Friends,

As we start the first full month of the legislative session, we want to highlight what’s most important in this session—you. While the Capitol is temporarily closed to the public in-person, there are many ways you can get involved in the process and we strongly encourage you to do so. Your voice should be heard because we work for you.

Admittedly, it is a little more complicated with everything being virtual right now, but that also provides a lot of opportunities, especially for those of us who live hours away from the Capitol building in Salem and haven’t always been able to make the drive to give a short testimony in person.

Here are a few key things for you to have on hand and as always, please reach out to our office with questions at any time. Also, I’d recommend you SAVE this email for future reference.

Thank you for all you do,

Senator Lynn Findley District 30

 

SUBMITTING WRITTEN TESTIMONY

Would you like to share your position on a bill with a legislative committee before they take a vote? That’s what submitting written testimony means and that’s what these tools below are for.

Written testimony may be submitted for bills that are scheduled for a public hearing. Testimony must be submitted within 24 hours after the start time of the committee meeting at which the public hearing is held. Anyone on a computer connected to the internet can use the Legislature's web-form to submit testimony.

1. Go to the OLIS website (https://olis.oregonlegislature.gov/liz/), click on the Committees button in the upper right corner your screen.
2. Navigate to and select the Committee in which the bill for which you will be submitting testimony is scheduled for a Public Hearing.
3. On the Committee Overview page, click on the Click to Submit Testimony link. (See picture below for where to find it).

 

TESTIFYING IN A COMMITTEE ORALLY, REMOTELY

Testifying “in-person” is a great way to engage and have an impact, just know that it requires a few extra steps and closely monitoring the Committee agendas where your bill of interest has been assigned.

1. First, you’ll only be able to register for this once the bill has been assigned to a committee and has a hearing date. Look up the committee or subcommittee meeting agenda on the Oregon Legislative Information System (OLIS) website and follow the testimony registration link on the agenda.
2. Then, once you register to testify “in-person” virtually via phone or Microsoft Teams and sign up with your name, email and phone, the system will send you an email with a registration meeting link and instructions for delivering your verbal/video testimony using the Microsoft Teams
3. You must register in advance to provide verbal testimony during a committee or subcommittee meeting. Registration closes at the start of the meeting.
4. If you’d prefer to register with the assistance of Committee Staff, please call 833-588-4500 and they will help register you to testify orally.

 Here is an example of where the Oral Testimony sign up information is on a Committee’s page:

 

 

TRACKING BILLS

We encourage you to follow the bills you care about and receive an e-mail update when the status of your watched bill(s) change. Sign-up today here.

This page comes up, use the various links to sign up for what you’d like to track in the legislature.

 

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES

To track this activity on your own, there are some thorough resources available:

Online link for “How to Testify” remotely or by submitted written testimony: https://www.oregonlegislature.gov/citizen_engagement/Pages/How-to-Testify.aspx

Citizen Engagement “How-To” with graphic step-by-step. https://www.oregonlegislature.gov/citizen_engagement/Pages/Submit-Exhibits.aspx

Download and save “How To Testify” as a PDF https://www.oregonlegislature.gov/lpro/Publications/How-to-Testify.pdf

 

SEN. FINDLEY COMMITTEES AND INFORMATION

Senate Committee on Energy and Environment - Tuesday and Thursday 1:00 PM PST Senate Committee on Energy and Environment Web page

Senate Committee on Finance and Revenue - Monday and Wednesday 1:00 PM PST, Tuesday and Thursday 3:15 PM PST Senate Committee on Finance and Revenue Web page

Joint Committee on Transportation - Tuesday and Thursday 8:00 AM PST Joint Committee on Transportation Web Page

Joint Committee on The Interstate 5 Bridge - Meeting Dates TBA Joint Committee on the Interstate 5 Bridge Web Page

Joint Committee on Tax Expenditures - Meeting Dates TBA Joint Committee on Tax Expenditures Web Page