Testimony 101: How to Make a Make Your Voice Heard at CT’s Capitol

Want to make a difference but not sure where to start? Submitting testimony is one of the most powerful ways to have your voice heard in the legislative process and it’s easier than you think. Whether you are an expert or just passionate about the issue, your perspective matters. 

What Is Testimony and Why Is It Important?
Think of testimony as the most direct way of communicating with your legislators. The 2025 legislative session is running right now (from January 8th to June 4th), and it is time to make a difference. Lawmakers are actively discussing bills that will impact you & your community. Whether you are sharing your personal stories or providing your expertise for a cause you care about, testimony is one of the most effective ways to advocate for change. 

The best part? They actually want to hear from you!

Here are some ways that testimony plays an important role in the legislative process:

• Be Heard: Public testimony gives you a platform that catches the ears of those who are in charge of making laws.
• Spark Debate: Your perspectives and knowledge can ignite important conversations and even sway legislative opinions.
• Direct Connection: Providing testimony opens up opportunities to engage directly with committee members.​

How to Know When & What to Testify On
There are several ways to stay on track of legislation that affects you & your interests. First, keep up with Connecticut state government news. Many newspapers have state politics specific online newsletters that you can sign up for. 

Second, we recommend signing up for email newsletters of organizations that do legislative work around issues you care about. For example, the ACLU of CT advocates for civil rights & other groups advocate for more specific issues, like local watersheds. These groups will inform you when there is the opportunity to testify on bills they are tracking. 

Secondly, you can search the CGA website for bills related to subjects you search. Each bill has a webpage that includes current text, up-to-date actions & more. You can also “save” bills on the CGA website to reference later & track throughout the session. You can submit testimony on a bill once it is scheduled for a Committee Public Hearing. You may also submit testimony after the public hearing date has passed or send your testimony directly to your legislator. 

Note: To track bills on the CGA website, you will have to sign-up to be a CGA Bill Tracking User. Register here. We recommend backing up your list to your desktop regularly.

Written vs. Oral Testimony
There are two main mediums of testimony submissions: Written and Oral. 

Written Testimony: 
The best part about written testimony is that anyone can do it. You don’t need special credentials, just share your story and why the issue matters to you. This is your opportunity to connect a piece of legislation to your personal life. 
There’s no need to include facts & figures (though they are always welcome!). What really moves legislators is hearing your authentic experience. Remember: you are the expert of your own story!

Quick Tips: 

• Keep it short and sweet. 
• Relate the legislation to your personal life, experiences or stories.
• Facts & data are not required. 
• You can submit testimony for each bill on a public hearing agenda if you wish. 

Ready to submit written testimony? Here's How:

• Navigate to the CT General Assembly Website Calendar at https://www.cga.ct.gov/calendarofevents.asp. 

• Click on the Public Hearing of the Committee your bill is in.
• Click “View Agenda” to confirm which bills are under review. 
• On the Agenda, you will find various links. Use the “Submit Written Testimony” link to submit your written testimony. You do not need to register to speak. 
• You can either submit a Word or PDF document or type in your testimony directly to the text box. 
• Missed the deadline? No problem! You can still submit after the committee date or email it to your legislators.

Oral (Spoken) Testimony
Oral Testimony is very similar to written testimony. You will still submit your remarks in writing, but you will be able to speak in front of the Committee legislators of which your bill is being considered. 

Oral testimony can be delivered on Zoom or in person. Speaker order is listed the day before the hearing by 6 p.m. You must sign up to register for oral testimony by 3 p.m. the day before the hearing. If you miss these deadlines,  don’t worry, you can still submit written testimony on the issue. 

The Process: Once you register to testify, you’ll be placed on the speaker order list. When your number is called, you’ll have three minutes to summarize your written testimony. We recommend NOT repeating exactly what you wrote. This is your chance to really connect with the committee, tell your story and make your point.

Please note that public hearings can sometimes take a really long time to get to your speaker number. If you choose to testify via Zoom, you will be able to spend the time of your day more effectively. 

Ready to Sign-Up for Oral Testimony? Here’s how: 

• Navigate to the CT General Assembly Website Calendar at https://www.cga.ct.gov/calendarofevents.asp. 

• Click on the Public Hearing of the Committee your bill is in.
• Click “View Agenda” to confirm which bills are under review. 
• On the Agenda, you will find various links. Use the “Submit Written Testimony” link to submit your written testimony.
• Use the “Register to Speak” link to register to speak.
• Check back after 6 PM the day before the hearing to check where you are listed on the speaker order list. This list can be found by clicking on the public hearing listing on the main CGA calendar & clicking “View Testimony and Speaker Order”. 

Please note that the most up to date information about the public testimony process can be found on the CGA website. We recommend reading all instructions carefully & checking the Bulletin for any announcements.