How to testify before the Ohio legislature

This page covers what's specific to Ohio. For the general steps of signing up and speaking, see the general guide.

How Ohio does it

Ohio's General Assembly has moved most public testimony online. Rather than requiring an in-person appearance, both House and Senate committees let anyone submit written testimony as a PDF through an "Upload Testimony" link on the specific committee meeting's webpage. That window closes 24 hours before the hearing starts, so testimony has to be filed the day before, not same-day.

Anyone who wants to speak in person still can. Start by contacting the relevant committee chair's office (via ohiohouse.gov or ohiosenate.gov) to get on the agenda and receive a witness slip, a short form asking for your name, contact details, and whether you're a proponent, opponent, or interested party. No single statewide rule fixes a time limit. Each committee chair sets the limit per hearing, and on contested bills that commonly runs 3 to 5 minutes.

Ohio does not appear to offer live remote video or call-in testimony as a standing option. The 24-hour written portal functions as the practical substitute for people who cannot travel to Columbus.

Deadlines and numbers

• Written testimony: PDF upload via the committee's online portal, due 24 hours before the hearing
• In-person sign-up: contact the committee chair's office for a witness slip
• Speaker time limit: no fixed statewide rule, set per committee, commonly 3 to 5 minutes
• 2026 session: the 136th General Assembly runs January 5 through December 31, 2026

Where to go

• Ohio House committee schedules and testimony uploads: ohiohouse.gov/committees
• Ohio Senate committee schedules and testimony uploads: ohiosenate.gov/committees
• Statewide session and committee calendar: legislature.ohio.gov/schedules/session-schedule
• Witness information form (Ohio House): ohiohouse.gov/files/committees/accessible-witness-information-form.pdf

Rules

Ohio does not publish a single statewide minimum notice period for signing up to testify in person. It varies by committee chair, so contact the chair's office as soon as you know a bill is scheduled rather than waiting for a fixed window. It's also unconfirmed whether any Ohio committee currently offers live remote video testimony, as opposed to the asynchronous written portal. If you need an answer specific to a bill or committee, or if a chair's office isn't responsive, route the question to /engage for current contacts.