Washington
State
Legislature
The Legislative Process
How a Bill Becomes a Law
How to Get Involved
The Legislative Process
The Washington State Legislature is a bicameral body with 49 members in
the Senate and 98 members in the House of Representatives.
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Each district is served by one Senator and two House members.
Members of the Senate are elected to four-year terms, and House members
are elected to two-year terms.
The citizen Legislature meets annually on the second Monday in January in
the Capitol building in Olympia.
In odd-numbered years -- the budget year -- the Legislature meets for 105
days, and in even-numbered years for 60 days.
If necessary, the Governor can call legislators in for a special session for a
30-day period. Legislators can call themselves into special session with a
two-thirds vote of the two bodies.
The Legislative Process
• The legislative cycle is two years long.
• Within that two-year cycle, there are two kinds of legislative
sessions: regular sessions and extraordinary, or special, sessions.
Regular Sessions
• Mandated by the State Constitution and begin the second Monday in
January each year. In the odd-numbered year, for example, 2013,
the regular session is 105 days; in the even-numbered year, for
example, 2014, it is 60 days.
Extraordinary Sessions
• Called by the Governor to address specific issues, usually the
budget. There can be any number of extraordinary sessions within
the two-year cycle, and they can last no more than 30 days.
How a Bill Becomes a Law
How to Get Involved
• Know how the process works.
• Do your homework.
• Get to know your legislators AND
local lobbying groups in your
jurisdiction.
Washington State
Flower: Coast
Rhododendron
Washington State Bird:
Willow Goldfinch
• Network with other citizens and
groups.
Washington State Fish:
Steelhead Trout
Get Involved!
Know How the Process Works
• Legislature’s Website www.leg.wa.gov
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Bill information
Find your district & legislators
Links on how to read a bill
Contact information
• Legislative Information Center – 360786-7573
State Fruit: Apple
State Grass:
Bluebunch
Wheatgrass
Get Involved!
Do Your Homework
• Know the bill number & sponsors
• Know the effect of passage and/or
failure of the bill
State Tree:
Western Hemlock
• Understand the fiscal impact of the
bill
• Be prepared to answer why you are
interested in a particular issue
State Marine Mammal:
Columbian Mammoth
Get Involved!
Get To Know Your Legislators
To make a difference in the legislative process, you must develop a relationship with your
legislators.
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Personal visit. Call the office, introduce yourself, tell the legislator or the
legislative assistant what you would like to discuss, and make an appointment
for a visit.
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Attend a Town Hall Meeting. Most legislators conduct periodic town hall
meetings at various locations in their district.
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Write a letter. Express your views and request the member's attention through
the mail.
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Send an e-mail message. Like letters, e-mails should be brief, to the point,
clear, and formal. Include your name and mailing address, as well as your email address, and let the legislator know how you'd prefer to be contacted.
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Call the toll-free Legislative Hotline. You can call the toll-free Hotline
at 1.800.562.6000 to leave a message on any issue.
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Testify before a committee. Make your views and positions known by
testifying before a committee that is having public hearings on an issue or bill.
State Insect:
Green Darner
Dragonfly
State Vegetable:
Walla Walla
Sweet Onion
How To Testify Before a Committee
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Prepare Your Remarks.
– Time is usually limited to 3-5 minutes, so be brief and
direct.
– Written testimony should not be read at committee
hearings.
– Committee staff will distribute copies of written testimony to
members of the committee if you bring a sufficient number
-- one for each member.
– Writing your comments in outline form will be helpful when
you speak, and you should summarize your written
testimony.
– Practice your remarks in advance with a timer to ensure
brevity.
State Marine
Mammal: Orca
State Ship: Lady
Washington
Avoid Duplication
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If other persons will be offering similar testimony at the hearing, try to
coordinate your testimony and avoid duplication.
Well organized testimony is the most effective.
State Amphibian:
Pacific Chorus Frog
Testifying…
• Signing in
– House of Representatives: locate the paper sign-up sheet near the
entrance of the hearing room and write your name, address, and
whether you favor or oppose the bill.
– Senate: now done electronically; locate the committee sign-in kiosk
either in the committee hearing room or in the hallway outside the
hearing room and fill in the required fields (name, address,
support/oppose, etc.)
Get Involved!
Testifying – Making Your Remarks
1. Begin by introducing yourself to the chair and committee members and stating your purpose.
For example,
"Mr. or Madam Chair and members of the committee, I am John Doe from Spokane. I am
here representing myself. I support this bill because . . ."
2. In your opening remarks, make it clear whether you are representing other citizens or a
separate group.
3. Be brief and be sure your remarks are clear. Avoid being too technical and do not repeat
previously made remarks. You do not need to be nervous or worried about how you present
your testimony.
4. Be prepared for questions and comments from committee members. These are designed to
gain additional information, but don't answer if you are not sure of the answer. Tell the
members you will send a written answer to the committee, and then follow through.
5. Restrict yourself to your testimony. Abstain from other overt demonstrations such as
clapping, cheering, booing, etc.
Questions?
It’s not as complicated as it seems!
WSEMA Legislative Chair,
legislative@wsema.com
Dylan Doty, WSEMA Lobbyist:
206-790-6492, dylandoty@yahoo.com