Witness Slips
Making your voice heard is a vital piece of the legislative process.
Take Action: Submit a Witness Slip
As a member of the League, from time to time, you’ll be asked to submit a Witness Slip related to a key piece of legislation in Springfield.
What is a Witness Slip?
Witness slips are a vital piece of the legislative process. The only time that public opinion is incorporated into the Illinois Senate or House’s decision-making is during committee hearings. when public testimony on a particular piece of legislation is allowed. Testimony can be submitted by citizens via the internet through Witness Slips. These are considered official state documentation.
During the hearing, the committee chairman reads the list of witnesses who have filed slips for or against a proposal. This helps inform legislators as to where Illinoisans and organizations stand.
When Do You File a Witness Slip?
A Witness Slip can be filed for any bill scheduled for a hearing in an Illinois Senate or House Committee, during the week prior to the hearing taking place.
How Do You File a Witness Slip?
Here’s a video that talks about Witness Slips and how to submit one. The actual process for filling out a Witness Slip starts at 1:00 on the video. Note: The League will send you the link to the Witness Slip for the specific piece of legislation.
Witness Slip Tally
If you want to see how the witness slips are tallying...
1. Go to https://www.ilga.gov
2. In the "Search by Number" field
in the center of the left column (see screenshot below), enter the Bill number.
3. On the next screen, select Witness Slips at the top left. On the next screen, you'll see tally of Proponents and Opponents.
Take Action: Contact Your Elected Representatives
You may be asked to contact your elected officials and ask for their support or opposition to legislation.
Make your voice heard; it just takes a minute.
Call or email your elected officials.