How to testify on a bill in 2024 legislative session
Indiana’s 2024 legislative session kicked off last week and lawmakers have filed hundreds of bills that can impact Hoosiers’ lives in various ways.
And people can tell legislators what they think in person.
Once bills are introduced on the floor of the House or Senate, the legislation makes its way to committees where lawmakers hold hearings on the topics.
Committee hearings are where members of the public can share their views and experiences on issues related to bills before the Indiana General Assembly.
Here’s what you need to know about how to testify on a bill.
Testifying in person
If you want to testify in person at the Statehouse for a House committee, you should fill out the online committee appearance form bthe start of the scheduled committee hearing. The form asks you to share your first and last name and on what chamber, committee and bill you want to testify. The form is available at cap.iga.in.gov/standing_ appearance_form.
If you miss filling out the online appearance portal before a House hearing begins or if you want to testify for a Senate committee, you can fill out appearance forms at the Statehouse. Senate committees have kiosks outside of committee rooms for people to sign up to testify. The location of appearance forms at House committees will depend on in what room the committee is meeting. (Do not be afraid to ask questions!)
The full list of Indiana General Assembly committees and a schedule of upcoming meetings is available at iga.in.gov/2024/committees/standing. The full list of bills for the 2024 legislative session can be found at iga.in.gov/ legislative/2024/bills.
Other ways to share your views on bills
If you do not want to testify in person at the Statehouse, there are other ways you can tell lawmakers what you think about a bill, including calling and emailing their offices.
Visit the Indiana General Assembly website at iga.in.gov/information/findlegislators to find the lawmakers who represent your community. The lawmakers in each committee can be found on the specific committee page on iga.in.gov.
Once you’ve identified the lawmakers you want to contact, you can find contact information for those members and legislative assistants on their caucus websites.
House Republicans: indianahouserepublicans.com
House Democrats: indianahousedemocrats.org
Senate Republicans: indianasenaterepublicans.com
Senate Democrats: indianasenatedemocrats.org
Contact IndyStar’s state government and politics reporter Brittany Carloni at brittany.carloni@indystar.com or 317779-4468. Follow her on Twitter/X @CarloniBrittany.