A bill must go through a meticulous legislative process to become an official law. Legislative joint committees, consisting of both the House and Senate, hold public hearings to discuss and vote on proposed bills – offering citizens a chance to voice their position before committee members cast their votes. Submitting testimony on a bill is just one way to have your voice heard in government. Your testimony is highly valued during this critical stage as it can highlight negative implications of problematic legislation or conversely, promote the beneficial impacts of positive bill proposals. Your testimony will help shape the opinions of committee members by providing clarification on the issue at hand and ultimately whether a bill should pass or fail. To learn more about the legislative process visit our ‘How a Bill Becomes a Law’ page.