What is a witness slip?*
Witness slips are part of the legislative process in Illinois, and today, they are often used as tools for anyone to engage and advocate in the legislative process. They come into play as bills are debated and voted upon in substantive committees.
Should people fill out all of these slips? Do they matter?*
As with most things in Springfield, the answer is, “it depends.” Context means a great deal. Think of it this way: some bills are like a thumb-tack going into a cork board. You don’t need a ton of force to make them secure; you can do it with your hand. Other bills are like a nail going into wood. You need a hammer, for sure, but not much else. And then there are those bills that are like a screw going into masonry. For those, you need specially sized screws, a power tool, and a hand tool to make sure you get the screw secure (not to mention someone with strong arms who knows how to use all those tools).
- They matter when you have a steep uphill climb on a bill, and you are trying to put an issue on the map or reinforce to the bill’s sponsor that you have the ability to do effective organizing of supporters.
- They matter when you have strong opposition also using witness slips.
- They matter as a way to engage everyone in the democratic process, and this is important in preservation of our democracy.
*Source: https://restorejusticeillinois.org/what-are-witness-slips-do-they-matter/