All proposed legislation is assigned to a House and Senate committee for review. These committees hold public hearings, which are opportunities for citizens to present arguments in favor of or against a bill. This may be the only time during the legislative process when public participation is solicited and when an individual can share personal experience and opinions with several legislators at once.

• Be Direct. Your legislators represent you and are accountable to you. Only by hearing from constituents and concerned citizens can legislators meet the needs of Texas families. If you are speaking to your personal legislator, be certain to mention that you are a constituent.
• Be Concise. Respect time constraints. In committee hearings there are many people who wish to weigh in on the issue or the pending legislation. Prepare your remarks ahead of time so you can present your case in a short period of time. A prepared and concise presentation will make the most impact in a crowded agenda and will be appreciated by committee members who must listen to all the presentations.
• One Subject Rule. Keep your presentation/discussion focused on one specific issue. Discussing many issues at one time will diminish your case on your priority topic.
• Be Reasonable and Constructive. Maintain your credibility through reasonableness. Do not just denounce an issue, but offer a measured assessment of the impact the issue would have on your business or personal life.
• Making the Connection. Personal stories or experiences are important in expressing an opinion. These stories can be made even more compelling by expressly stating the connection between your story and the piece of legislation.
• Closing the Deal. At the close of your presentation, ask the committee members to consider your remarks as they vote on the issue. Repeat the way in which your personal story was influenced, or would be influenced, by legislative action, and tell them how you would like them to vote on the issue or legislation. For example, if you are opposed to the bill, ask the members to vote against it. If you want action, ask members to act.
• Thank the Committee Members. Thank the committee members for their time and the opportunity to speak to them.

If you would like some assistance in preparing your testimony, please contact us by phone or email, and we can help you.

Guidelines for Testifying before a Committee

1. Upon entering the Committee Hearing room, you need to a) Locate and fill out a Witness Affirmation Form, b) Turn this form in to the Committee Clerk.
   • Even if you don’t want to testify, you can fill out this form to show your opinion about a bill.
   • NOTE: There are three types of testimony, and you will have to check one on the form:
     1. For the bill
     2. Against the Bill
     3. “On” the bill: this means you will provide information about the situation addressed in the bill, but you are formally neutral
2. When the Chairman calls your name, go to the microphone (some are at a table, others are at a standing podium).
   1. State your name, where you are from and who you represent (i.e., self, a group or organization, a business, etc.)
   2. Give a little information about your background, especially information which relates to your credibility to talk about the subject matter of the bill.
3. Be brief: Speak for around 3 to 5 minutes. NOTE: If other witnesses have already stated what you were going to say, try not to repeat it. Instead, indicate that you support certain earlier remarks.
4. When providing testimony, your comments should be such as to help the committee members to understand the problem, show how the bill will resolve the situation, or how the bill will create more problems. Realistic, real life examples are helpful. Close your comments by asking if the committee members have any questions.
5. If you ARE asked questions, answer to the best of your ability. NOTE: If you know there are other people present that you feel can better answer the question, refer to them so the committee members can ask them the question.
   • If you do not understand the question, say so; the committee members will restate or rephrase the question.
   • Be respectful at all times to the questioner, no matter how ridiculous or offensive the question might seem to you.
6. Occasionally questions will be repeated, or posed by a different committee member. Answer the question, no matter how many times the same question is asked. Members come and go from the Committee room. Do not be offended.
7. If there are no more questions, or none were asked, thank the Chairman—by name if you can—and the Committee members in general, for their attention and for giving you the opportunity to testify.