Learn, Engage, Persist

Being an engaged, active, and responsible citizen requires more than casting a ballot on voting day. Our responsibility as citizens does not end when we exit the voting booth, rather that is the moment our true responsibilities begin.

This requires some effort on our part. This requires us to keep up on legislation being proposed, and to write, call, or email our elected representatives to express our concerns or support of any legislation.

As much as we want to place all of the blame on the government for failing us, we the people, must take some of the blame upon ourselves. For too long we have remained silent. We have been complacent. We have been lackadaisical bosses. If we want our state back, if we want the political system to work in our favor then we must work for it.

The political process will only work for the people if we, the people, are willing to put in the effort to make it do so.

We encourage you to begin now learning, or as a refresher, how our State Legislature works. This is not only to grow our list of sponsors for our Article V Resolution, but to prepare you for activism on other legislation in support of Federalism, Freedom, and Fundamental Rights!

Learn

1. Overview of the Legislative Process
2. “Your Voice”: Discover the Public’s Power in the Legislative Process

Engage

1. Engagement 101
2. Using the Legislature's Website
3. Advocacy Tips
4. At the Capitol

Persist

1. How to Enjoy a Public Hearing
2. How to Communicate with Legislators
3. Using the Interim

We also encourage you to check out the Legislative Reference Bureau (LRB).

The LRB is a nonpartisan legislative service agency that strives to provide comprehensive research and reference services for the Hawaii State Legislature. The LRB offers a wide variety of services to Legislators, Legislative Committees, and in some cases, members of the public, including:

1. Conducting impartial policy and legal research upon request by the Legislature, Legislative Committees, or individual Legislators, or upon the Bureau’s own initiative;
   
   
2. Drafting legislative bills and resolutions, including committee reports, for the Legislature, Legislative Committees, and Legislators;
   
   
3. Maintaining a reference library primarily for use by the Legislature and legislative service agencies, that houses a collection of Hawaii law and reports of the various Hawaii state agencies, officers, and boards; statutory and administrative materials from other states and territories; and other periodicals and books that offer authoritative information on matters related to current or proposed legislative issues;
   
   
4. Operating a legislative data management system that maintains a database of history and status of legislative measures, past and present;
   
   
5. Performing statute revision annually and publishing Session Laws, Supplements, and replacement volumes of the Hawaii Revised Statutes;
   
   
6. Serving, upon request, in an advisory capacity to the Legislature and its Committees on all matters within its competencies and responsibilities;
   
   
7. Assisting, upon request, other legislative service agencies on matters within its competency; and
   
   
8. Operating the Public Access Room to offer non-partisan outreach and assistance to the public to encourage public participation in the legislative process.