When a bill is being heard in a House committee, testimony from the public is taken into account. If you can’t make it to the Capitol to testify on a bill’s House hearing day, submitting a public comment online is a powerful way to share your thoughts and concerns.
You can submit a public comment on a bill from anywhere in Texas, and it’s easy! We’ll walk you through the steps. We’ll use the Ten Commandments Bill (SB 10) as an example, but you can follow the same process for any bill.
Steps to Submit a Public Comment on a Bill
- Go to the House Public Comment link.
- Check the “Acknowledgement and affirmation” box and start filling out your contact information.
- For the “Organization / Representing” section: Unless you officially have permission to represent an organization, register as “Self” and provide your occupation.
- In the “Bills and Topics” drop-down on the “Comments Regarding” section, you will scroll down and select “SB 10 by King”. You can also search the bill number using the bar on the right side if it’s easier, instead of looking through the long list.
- Enter your comments in the blank titled “Comments for SB 10 by King (3000 character limit).”
- Finally, select “Submit” and you’re done!
Tips for Crafting Your Comments
The best message comes in your own words and highlights your own experiences.
Recommended Components
Taken from our “Roadmap to the components of a great testimony“
- Introduce yourself – Who are you? What district or city are you from? What role do you play in your community? (Parent, educator, student, lifelong resident, etc.)
- State your stance on the bill – Are you against or in support?
- Expand – Why is this bill important to you and your community? How would it affect you and your community, whether positively or negatively? This is the section to focus on your personal story and experiences, if you can.
- The ask – Do you want the committee to support or oppose the bill? Recap the “why”.
- Closing – Thank the committee members for their time.
More Ways to Get Involved in the Legislative Process
- Learn how to testify
- Learn how to drop a card for or against a bill
- Sign up for our Lege Watch updates
Thank you for doing your part to advocate for change in Texas! Have any questions? Reach out to our team at organizing@tfn.org.
