Playbook · State

How to weigh in on a state bill

You don't need training, a title or a trip to Olympia to tell the Legislature what you think of a bill. There are four ways to do it, and three of them work from home.

When it happens

The Legislature's regular session starts on the second Monday in January. It runs 105 days in odd-numbered years, when the two-year budgets are written, and 60 days in even-numbered years. In 2027 it starts January 11.

Most public input happens in committee hearings, early in the life of a bill. You can look up any bill and its hearing schedule on the Legislature's bill information page.

Four ways to weigh in at a committee hearing

Note your position. Sign in as "pro," "con" or "other" on a bill without speaking. It takes a minute and goes into the committee record.
Send written testimony. Submit it online. Include the bill number and your position.
Testify remotely. Sign in and the committee emails you a video link to speak live.
Testify in person. Sign in, be in the room when the meeting starts, and come to the table when the chair calls you.

All four start at the Legislature's committee sign-in page.

The deadlines that catch people

Sign-in opens when the bill is put on a public hearing agenda.
Sign-in to testify or note your position closes up to one hour before the meeting starts.
Written testimony is accepted online until 24 hours after the meeting starts.
Be there at the start. If you arrive late you may not get to testify.

Making your testimony count

Be brief. Hearings usually run two hours for several bills, and the chair can limit each speaker's time.
Start with who you are and whether you speak for yourself or a group.
Summarize. Don't read your written testimony aloud.
Skip the jargon.
If you can't answer a question, offer to send a written answer afterward.
No signs, props, clapping or booing in the hearing room.

Outside of hearings

You can contact your own legislators about a bill at any point. Email them, call their Olympia office, or call the Legislative Hotline at 800-562-6000 and leave a message for all three at once. Use Who represents you to find them.

If you speak only for yourself, you usually don't need to register as a lobbyist. If you're unsure, check with the Public Disclosure Commission.

Sources

Last reviewed November 2026. This guide is general information, not legal advice. Rules change, so check the linked sources before you rely on a deadline.