Advocate






	Testifying at the Rhode Island State House

	Consumer's Guide to the Rhode Island State House: Everything you need to know for a State House Hearing


	Developed by the Health Care Organizing Project, a coalition of 26 consumer, health professional and advocacy organizations, coordinated jointly by the Ocean State Action Fund and the National Association of Social Workers/RI Chapter. For more information about getting involved at the State House, call Ocean State Action at 401-463-5368.

	Finding the Room: Basement House Finance Committee Room 35 First Floor House Labor Committee Room 135 House HEW Committee Room 135 Second Floor House Judiciary Committee Room 204 House Corporation Committee Room 203 Senate Finance Committee Room 211 Senate HEW Committee Room 211 Senate Corporations Committee Room 212 Senate Labor Committee Room 212 Third Floor Senate Judiciary Committee Room 313








	1. Directions From the South: Take 95 North to the State Offices exit. Bear right on the exit, then go straight through the light. At the next light, turn right onto Smith Street and the State House will be on your left. From the North: Take 95 South to the State Offices exit. Turn right (this is a one-way) onto Charles Street, then take an immediate left after the liquor store to go the opposite way. Follow past the Marriott, then turn right onto Orms Street at the light. Turn left at the next light, right at the next and the State House will be on your left.


	2. Tranportation By bus: Bus #57 (Smith Street), Bus #56 (Chalkstone Avenue) and the Gold Line Trolley stop at the State House after leaving Kennedy Plaza. For more information, please call RIPTA at 781-9400.
	3. Parking There is street parking around the State House. Some spots have meters, which run 25 cents for a half-hour or twenty minutes. After 4:30pm, there is free parking in the Department of Motor Vehicles parking lot acress the street from the State House.
	4. Children Due to the sometimes long waiting time and overall non-child friendly environment, we do not recommend that you bring your children.
	5. Bathrooms There are bathrooms of each floor of the State House.
	6. Food and Telephones In the basement of the State House there is a snack shop, soda and candy vending machines and a pay phone. The snack shop closes early.
	7. Special Accomodations Accessibility for People with Physical Disabilities: the best entrance is the side entrance off Smith Street. Look for the guarded booth at the parking lot entrance. Handicapped parking spots are available both in the parking lot and on Smith Street.
	8. How to Dress Casual business attire is recommended. The most important this is just to be neat and clean.
	9. Hearing Waiting Times The General Assembly begins its sessions at 4:00pm. Most hearings begin once the daily session ends. Session ending times vary from day to day depending on the calendar. It could be as early as 4:30pm, but it can sometimes last longer. Each committee provides a list of the legislation that will be heard. You may be there 2-3 hours. Feel free to bring something to read or something else to do.
	Sample Testimony Greet the Chairperson and thank the committee for allowing you to testify. Tell the committee your name, your organization (if you are representing one), and where you live. Tell them which bill you are testifying on, and whether you support or oppose the bill. Share your story and tell them how this bill could make a difference. Tell them your reasons for supporting or opposing the bill. End with thanking them again for the opportunity to testify and wait for questions. Length of Testimony Your testimony should be brief. We recommend that it be between 3-5 minutes.