Guidelines for Writing Testimony
(Download guidelines as PDF document)

Following is information about writing testimony to the Hawai‘i State Legislature:

• Letters on behalf of legislation introduced in the State Legislature do make a difference. State Legislators are often overwhelmed by the number of bills and competing claims for additional or new funding. As they sort through this nearly impossible workload, bills without supporters tend to be seen as without merit. Bills that have strong support at hearings attract legislators’ attention.
  
  
• Hearing notices are sent out approximately 48 hours prior to a hearing. Written testi-mony must be submitted 24 hours prior to a hearing. It is a very fast turnaround. You can track the progress of a bill at the Bill Status and Documents page of the Hawaii State Legislature website. Hearing Notices regarding the Hawai‘i SBDC Network are linked above.
  
  
• Testimony is normally faxed to the House or Senate Sergeant-at-Arms 24 hours prior to a hearing. The Office of the Sergeant-at-Arms will make the necessary number of copies and distribute the copies to the members of the Committee holding a hearing.
  
  Their fax number is:
  House Sergeant-at-Arms (808) 586-6501 (O‘ahu) or
  (800) 535-3859 (Neighbor Islands)
  
  Senate Sergeant-at-Arms (808) 586-6659 (O‘ahu) or
  (800) 586-6659 (Neighbor Islands)
  
  When faxing, you must indicate on a cover sheet the committee to which the testimony is being submitted, the date and time of the hearing, and the required number of copies. Testimony submitted after 3:00 p.m. of the day prior to the hearing will be considered late testimony.
  
  
• While there is no limit on the number of pages (although the Sergeant-at-Arms will not make copies of testimony more than 4 pages in length), effective testimony is generally short—one to two pages.
  
  
• If writing testimony as a client of the Hawai‘i SBDC Network, the best testimony de-scribes your personal experience with the consultant/trainer/librarian who helped you. Some questions that may be helpful: What did the Hawai‘i SBDC Network do to help you? Was the help they provided high quality? What difference did it make in your busi-ness? Why is this type of help important to small business owners? Should more small business owners have access to this type of help? Could you have obtained this help any-where else? If so, could you have afforded to pay for it?
  
  
• If writing testimony as a stakeholder of the Hawai‘i SBDC Network, how does the Net-work fulfill its mission of helping startup and existing small businesses? Is it effective? Does it support a need in the community? Should they be able to provide help to more small businesses? Is providing additional funding to the Hawai‘i SBDC Network an effec-tive way to create sustainable economic development?
  
  
• Testimony is most commonly provided in letter format or some type of memo format. It should be placed on letterhead stationary. If you do not have stationary, you can simply type in your name and address centered at the top of the page. Be certain to sign the let-ter. See the example below: