POLICY RESOURCES
Quicklinks:
For policy briefs, please see our Prevention Alliance page.
2023 SESSION TIPS AND TOOLS
Remote Sign In
Step-by-Step Instructions for Remote Sign In for the 2021 Legislative Session
Hook Line Sinker: Virtual Session
Meetings with legislators are often short and it can be difficult to figure out where to start and what to say. This can be even more challenging this session given the virtual convening of the legislature. Following the Hook, Line & Sinker model provides some simple structure to so you can have an effective and impactful meeting with your legislators.
Tips & Tricks for Legislator Meetings: Virtual Session
Following these tips, you should be able to have a productive meeting with your legislators and be on your way to establishing a good working relationship and advancing your issue.
Tips for Testifying: Virtual Session
12 Tips for testifying during virtual session.
LEARN MORE ABOUT THE LEGISLATIVE PROCESS
Policy Decisionmaker Guide
It's not enough to vote! Read the Policy Decisionmaker Guide and watch the videos below to learn how to communicate with your legislator, including step-by-step guides to writing your pitch, avoiding pitfalls, and crafting your message.
Crafting a Message
Session Flow
WA Legislature 101 Mini Series:
The WA Legislature 101 mini-series from Prevention Voices WA includes twelve 2–5-minute videos on the Washington Legislature basics. Watch the videos back-to-back in the player below or click the icon in the top right to select a video. Watch the videos on Youtube.
Guide to Reading a Legislative Measure
While reading a bill, have you ever been unsure of what certain things mean? Click here for a Guide to Reading a Legislative Measure.
Legislative Glossary
Does some of the terminology during session confuse you? Check out this Glossary of Legislative Terms.
Testifying On A Bill
Are you planning to come down to testify on a bill or budget issue this session? Get tips about how to sign in to testify before a committee, learn about what happens during a hearing, and how to provide effective testimony, here.
Washington State Budgets
For a guide to understanding the Washington State Budgets, click here.
Bill History
Need support reading and understanding the bill history page? The Legislative Center created this easy to understand tutorial.
Shortcuts for Tracking Bills & Finding Out What You Want To Know
To check on a bill, go to the main bill information site to set up a log-in account. You can then find legislation by bill number, prime sponsor, or by topic.
Legislative Committees schedules, agendas and calendars.
To see video, or hear audio, of any legislative meeting or floor debate, go to www.tvw.org.
Summary of Introduced House Legislative Bills, here; Senate Legislative Bills, here.
House Floor Activity Reports, here (shows live status of House floor).
Senate Floor Activity Reports, here (shows live status of Senate floor).
A Primer on Concurrence, Dispute, and Conference
If a bill was amended in the opposite house from which it was originally introduced, the house of origin has to decide whether it will concur with the amendments or not. Learn more about the three potential paths for these bills.
A Primer on the Rules Committee
Before a bill can make it to the chamber floor for debate and vote it must first make it out of the Rules Committee. Learn more about the process, here.