process here.