Engaging In the Legislative Process

And it’s easier than you think! Montana State Legislators rely on staff, lobbyists, and community members input in making decisions on which laws to pass or modify. Remember: legislators are elected to represent the people in the districts who voted for them and in order to effectively do this, it is imperative that they hear from those they represent. The Montana Legislature regularly accepts public comments from community members and concerned Montanans across the state. You can submit written comments on a particular bill, reach out to elected officials who represent you, contact legislative committees, and testify in-person or via Zoom. Montana’s elected officials must hear the needs and priorities of their constituents, and this includes you!

Anyone can use Montana’s Public Participation Portal Montana to contact legislators, legislative committees, submit written testimony or exhibits on legislation, testify remotely, and more. Click here to learn about the Public Participation Portal or click here to create a free portal account.

Once you create an account, you’ll be presented with some different options. The three to focus on are:

1. Testify Remotely
2. Submit Testimony & Exhibits, and
3. Send a Message

If you want to testify remotely—that is, join a live Zoom call of a committee meeting or other hearing and give your live testimony—select Testify Remotely.

If you want to submit a written comment about a specific piece of legislation, select Submit Testimony and Exhibits.

If you want to send a message to one or more Montana legislators, select Send a Message.

If you choose to Testify Remotely or Submit Testimony & Exhibits, you will be asked if you want to record your position as a proponent, opponent, or informational witness. Select proponent if you support the bill or opponent if you oppose the bill.

An Informational Witness is a type of expert testimony. An Informational Witness can be asked questions by legislators but may not simply share their own remarks.

You can use the Montana Legislative Public Participation Portal to contact legislators. Use the Legislative District lookup tool to find your Montana state Senator and Representative.

Each Legislator will have a phone number, email, and address available online. You can also call the Montana Legislature Information Desk at 406-444-4800 to contact individual legislators or legislative committees.

When contacting elected officials, remember to include the name and number of the bill you are supporting or opposing.

You can use the Montana Legislative Public Participation Portal to submit a written comment on specific legislation. Remember:

• The deadline to submit written comment is up until the committee votes on the bill.
• Keep your remarks focused on the bill you’re commenting on. It may be helpful to outline a few key takeaways you want your legislator to understand, and lead with those.
• Send written comments to your elected officials so they know what matters to their voters.

Most legislative and committee meetings are open to the public, and many allow members of the public to speak and share their thoughts. Here's how to submit an in-person comment:

• Check the Committee Hearing Calendar for the time and location of the committee hearings
• Unless otherwise noted, all hearings take place at the Montana State Capitol, 1301 E 6th Ave, in Helena, Montana
• When you arrive at a legislative or committee hearing, make sure to add your information to the sign-up sheet

Since 2020, most legislative and committee meetings allow members of the public to submit testimony remotely through the Public Participation Portal. Remember:

• The deadline to sign up for remote testimony is 2 hours before the scheduled start time of the hearing.
• The remote testimony link is registered to you, individually, and is only valid for one meeting. This link should not be shared with anyone else.
• Remote testimony is done through the Zoom app. Please ensure that this app is downloaded and configured correctly and that the device has a working microphone and internet connection.
• Committee chairs require remote Zoom participants to display the same name on the Zoom screen that was used to register for Public Participation. If the name on the Zoom display does not match the name used to register, you may be prevented from testifying.
• Committee chairs are also authorized to manage hearings by limiting duplicative testimony, and setting time limits for testimony, as needed. Chairs may also modify the order of bill hearings.
• Participants are requested to provide "concise, truthful testimony in a dignified and respectful manner."

Effective testimony is often rooted in personal experience: what has called you to action, or the impact of the legislation on your community. Depending on the subject matter, it may be beneficial to share how the proposed legislation will personally impact you. This might mean that your testimony includes your firsthand experiences and your motivation for testifying. Remember:

• Your testimony will be public, so please keep in mind your privacy and safety interests.
• Begin by introducing yourself and spelling your last name for the record. State who you are testifying on behalf of, even if it is on behalf of yourself as a resident of your legislative district.
• Try to keep your testimony to approximately 2 minutes.
• Each committee will operate slightly differently, and the time limits may depend on the volume of testimony and whether in-person or remote.
• To ensure that your statement is entered in the record, consider submitting a written comment in addition to testifying in person or via Zoom.

Watch the hearings in Committee live, and watch recordings of previous hearings, at https://sg001-harmony.sliq.net/00309/Harmony/en

If you are interested in submitting public comment or testifying before a legislative committee and need further support check out Catalyst Montana, an organization that “uplifts low-income and marginalized Montanans through community organizing, policy advocacy, research, and leadership development.”

Additional resources for support in providing testimony:

• Have Your Say Montana - Montana State Legislature
• The Session: Week 2 | New website, new problems, and how to get engaged