Preparing for a Legislative Hearing

1. Call supporters, particularly your legislators on the committees the bills will be heard in, and be sure they know about our bills, and tell them if you will be at the hearing.

2. Decide who from your group and/or community should speak--you, a board member, a family or whomever. Don't forget though, they DO NOT APPRECIATE TOO MUCH, TOO LONG, TOO REPETITIVE TESTIMONY. When you get have a strategic mix of people who actually testify, and the others are introduced, so that they will know who is there. JUST BECAUSE PEOPLE WON'T SPEAK IS NOT A REASON NOT TO COME!

3. Be prepared to stay—there may be a very long list of bills—you never know what the order is, so you may have a wait.

4. Be on time, you may find out you are at the end of the list, but they really do start on time.

5. Check in with your group to see if the testimony will be organized in any order.

6. If you plan to testify, have your testimony written and bring 16 copies.

Special thanks to Lucky Hollander, for contributing this to the briefcase
Youth Alternatives/Advocacy & Prevention Services, Portland, ME

Copyright © 2004 Foster Family-based Treatment Association
294 Union Street, Hackensack, New Jersey 07601
(800) 414-FFTA (3382)