How to speak up and testify
It’s your Statehouse and your city hall. Here’s where Hoosiers can be heard in person: Statehouse committees, city, county and school board meetings, and utility rate hearings. What the law says, what to bring, and how to keep it short.
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All of Indiana
- Between sessions: interim study committees meet and take testimony. See the 2026 interim committees and their meeting pages.
- Tue., Nov. 17, 2026, 2 p.m.: Organization Day, when the General Assembly convenes for the 2027 session (House calendar).
- By April 29, 2027: the deadline for the session to end in odd-numbered years (IGA FAQ).
At the Statehouse
- Find the hearing. Committees post agendas on each committee’s page at iga.in.gov. Check the agenda the week of the meeting; agendas can change.
- Fill out the appearance form on the day. The General Assembly’s online appearance form is for people testifying in person at the Statehouse and can only be submitted on the day the committee meets. If you miss it, paper forms are available in the committee room.
- Can’t make it in person? The form says to contact your own legislator to share your views. Use our letter maker to draft a short message.
- Bring copies. A one-page written version of your remarks gives members something to keep. Say your name, your town, and whether you support or oppose the bill, then why.
- Be ready to be brief. Have a one-minute version that makes your main point, in case time is short.
Sources: Indiana General Assembly, committee appearance form; Indiana General Assembly, 2026 interim committees; Indiana House, 2026 session calendar (Organization Day); Indiana General Assembly, FAQ.
City, county and school board meetings
What the law guarantees
- Meetings of public agencies are open “to permit members of the public to observe and record them” (IC 5-14-1.5-3(a)).
- Agencies must post notice at least 48 hours ahead, not counting Saturdays, Sundays and legal holidays (IC 5-14-1.5-5(a)).
- School boards must let people who are physically present give oral comment on a topic before the board takes final action on it. The board may set reasonable rules and time limits (IC 5-14-1.5-3(d)). A school board can’t require a speaker’s exact home address (Public Access Counselor, 23-INF-3).
- Budgets: every local unit holds a public hearing on its budget before adopting it, with the time and place posted on Indiana Gateway (IC 6-1.1-17-3).
What it doesn’t
Outside school boards and hearings the law requires, the Open Door Law “does not guarantee the right to speak at public meetings,” according to the state’s Public Access Counselor handbook. Most councils and commissions still set aside time for public comment. Check the agenda or ask the clerk how to sign up.
Find your next local meeting on your county page, and see what your local budgets pay for in Where your property taxes go.
Sources: IC 5-14-1.5-3, Open Door Law; IC 5-14-1.5-5, meeting notice; Public Access Counselor handbook; Public Access Counselor opinion 23-INF-3; IC 6-1.1-17-3, local budget hearings.
Utility rate hearings
When a utility regulated by the state asks for at least $2.5 million more a year, state law requires a public field hearing in the largest city or town in its service area. Speakers are sworn in, a court reporter records what they say, and the utility’s attorneys may ask questions. Written comments get the same consideration as spoken ones and also become evidence in the case.
See open utility cases and how to comment
Sources: OUCC, Speaking Out on Pending Cases.
Plan your remarks
I’m here about ____ (bill number or agenda item).
I (support / oppose / have a question about) it because ____.
Here is what it means for my family, business or neighborhood: ____.
I’m asking you to ____. Thank you.
About a minute out loud. Keep to one main point and one real example. Leave a written copy with the clerk or committee staff.