What is a public hearing? How is a public hearing different from a public meeting or community forum? Why participate in or request a public hearing? When should you participate? How do you prepare to testify? How do you organize a community forum or listening session? What should happen during and after the event? What is a public hearing? A public hearing is generally a formal process through which a government body or other authorized decision-maker receives testimony or comments from members of the public about a proposed action, policy, regulation, budget, permit, project, or other matter. Depending on the governing law or procedure, a public hearing may: Be legally required Be held at the discretion of the responsible public body Be part of a formal public-comment period Create an official record of testimony and comments Include written as well as oral testimony Follow specific requirements for notice, registration, timing, procedure, or recordkeeping The rules for a public hearing depend on the law, jurisdiction, public body, and type of decision involved. Before participating, check the current official notice and procedures. How is a public hearing different from a public meeting or community forum? A formal public hearing should be distinguished from a public meeting, listening session, town hall, community forum, panel discussion, or similar event. A formal hearing generally provides an official opportunity to submit testimony or comments related to a government decision. A community forum or public meeting is usually more flexible and may be designed for: Two-way discussion Questions and answers Information sharing Listening to community concerns Identifying priorities Exploring possible solutions If your organization is creating its own event and does not have official authority to conduct a governmental hearing, describe the event accurately. Terms such as “community forum,” “listening session,” or “public meeting” may be more appropriate than “public hearing.” Do not assume every issue has only two sides Public issues may involve several perspectives, proposed solutions, areas of agreement, and areas of uncertainty. Avoid structuring an event automatically as: Our side versus the opposition. Instead, determine which perspectives are relevant to the decision and how people can participate fairly. Why participate in or request a public hearing? Public hearings can provide important opportunities to bring community knowledge into public decision-making. You may participate: To explain how a proposed action may affect people or communities To provide research, local data, or other evidence To describe implementation problems To support, oppose, or recommend changes to a proposal To identify unintended consequences To offer an alternative To ask decision-makers to consider information that may be missing To place information or concerns into the formal public record Public hearings should not be treated primarily as publicity events A hearing may receive news coverage or increase public attention to an issue. Those effects can be useful, but they should not become the primary purpose of participation. The central goal should be to contribute relevant information to the decision-making process. When should you participate in a public hearing? Participate when the hearing concerns a matter relevant to you, your organization, or the community and you have information or experience that could help inform the decision. Timing may be particularly important: Before a vote During development of a regulation or policy During a budget process Before approval of a permit or project When implementation problems have emerged When a public body is formally requesting community input Check the official notice Determine: The date and time Whether the hearing is in person, virtual, or hybrid Whether advance registration is required How speakers are selected or ordered How much speaking time is available Whether written comments are accepted Whether exhibits or supporting documents may be submitted The deadline for written submissions What accessibility accommodations are available Whether interpretation or language assistance can be requested Whether the hearing will be recorded or livestreamed Do not assume that every hearing gives speakers two to five minutes or uses a first-come, first-served sign-up process. How do you get an opportunity to testify? Follow the process established by the body conducting the hearing. Depending on the hearing, this may involve: Registering through an online form Signing up at the meeting Requesting a speaking slot in advance Submitting written testimony Participating during a designated public-comment period Being invited as a subject-matter witness If speaking slots are limited, ask the organizers what alternatives are available. For example: Submit written testimony Provide supporting documents Ask whether another hearing will occur Participate in the general public-comment process Do not seek special placement through political connections Use the established participation process. Do not rely on political allies, personal relationships, persistence intended to make staff uncomfortable, or other forms of private leverage to obtain preferential access. If you believe the public process itself is unfair or inaccessible, document the concern and use an appropriate administrative, legal, public-comment, or oversight process. Establish your goals before preparing testimony Ask: What decision is being considered? What do we want the decision-making body to understand? What action are we asking it to take? What evidence supports our request? What important tradeoffs should we acknowledge? What information or experience can we contribute that may otherwise be missing? A hearing should not be approached primarily as an opportunity to make your organization look influential, gain volunteers, or defeat another group in public. Find appropriate people to provide testimony Useful testimony may come from: People directly affected by the issue Community members Researchers Practitioners Program staff Business or worker representatives People with relevant technical knowledge Other people with direct knowledge of the issue Do not choose people simply because their story will be emotionally compelling People directly affected should not be treated as persuasive props. When someone wants to share personal experience: Make participation voluntary Explain the purpose of the hearing Explain whether testimony becomes part of a public record Explain whether the hearing will be recorded or livestreamed Discuss privacy and possible public exposure Let the person decide what details to disclose Do not rewrite a person's experience simply to make it fit an advocacy message. Lived experience and technical evidence can complement one another A first-person account can show how a policy operates in someone's life. Research, administrative data, financial analysis, or other evidence can help establish: Scale Cost Patterns Outcomes Likely effects One type of evidence does not automatically replace the other. Avoid demographic tokenism A hearing may benefit from participation by people with different experiences and perspectives. However, do not recruit speakers simply to display a particular racial, ethnic, age, income, disability, or other demographic “cross-section.” Meaningful representation depends on whether people have relevant experience and a genuine opportunity to participate, not on how the speaker lineup appears. Prepare speakers Preparation can help a speaker communicate clearly within the hearing's rules. Encourage speakers to: Identify their connection to the issue State the main point early Use accurate information Explain personal experience in their own words Identify the requested action Stay within the time limit Distinguish facts from predictions or opinions Speakers may practice aloud, time themselves, or prepare notes. They do not need to memorize their remarks or perform a particular speaking style. The goal is clear and accurate communication, not to “blow away” the audience. Protect privacy and well-being Public testimony can remain accessible long after the hearing ends. Depending on the process, testimony may appear in: Public meeting recordings Government websites Meeting minutes Hearing transcripts Public-records responses News coverage Social media Speakers should decide what personal information they are comfortable placing into the public record. Support people discussing traumatic experiences Some hearings involve experiences of: Violence Discrimination Abuse Serious illness Housing instability Other difficult experiences Do not pressure someone to disclose trauma because the testimony may be persuasive. If a person chooses to testify, ask what support would be useful before, during, or after the hearing. Support should be based on the person's preferences rather than automatically assigning counseling or another intervention. If you are organizing your own event, choose the format that fits the purpose If the goal is discussion, learning, questions and answers, or collaborative problem-solving, consider organizing a: Community forum Listening session Town hall Panel discussion Public meeting Use the term “public hearing” when the event actually functions as a hearing or when that is the official term used by the responsible body. Choose the date, location, and participation options Consider: Work and school schedules Public transportation Parking Physical accessibility Virtual participation Childcare or caregiving responsibilities Language access Community safety Religious or cultural calendars Availability of accessible technology Do not choose a room based on how attendance will look in news photographs. Choose a space that is appropriate for the expected number of participants and supports safe, comfortable, and accessible participation. Consider the community affected Holding an event near the community most affected may make participation easier. The reason should be access and relevance, not a desire to produce greater emotional impact. Accessibility Plan accessibility from the beginning rather than treating it as an optional addition. Depending on the event and legal requirements, accessibility may involve: Step-free physical access Accessible seating Accessible restrooms Sign-language interpretation Real-time captioning Assistive-listening systems Accessible electronic documents Large-print materials Screen-reader-compatible information Accessible virtual participation Tell participants how to request accommodations and provide reasonable advance notice when necessary. Language access Consider whether interpretation, translated notices, or translated materials are needed to allow meaningful community participation. Applicable legal requirements vary according to the public body, program, funding, and jurisdiction. Use qualified interpreters when interpretation is needed rather than relying automatically on family members or other participants. Choose a facilitator for a community forum A facilitator can help: Explain the purpose and process Keep the event on schedule Make participation opportunities clear Enforce agreed rules consistently Redirect personal attacks Clarify questions Make space for relevant perspectives For a formal governmental hearing, the presiding official or staff will generally control the procedure. Fairness does not always mean dividing time into two equal “sides” A complex public issue may involve more than two perspectives. Use participation rules that are: Clear Consistent Relevant to the event's purpose Designed to give participants a meaningful opportunity to contribute Publicize the event accurately Tell people: What the event is Who is organizing it What issue will be discussed Whether it is an official government hearing or an independently organized forum How people can participate Whether registration is required Whether written comments are accepted What accessibility or language assistance is available Whether the event will be recorded or livestreamed Outreach may include: Government notices Community organizations Email Text messaging Websites Social media News organizations Community newsletters Flyers Multilingual outreach Encourage authentic attendance, not audience staging Encourage people who care about the issue to attend and participate. It can be reassuring for speakers to see people who support them, particularly when they are sharing difficult experiences. However, do not instruct supporters to: “Pack” the room to create an appearance