Government Relations Staff is here to answer questions about the legislative process, specific bills moving through the legislature, or ways to meaningfully engage with your Elected Officials. For more information, please reach out to Ryan Peters, Strategic Initiatives Director, 480-782-2215.
When calling or emailing your legislator, be sure to keep the message short and concise and note your name and address so they know you are a constituent. If you’re interested in scheduling a meeting with your Elected Official on a certain bill or topic, reach out to their office via phone or email to schedule a meeting.
During session (January – May) Legislators have many committee hearings, caucus meetings and briefings throughout the day, so it is not unusual for meetings to be 15 minutes. Make sure to arrive a few minutes early and plan the information you’d like to cover and answers to commonly asked questions.
Request to Speak (RTS) is an online program that allows the public to register opinions (for, against, or neutral and a comment) on bills that are listed on committee agendas. To sign up for an RTS account you must use a kiosk that is physically located at the Arizona Capitol. Once you have an account you can register an opinion on bills from any location. Learn more about the RTS system.
If there is a certain bill that you would like to speak on, and it has been added to a committee agenda, then you can sign in to speak on the bill through the RTS system or complete a paper slip when you arrive to the committee hearing room. When you arrive to the committee it is up to the chair to determine the order in which the bills will be heard. Some committees last multiple hours, so be sure to bring water.
Once your bill is up, a staff member will provide an overview of the bill, the sponsor may speak, and members of the committee will provide comments. Public comments may or may not be time-limited depending on the chair’s rules. While you may be passionate about the issue you are speaking on, or may not agree with some committee members, maintaining a respectful tone and message allows your point to be well received by most members. When you are called up to speak, be sure to always address the chair, and then members of the committee:
Ex: Madame Chair and Members, My name is xxxxx. I am here to express support of SB 1234. I support this measure because…
If you are asked a question by a member, be sure to answer the question “through the chair”:
Ex: Madame Chair, Senator XXX, I believe the bill would…
Voter Information
To register to vote, update your registration or find more information please visit the Arizona Secretary of State.
Additional Resources
The work of local government requires collaboration with State and Federal levels of government. Oftentimes, this collaboration happens through the policymaking process. Residents are encouraged to consult the additional resources listed below to learn more about these processes, and other relevant facets of local government in order to become effective advocates.