Peoria Standard

Starting this month, the Illinois General Assembly will return to session, with a scheduled conclusion in May. During session, legislators spend a significant amount of time in Springfield. This can make it difficult for residents to engage with the legislative process, but there are options to stay involved.

One of the ways residents can continue to stay involved and further engage is by communicating with legislators. According to the Illinois General Assembly, residents can utilize various means such as email addresses, district and Springfield office locations, office numbers, and surveys provided by elected officials. Legislators have different staff in their offices who handle calls, emails, and meetings with residents and then report back to the official. Each legislator has a varying setup, but typically, either office may be contacted to leave a message for the legislator.

Another effective way to engage with the legislature is to utilize a legislator's government social media and website. These platforms provide updates on legislation, events, district updates, Springfield updates, projects, and resources. By following up with your legislators on social media and checking their websites, residents can have direct access to information about what their elected officials are working on, even outside of the scheduled Springfield session.

The Illinois General Assembly (ILGA) website is also an important tool for engaging with the legislature. This state website provides comprehensive information on bills, committees, legislators, audio and video recordings, and more. Residents can use the ILGA website to inquire about the status of a bill, file a witness slip to submit testimony in support or opposition of legislation, find office information for an elected official, read current bills and laws, and watch or listen to session and committee hearings. The ILGA website is free to use and is frequently updated to reflect changes.

To further assist Illinois residents in interacting with their elected officials and staying involved with the legislative process in Springfield, here are some helpful tips and additional websites:

- To find your local, state, and national elected officials, you can click on the map on the State Board of Elections' "Find My Elected Officials" webpage and enter your address. Alternatively, you can visit the Illinois Policy website and use their handy maps to find and contact your Illinois state senator, house representative, or Chicago alderman.

- If you want to know the current members of the Illinois General Assembly, including their phone numbers, short bios, addresses, bills sponsored, and committee assignments, you can visit the Illinois General Assembly website and access the Senate Members and House Members sections.

- For an overall guide to the legislative process, the Citizen Guide provides a lot of helpful information.

- If you are interested in knowing all about witness slips or the process behind filing one, you can find more information in the ILGA Dashboard User Guide and on the Illinois State Bar Association's website.

- If you want to watch or listen to video and audio of lawmakers debating during session times, you can visit the Illinois General Assembly website's House of Representatives Video/Audio section.

- Voters seeking more information on their candidates, voting by mail, voter registration, election results, and more can head to the State Board of Elections website.

- To view a session recording after it has ended, citizens can use the respective links for the House or Senate on the Illinois General Assembly website.

By utilizing these resources and engaging with their elected officials, Illinois residents can actively participate in the legislative process and have a voice in shaping the laws and policies that affect their lives.

For additional details, please follow this link: https://repryanspain.com/2024/01/11/how-citizens-can-engage-with-the-legislature-in-springfield/