August Action: Ask for a Hearing

PA legislators return from recess in September. We need your help to put redistricting reform at the top of their fall agenda.

Bills have been introduced in both the PA House and the Senate that would stop gerrymandering in our state—but in order to change the law before the next redistricting process begins in 2021, we need a bill to pass both houses before the end of the session next July. 

Today, Senate Bill 22 and House Bill 722 are both sitting in the State Government committees of their respective chambers of the legislature. Even though both bills have substantial bipartisan support, the bills cannot be voted on until they make it out of committee.

That’s why we need your help.  

If you live in a PA House or Senate district represented by a member of the State Government Committee, we need you to ask your legislator to help us get SB 22 and HB 722 scheduled for committee hearings. 

What to do: 

  1. Look up your legislators in the PA House and Senate. 
  2. Check their status: are they on the State Government Committee, and do they already sponsor SB 22 or HB 722? 
  3. If your legislator is on one of the committees, contact them using one of the scripts below. 

Read on for detailed help with each step. 

1. Look up your legislators

If you’re not sure who represents you in the PA House and Senate, look them up.

 

Representatives found for

2. Check their status

See whether your representatives are on the State Government Committee in their chamber, and whether they already sponsor SB 22 or HB 722. Here’s a full list of each committee: 

PA House

Committee leadership

Members 

PA Senate 

Committee leadership

Members 

3. Contact your legislator 

In-person visits make the biggest impression—but the more of us who speak up, the more your legislator will hear how important this issue is to their constituents. If you can’t visit, please call or send an email. 

If your legislator already co-sponsors SB 22 or HB 722

Goal 

Please ask your legislator to write a letter to the Chair of the State Government Committee requesting that they hold hearings on the bill.

Starter script

My name is [Name] and I am a constituent of [District Number] from [City/Town]. I’m [calling/writing/visiting] today to thank you for co-sponsoring [SB 22/HB 722], and ask you to help us move this bill forward by writing a letter to the State Government Committee Chair requesting that the committee hold hearings on the bill.

In order to pass a constitutional amendment before the next round of redistricting in 2021, it’s crucial that the State Government Committee hold hearings on the bill now. We’d appreciate your extra attention making them aware of this issue.

I would also appreciate you talking to your colleagues about this effort, and asking that they extend their support as well.

Is there anything I as a constituent can do to help you make progress on the issue, and do you have any other advice for moving this bill forward?

Thank you for your time and support.

If your legislator does NOT co-sponsor SB 22 or HB 722

Goal

Convince more of these legislators to sign on, or at least generate interest in the bill. If we can’t get their support for SB 22 or HB 722 right now, convince them to request hearings on the topic of redistricting reform more generally.

Starter script  

My name is [Name] and I am a constituent of [District Number] from [City/Town]. I’m [calling/writing/visiting] today to ask for your support of [SB 22/HB 722]. I urge you to write to the State Government Committee Chair requesting that the committee hold hearings on the bill.

I am sure you are familiar with the current redistricting process, which gives legislators substantial control over how district lines are drawn. This is a clear example of government overreach and conflict of interest.

[SB 22/HB 722] would change the state constitution to create an independent citizens commission in charge of both legislative and congressional redistricting. 

I’d like to ask you to co-sponsor this bill. This bill is not yet supported by your chamber’s leadership, so if we are going to move this bill, we need co-sponsorships and other forms of pressure to create that movement. Are you willing to co-sponsor?

Whether or not you are able to co-sponsor today, I would like to ask you to write a letter to the State Government Committee Chair requesting a hearing on redistricting reform, which is a concern to many of your constituents. Pennsylvania is among the most gerrymandered states in the country, and citizens deserve to have the legislature hold hearings on possible solutions.

Thank you for your time and consideration of this issue.

Once you’ve talked with your legislator, tell us how it went. It will help us be better informed for future conversations.

Report legislative info