When a bill or resolution is first introduced in the House of Representatives or the Senate, it is sent to a committee that deals with its particular issue. At committee meetings, elected members delegated by the House or Senate consider and make recommendations considering dispositions of bills, resolutions, and other matters referred to them. Committees are appointed by the Speaker of the House.

There are permanent House committees and permanent Senate committees. These “standing” committees contain from five to thirty members and are appointed for two-year periods. The Appropriations Committees are subdivided in subcommittees where bills with monetary implications are assigned for discussion, analysis, and revision before being presented to the full committee for action.

When a bill is referred to a standing committee, the members of that committee have a choice in the actions they may take on any bill: report a bill with a favorable recommendation, or without recommendation; report a bill with amendments, with or without recommendation; report a substitute bill in place of the original bill; report a bill and recommend that it be referred to another committee; or take no action on a bill (committees are not required to act on a bill).

As a rule, all standing committee meetings are open to the public. Committee business is conducted during the meeting and most committee action requires the approval of a majority of those appointed and serving on the committee. If there are a sufficient number of affirmative votes, the bill is reported out.

If a bill of interest to you has been introduced, find out from the Clerk of the House, the Secretary of the Senate or an interested organization which committee the bill was referred to. You may log on to legislature.mi.gov and sign up for email notifications for the bill, and you will be notified when the bill is put on the committee agenda for discussion. You may also write to the Committee Chair requesting that the bill be put on the agenda or scheduled for a hearing. If you find out about a bill after it has passed in the House or Senate, you may still have the opportunity to be heard before the committee in the other Chamber to which the bill has been referred.

When a bill is scheduled on the committee’s agenda for consideration, and if you have an active interest in the legislation and feel there are contributions you can make to the committee’s process, you may decide to testify at a meeting. The purpose of testimony given should be informational so that committee members can vote on the bill with as full an understanding as possible of all sides of the issue it addresses, and the consequences of its passage. In a meeting, the bill’s sponsor, along with experts on the issue and informed members of the public, will be heard. If the measure is controversial or if additional information is needed before a decision can be reached by the committee’s members, most committees will hold the bill over to a future meeting date or even a public hearing.

The following guidelines are suggested to assist citizens in making their testimony influential and effective:

1. Write to committee members and to your own Representative, simply expressing support or opposition to the legislation.
2. If you decide to testify, notify the committee as soon as possible of your desire and, as a courtesy, let your legislators know that you’ve asked for time to present testimony.
3. If you represent a group of individuals or an organization, choose only one person to present the group’s viewpoint and bring others along as supporters.
4. Prepare testimony and/or suggested amendments in advance. Read the bill carefully and any available analyses. If necessary, do research and make sure that all of your facts, background materials and figures are accurate. Consult with others to determine the scope of the issue and clarify what you, or the group, want to cover in your testimony.
5. Prepare a clear and concise written statement which has been thoroughly proofread for errors. Review it with others who share the same interest.
6. When you testify, identify who you are. If you represent a group, give the name of the group. In your opening remarks, state whether you are testifying in support of or in opposition to the proposal or bill. Relate your group’s or your own experience or views directly related to the issue.
7. Keep your testimony short and to the point. It is best to offer highlights at the hearing and request permission to place your complete position and supporting materials in the record. Anything you present in writing will be placed in the committee members’ files and will be available to them at any future meetings. If possible, have copies of testimony available for committee members and staff.
8. Avoid emotional speeches and propaganda.
9. If you are asked a question don’t be afraid to stop and think for a minute to gather your answer. If you don’t have the answer, never guess. Instead, request permission to file a detailed response at a later date.
10. Please note that any written testimony submitted to the committee is posted on our website and will be available to the public. Do not include any information that you do not want disclosed publicly nor any information that you do not have permission to submit on behalf of an individual or organization.

Remember, without the support of the committee involved, the bill or proposal that you are interested in may never make it to the floor to be voted on. Even if you decide not to testify, your attendance at a hearing and personal correspondence with committee members and your own legislators are very important in influencing the decision-making process.