Make your opinion known – file a witness slip for a bill

Is there a piece of legislation in the Illinois General Assembly that is particularly important to you? Whether you support or oppose a piece of legislation, one of the easiest ways to ensure members of the General Assembly know your opinion is to submit a committee hearing witness slip. To do this, look up the bill number on www.ilga.gov to find out when it is scheduled for a committee hearing and which committee will be hearing it. Then, follow the steps below to file your witness slip.

  1. Go to my.ilga.gov.
  2. Click on the “Register” icon and fill in your information (registration is recommended, but not required).
  3. Click on House, Committee Hearings, and then on the “Month” tab.
  4. Click on the paper icon to the right of the listed committee hearing.
  5. Click on the “Create Witness Slip” icon to the right of the bill description.
  6. Fill out the “Identification” section of the form, but only the “Representation” section if applicable.
  7. In the “Position” section, click “proponent” or “opponent.”
  8. Under the “Testimony” section, click “Record of Appearance Only.” (If wish to provide a written statement that will be presented to all committee members, select “Written Statement Filed.” This is optional, but digital forms of written testimony are not accepted. You must fax your written statement to 217-557-2165 or you may mail it to Illinois House of Representatives, Room 426, 401 S. Second Street, Springfield, IL  62706. Make sure that your written testimony is clearly marked at the top of the page: HB XXXX Testimony, Date, Time, and your name.)
  9. Click the box to accept the terms.
  10. Click “Create (Slip).”

A “Frequently Asked Questions” document is available for those who have additional questions about the process. That document is available at: http://my.ilga.gov/Home/FAQ.