How to Get Involved
“I’m not one of those ‘political’ people, but I would like to know how to get my voice heard. I don’t even know where to start.”
If you have ever been intrigued, interested or even outraged over an issue that affects you or a loved one, then you may have said those very words. Getting involved politically, especially at the State level, is much easier than you think. Your voice can be very powerful if you choose to use it. It is relatively simple to contact your representatives and make your opinion known. You have the opportunity to directly impact legislation that could become state law. Involvement can range from making a call or sending an email, or it could be testimony in a committee hearing - you can take it as far as you want.
The process is simple
- Identify which Representatives serve you. Use the link below to find your elected officials.
- Contact Let them know that you have an opinion. They want to hear from their constituents and value your input. You may be able to provide them with experiences, anecdotes, and expertise.
Who represents me? Enter your address for a list of all of your representatives, along with a link to their page, contact information, bio and committee assignments.
http://www.gis.leg.mn/iMaps/districts/
Once you know who to contact, you can start to look at the legislation that is being proposed and identify which items are important to you. Listed below are links to a full listing of all committees for the House and Senate. Proposed legislation is referred to committee where it is discussed, debated, amended and potentially passed out of committee to be voted upon by the entire House or Senate. In committee is where the majority of the work gets done on legislation. There are hearings held regarding proposed legislation and you can testify at these hearings and allow your opinions to be heard by the legislators as they consider each piece of legislation.
- MN Legislature Home Page
- House of Representatives Committees: Full listing
- Senate Committees: Full Listing
Below are links to the specific committees in each body that generally address issues important to seniors and those that serve them. In each committee’s page, there are details about the members of the committee, the bills they are considering and meeting and hearing schedules. The pages are full of clickable links that will provide you with a wide variety of information to help you make your voice heard in the Minnesota Legislature. You can read proposed legislation, see when hearings and committee meetings are held, sign up to get email updates on progress of committee business and much more.
House of Representatives Committees that generally consider senior issues:
- House Health and Human Services Finance Committee
- House Health and Human Services Finance Committee
- House Subcommittee on Aging and Long-Term Care
Senate Committees that generally consider senior issues:
