Additional Information about Testifying

• Registration opens when a bill or topic is scheduled for public hearing. Registration closes one hour before the meeting is scheduled to begin. You should receive a link within a couple minutes of registration. Watch for your link and save the email to a location you can easily find it on the day of the hearing. If you do not receive a link see the troubleshooting tips below.
• Every registrant will automatically receive a Zoom link to the meeting. Each link is unique to the registrant. Registrants are prohibited from sharing links.
• Those who signed up to testify in person should plan to do so, and only use their link as backup.
• Do not sign up multiple testifiers by using the same email address. Only one person per email account will be let into the meeting. Even though the system allows you to sign-up multiple people using the same email address, only one link will work. Use a different email address for each testifier, including panels.
• Remote participants may participate via Zoom or phone. See instructions above on how to connect to the meeting.
• Be advised: Registering to testify does not guarantee you a chance to speak or speak at specific times. Time constraints, technical issues, changes to committee schedules, etc. could affect your ability to testify.
• Remote participants will be connected to the Zoom Webinar meeting in attendee view until called to speak.
• The committee Chair may limit public testimony (for example, one minute per testifier) due to time constraints. Be prepared to testify at any point during the hearing. It is also possible you will not be recognized to testify.
• Maintain proper committee protocol, which includes waiting to be acknowledged by the committee Chair before speaking, ensuring testimony is relevant, respectful, and professional, and following rules for testimony established by the Chair and the House and Senate.
• In person testifiers may not bring signs into the hearing rooms and must adhere to the occupancy guidelines assigned to hearing rooms.
• Remote testifiers may include the name of their organization in the background of video feeds, but backgrounds that include a campaign sign, a slogan, or any other material that is campaign-related, offensive, or otherwise defamatory will not be permitted.

What to do if you cannot find your Zoom link to testify remotely

• Check your spam, junk or other folders the Zoom link email may have filtered into.
• Check if you have a firewall enabled. A firewall may be blocking the incoming email.
• Search your inbox for the name of the committee for which you signed up to testify. The email sender profile will display the committee’s full name.

If you are still unable to locate the link, prior to one hour before the meeting:

• Verify you are in the testifier list before the start of the committee meeting. Visit the CSI Remote webpage, then:
• Select the chamber (House, Senate or Joint).
• Select the committee and meeting date.
• Select the bill or topic for which you registered to testify.
• Below the table to choose which type of testimony you would like to select, click ‘See who signed in for this agenda item.’
• Verify you are on the list. If you are not, then you are not currently registered to testify and need to register again.

Please note, testimony sign-ins close one hour before the meeting, so please take these steps prior to that time.

How to State Your Position on a Bill or Topic Without Testifying

1. Select the committee and meeting date and time, then select the bill for which you would like to register.
2. Select “I would like my position noted for the legislative record.” Registration will close 1 hour before the start time of the hearing.
3. Ensure your registration information is accurate. Your registered position will be made available to legislative members and staff of the committee, and will be included in the legislative record for archival purposes, but will not be used as part of testimony summary materials on a bill report.

How to Submit Written Testimony

1. Select the committee name and meeting date and time, then select the bill or topic for which you would like to submit written testimony.
2. Select “I would like to Submit Written Testimony.” Written testimony will close 24 hours after the start time of the hearing.
3. Provide your written comments in the form. Your comments will be made available to legislative members and staff of the committee, and will be included in the legislative record for archival purposes, but will not be used as part of testimony summary materials on a bill report.

Reasonable Accommodations
If you require an accommodation to testify before a committee or attend a committee meeting, please refer to options on the Legislature’s Americans with Disabilities Act Information https://leg.wa.gov/accessibility/accessibility-for-participating/ page.

Spoken Language Interpretation
If you require spoken language interpretation to testify before a committee or attend a committee meeting, please contact the ADA Coordinator in advance. The more advance notice you are able to provide, the higher likelihood that your request can be fulfilled.