of overwhelming support Applaud on cue Interrupt or intimidate speakers Ask planted questions designed mainly to embarrass another participant Disrupt testimony from people with different views Attendance should demonstrate genuine public participation rather than stage-managed audience reaction. At the public hearing Be prepared Know: The proposal Relevant evidence Important uncertainties Major competing arguments The action you are requesting Preparation should help you answer questions accurately. If you do not know an answer, say so and offer to provide reliable information later when appropriate. Do not improvise facts simply to appear knowledgeable. Follow the hearing procedure Listen to the presiding officer's instructions. Stay within the allotted time and use the participation method provided. Strong disagreement is appropriate, but focus on: The proposal Evidence Effects Tradeoffs Alternatives Avoid personal attacks on other speakers or decision-makers. Listen as well as speak Other participants may identify: Evidence you had not considered A legitimate implementation problem A different community experience An unintended consequence A possible compromise or alternative A public hearing is not useful if advocates attend only to deliver a prepared message and ignore everything else that is said. Document the hearing appropriately If your organization is tracking the hearing, record information relevant to the issue, such as: Major arguments presented Questions raised by decision-makers New evidence Commitments or next steps Important implementation concerns Do not focus primarily on which “prominent” people attended or attempt to infer political allegiance from attendance alone. After the hearing Follow up on substantive questions Provide information that was requested during the hearing when appropriate. Correct any significant factual mistake in your own testimony. Monitor: The decision Additional hearings Written-comment deadlines Amendments Implementation Support speakers when appropriate Check with people who shared difficult personal experiences and ask whether they need any practical or emotional support. Do not assume what kind of support they need. Respect privacy and confidentiality after the event. Communicate with news organizations accurately If reporters ask about the hearing, explain: What your organization heard What evidence you believe is important What remains unresolved What action you are requesting Do not describe the goal as putting favorable “spin” on the hearing. Avoid selectively describing the event in a way that creates a misleading impression about testimony, attendance, disagreement, or the outcome. Evaluate what you learned Ask: Did we learn anything that changes our understanding? Was our evidence accurate? Did people directly affected have a meaningful opportunity to participate? Were accessibility and language needs addressed? Did our speakers understand the public nature of their testimony? Were important competing concerns taken seriously? What questions remain unanswered? What is the appropriate next step? In Summary A formal public hearing gives members of the public an opportunity to provide testimony or comments related to an official public decision. A public hearing is different from a community forum, listening session, town hall, or other public meeting designed primarily for discussion. Check the hearing's current rules before participating. Learn how to register, how much time is available, whether written comments may be submitted, whether testimony becomes part of the public record, and what accessibility or language assistance is available. Set a clear goal and identify the action you want the decision-making body to take. Bring accurate evidence, relevant lived experience, and practical recommendations. Support people directly affected in speaking for themselves when they choose to participate. Do not recruit personal stories merely because they will be emotionally compelling. Explain privacy and public-record implications before people share sensitive experiences. If organizing your own event, choose the format that fits the purpose and describe it accurately. Plan for accessibility, language needs, virtual participation, transportation, scheduling, and other barriers from the beginning. Encourage genuine public participation rather than staging applause, packing the audience, planting hostile questions, or using political connections to obtain preferential access. Listen to competing evidence and community experiences rather than treating the event simply as a contest between two sides. After the hearing, follow up on substantive questions, monitor the decision, support participants where appropriate, and communicate accurately about what occurred. Finally, the purpose of a public hearing is not simply to attract attention, make your organization look influential, or defeat an opponent in public. It is to give decision-makers and community members a structured opportunity to place relevant evidence, experience, concerns, and recommendations into the public decision-making process. Resources Online Resources Conducting Public Meetings and Public Hearings is a guide put together specific to the state of New York, though much of the information is applicable to conducting public meetings in other states. Governmental Accounting Standards Board offers information on public hearings, including why public hearings are held and what occurs at public hearings. Public Hearings: When and How to Hold Them is a detailed guide to holding a public hearing with tips, detailed information, and additional resources. Print Resources Bobo, K., Kendall, J., & Max, S.(1996) Organizing for social change: a manual for activists in the 1990s. Minneapolis, MN. Midwest Academy. Heffron, J. (1989, March-April). Building consensus in public hearings. Colorado Municipalities. McKnight, C., Kelley, M., Pursley, P., Wolfe, M., Meister, E., Rasmussen, M., Bell, B., Shapiro, N., & Mathews, C. (1995). Out against the right: An organizing handbook. New York, NY: The Lesbian Avengers Civil Rights Organizing Project. National Model Cities Community Development Directors Association.(1975). A guide to meeting citizen participation requirements for community development. Washington, DC.
