“Request to Speak” (RTS) is a program of the Arizona Legislative Information System (ALIS), webpage: Request to Speak. A Guide to RTS can be found here: “Using the Request to Speak Program.”
- RTS enables you to speak for or against a bill that is on a legislative committee’s agenda. It also lets you indicate whether you are physically present at the committee meeting and want to speak, or that you want to submit a comment online. At the committee hearing, they will check to see who is actually requesting to speak in person, and who has signed up to comment “online.” Why use it? Because it gets your opinion directly to the substantive committee as it is hearing the bill, and we have been told that the committees do pay attention to all comments. (RTS cannot be used for “Committee of the Whole (COW)” or for floor votes. It is used only when an active bill is being heard by a substantive committee.)
- Sign up for RTS. You must create an individual account to be registered to use the Right to Speak system. You can do this using an online form available on the CEBV’s Request to Speak webpage. To sign up you supply your name, email address, mailing address, and driver’s license ID or voter’s card ID. You also can create your RTS account in person using the computers allocated for this purpose in the Arizona State Capitol.
- Get the number of the bill on which you wish to speak. You can get bill summaries and information from many advocate and voter’s groups. We have compiled a reliable list you can access HERE. You must have the bill number to make a comment. There is a search option on the Legislature’s database, but it is easier to know the bill number in advance of accessing RTS to make your comment.
- The bill MUST be on the agenda to be heard by a committee, and this is usually only known a few days before the hearing. The CEBV Weekly is a good source of bills currently active, or soon to be active, on in a committee’s agenda. You can monitor for yourself when specific bills become active: go to the Arizona State Legislature home page. Highlight the ‘Calendar & News’ option on the menu bar, then highlight and click on ‘Active Bills’ in the drop-down list. This takes you to the ‘Active Bills’ webpage.
- When you have your RTS Account and Bill Number, and your Bill is Active, you can use the ‘Request to Speak’ system. From any computer, or from your phone, open the Arizona State Legislature home page, highlight ‘Legislative Information’ on the menu bar, and highlight and click on ‘Request to Speak‘ in the drop-down menu You should get a screen asking for your RTS email and password.
. - Click on “New Request.” (on the left side). Enter the bill number. You do not need any other information. Click on “Search.” Scroll down to see the ‘Bill’ (meaning it is active,) ‘Closed,’ or ‘Nothing Found’ (both meaning the bill is not active.) If the bill appears active, click on “Add Request.”
- A new screen will open asking for your opinion, asking whether you actually want to speak (in person), and giving you a place to enter your comments. Complete as you like and then click SUBMIT.