The House and the Senate are using a hybrid system this session, accepting virtual and in-person oral testimony. Still, both houses have stressed that witnesses are strongly encouraged to be in person as not all virtual witnesses will be called for testimony.
This post is an easy index for everything you need to submit testimony in 2024. Of Note: This year there will be no screen sharing allowed.
The information covered in this post is subject to change at any time. We’ll update it to the best of our abilities. Still, PLEASE double-check on the MGA site itself – witness and testimony guidelines can be found on the individual committee pages indexed below.
SKIP THE TEXT – GET THE UPDATED CHART
myMGA ACCOUNT
Anyone submitting testimony – oral/written/both/letter of info – must have an individual myMGA account.
The MGA has put out several helpful video tutorials for the myMGA platform, but we highly recommend these:
You’ll need to set up an account and confirm your account via a link sent to your email. If you already have an account, be sure to go in and edit it to include your contact info, especially your organization name.* Once your account is set up, you’ll be able to go into your account, click Witness Signup, and proceed through the options there to sign up for a hearing.
*including your organization name is important because some committees will pick witnesses based on their organizational affiliation and the constituent representation that organization provides.
*please make sure the name associated with your myMGA account is exactly what you use to sign up and exactly what your zoom name reflects if you are testifying virtually.
STREAMING HEARINGS – YOUTUBE AND ZOOM
For virtual testimony, witnesses can listen along to the hearing on YouTube and join the Zoom waiting room, but when you’re let into the hearing, CLOSE (not just minimize, CLOSE) THE YOUTUBE WINDOW IMMEDIATELY. This is very important – if you leave up the YouTube window once you’re unmuted in Zoom, there will be audio feedback, which will be annoying. An annoyed audience is not a receptive audience.
Subscribe to these YouTube links now so you can access them quickly when you need to:
Senate YouTube Links: BT | EEE | FIN | JPR
House YouTube Links: APP | ECM | ET | HGO |JUD | WM
WITNESS TESTIMONY GUIDELINES
These processes may change without notice, so please double-check each Committee’s requirements on the MGA page.
Of Note: This year there will be no screen sharing allowed
Senate Committee Session Protocols and Guidelines | House Committee Session Protocols and Guidelines
You can view those Committee specifications at the links below:
SENATE COMMITTEES and Witness Guidelines:
BT | EEE | FIN | JPR
HOUSE COMMITTEES and Witness Guidelines:
APP | ECM | ET | HGO | JUD | WM
TESTIMONY SUBMISSION DEADLINES
Senate:
House:
ALL THE INFO
Check out MACo’s chart, compiling all of the information above.
Suggestions or corrections? Contact Shantelle Malcolm-Lym.
