Advocacy at the State Legislature - How to Speak up for Animals

It is easy to add your voice in support of legislation enhancing protection for animals. Here’s how to do it.

1. Identify the bill you want to support or oppose. In Washington State, Pasado’s Safe Haven has an excellent bill tracking page that is our go-to during the Legislature’s session.
   

2. Find the Bill at the Legislature’s web page. The bill number makes it easy to comment - there will be a form attached to the bill’s page.
   

3. Fill in the “comment on a bill” form. Notice that the form will know if you are a constituent of the sponsor. You may still comment on the bill even if you are not. Comments can be submitted at any time during the bill’s progress.  Be aware that your comments are part of the public record.
   

4. We encourage you to email your Representatives and Senator about the bill even if they are not listed as sponsors. This alerts decisionmakers to issues their constituents care about. Here is the form to identify your district and your elected officials: Find My District Tool.

During the bill’s progress, members of the Legislature may hold committee hearings to discuss the bill. Citizens may attend those hearings and testify in person, or may be permitted to testify remotely.  Testifying at a committee hearing must be done while the committee is in session and accepting public comment, requiring careful watch of the bill’s progress and committee schedules. In any session, there will be a wide variety of bills submitted for consideration, and that means an array of committees will be working on proposed bills. In 2024, committees on finance, agriculture, law and justice, consumer protection and housing all held hearings on animal-related legislation.      

For an example of testifying at a committee hearing, here is a link to the 2024 Senate Housing Committee hearing that included Senate Bill 6064, a bill that would have capped monthly rent increases and deposits for tenants with pets. Senate Housing Committee  Testimony starts at the 26 minute mark. (The bill did not pass). 

An explanation of the comment process is here: Comment Form and How-to