Have you ever heard about a new Arizona law and wished you had had some input to it — before it got passed?
Maybe you’ve wanted to speak up about something happening at the State Capitol, but it seemed too far away and too complicated to figure out how.
You might be surprised to hear that Arizona is unusual in the ways it allows residents to have their say on proposed state legislation.
This means you don’t have to be a politician, hire a lobbyist, or make regular trips to Phoenix to speak up about the laws being considered in Arizona.
Each year, Arizona legislators consider well over a thousand proposed laws, called bills. They cover issues large and small — property taxes, public schools, healthcare, and much more.
Some are talked about on the news, some fly under the radar until they become the law of the land. But even the ones that get little attention can affect people’s everyday lives.
But most people don’t find out about proposed laws until they’ve already passed, or are close to becoming law — so they don’t have a chance to give their input.
That’s where Request to Speak and an organization called CEBV come in.
Request to Speak, usually called RTS, is an official program operated by the Arizona State Legislature.
Despite its name, you don’t actually have to speak to anyone to use it.
The program allows you to register your opinion on legislation being considered by state lawmakers. You can indicate that you support a bill, oppose it, or are neutral, and you can provide a short comment explaining your position.
RTS is a service of the State of Arizona, not a Republican or Democratic program. It’s available to every Arizonan.
To use RTS, you’ll need an account. Once you have that, you can use the system by visiting the Legislature’s website at www.azleg.gov and selecting “Request to Speak”, under “Legislative Information.”
You can look up bills by their number or search through committee agendas, then register your position and, if you wish, leave a written comment.
You can also request an opportunity to speak at a committee hearing. That generally means attending the hearing in person. Requesting to speak doesn’t guarantee you’ll be called on.
For most people, the easiest option will be simply to register an opinion online. Your position and comments become part of the information available to legislators as they consider the bill. They’re also visible to the public.
Starting an RTS account requires using a computer kiosk at the State Capitol in Phoenix — but that’s not particularly convenient for people living in rural Arizona.
Fortunately, there’s a way around making that trip yourself. An organization called Civic Engagement Beyond Voting offers help setting up and activating accounts for people who can’t get to the Capitol.
Once your account is activated, you can use Request to Speak from home.
CEBV can also help you stay informed about bills that are coming up for consideration. It sends out a weekly email newsletter called The CEBV Weekly, listing notable bills being considered at the Capitol and explaining them in understandable language.
The newsletter can be particularly valuable because legislative action sometimes moves quickly. A bill can be discussed, amended and voted on before most people even realize it’s under consideration.
CEBV is an Arizona grassroots organization designed to help ordinary people become more involved in decisions made by state government.
CEBV describes itself as nonpartisan, but it also openly says that it supports progressive political values. It’s affiliated with the Indivisible movement and frequently recommends supporting or opposing particular bills.
You might agree with those recommendations. You might not. But you don’t have to agree with CEBV’s politics to find useful information in its legislative reports.
You can read about a bill, follow the links, learn about the proposed legislation yourself, reach your own conclusion, and express your own views.
CEBV’s newsletters are one source of information, not the final word.
And the state’s RTS system is available to everyone, whether they use CEBV’s services or not.
Registering an opinion through RTS doesn’t mean a legislator will necessarily vote the way you want, but it does mean your position can be seen by the lawmakers considering the bill.
And when legislators hear from residents who have firsthand experience with an issue, that information can carry weight.
A rancher might understand how a water proposal would affect livestock operations. A small-business owner might know what a new regulation would cost. A parent might have something important to say about a school policy.
These are perspectives that deserve to be heard.
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