Influencing the Process

Here are tips for getting and staying up to date on legislation's progress throughout the 120-day session.

1. Finding the facts:

Find out what types of bills are being offered and exactly what they would do. To see lists of bills being offered by lawmakers:

• Use the General Assembly's Web page at http://www.state.co.us/gov_dir/stateleg.html
• Go to Denver and get a list from the legislative bill room in the basement of the Legislative Services Building at 200 E. 14th Ave.
• Call the bill room at (303) 866-3055 and ask the staff about pending bills.

2. Zeroing in:

Once you've discovered the bill you're interested in, your first step is to gather more information about it.

• Call your local lawmaker to discuss the bill.
• Call the bill's sponsor, which you can find printed with the bill. To call any lawmaker, you simply need to know whether he or she is a representative or a senator. The toll-free number for the House is (800) 811-7647. The number for the Senate is (888) 473-8136.

3. Keeping track of your bill:

After you know which bill you want to follow, there are many ways you can do it. Three different reports are published each day of the session to help you follow the progress:

• The status report, available on the assembly's web site, will tell you where the bill is in process from committee hearing to floor session to final vote to action by the governor.
• The daily calendar, also posted on the web, will tell you which committees are meeting, what they are considering and what bills are coming up for floor debate each day.
• The journal for each respective house is an overview of the previous day's discussion and action on any given bill.

4. Voice your opinion:

Although a citizen's first thought usually is to call the lawmaker who represents him or her, your local lawmaker might know little about your area of interest. It might be more effective to go directly to lawmaker's who sit on the committee hearing the bill, or the bill's sponsor.

• To communicate with legislators, telephone, mail, or e-mail them.
• Provide facts so your legislators can go in front of their colleagues and argue your position well.
• You may also testify at committee hearings on a bill that interests you. You don't have to schedule your testimony. You need to show up shortly before the bill's hearing and give your name, address, and telephone number. Bill hearing schedules are subject to change, so you'll need to call ahead before going to the Capitol even if the bill is scheduled on the calendar. To get up-to-date information on bill hearings and estimated times, call the bill sponsor or the Legislative Council at (303) 866-3521
• Another way to get your voice heard is to enlist help. Consider the topic of your bill and what other special interest groups might hold the same view. Many special interest groups follow legislation and know how to work with the Legislature.

5. When is it too late?

After a bill is passed out of committee it moves to that house's floor for debate. Although you can continue writing or calling lawmakers on the bill, your time for public comment is over until it gets to the other house. Once a bill has passed out of both houses, your only recourse is a direct petition to the governor, who has the power to veto or sign legislation.

source: Colorado General Assembly