As the General Assembly moves deeper into the spring session and more legislation begins advancing, many bills will be scheduled for committee hearings. This is often the first major stop in the legislative process, and it is also when the public has the opportunity to weigh in through the Illinois General Assembly’s witness slip system.

Witness slips can be filed on the Illinois General Assembly website at www.ilga.gov. To find the form, go to the Senate Schedules or House Schedules page, then look under Hearing Schedules. Select the Today, Week, or Month tab, choose the hearing you are interested in, click Details, and then select Create Witness Slip. Complete the required fields and submit.

Witness slips allow members of the public to register support, opposition, or “no position,” and they can also indicate whether they want to speak at the hearing or simply have their view recorded. The portal only opens once a bill is posted for a committee hearing and closes immediately after the hearing ends, so constituents are encouraged to submit slips as soon as a hearing is scheduled.

Submitting a witness slip is one of the easiest ways Illinoisans can make their voices heard in Springfield. Constituents are also encouraged to call or email the office to share their views on pending legislation.