Frequently Asked Questions
How does this web tool work?
The process is simple, really. After signing up for the web tool, you will be able to easily create an online form that will allow people to take action on an issue or a bill you are tracking. Because you've created an online form (which also has it's own, unique web address, or URL), you will be able to direct people (using your own email list) to the online web form, where they can take action on the bill or issue you are tracking. Does that make sense?
Policy Ninja makes it very simple for you to create an online web form. With an account, you'll be allowed to create as many web forms as you like for as many different bills or issues that you like. Below are the steps to create a form:
1. Create an account by going to the "Sign up" section of this website.
2. Pay online.
3. Go to your profile page and click "create a new action page" and fill out the form.
Is my personal information safe?
Yes. We understand people's sensitivity to keeping their information secure, and under no circumstances will we sell, trade, or give access to our clients' information. We also use an industry standard secure gateway for our payment gateway.
If I send an email to my list, how do people get to the "online form" I created for my bill?
When you send out an email to your list, you can add a "link" to your Hawaii Policy Portal web form. There are a couple of ways to do this:
1. You can just type in the "URL" of the web form. For example, you could say, "take action
on this bill by clicking the following link: http://my.hawaiipolicyportal.org/bill/2/testimony/new
2. If you use a professional email broadcast tool, such as verticleresponse.com, then you can create a "hot link" or and make words become the link to your Policy Portal web form. For example, you could send an email that says "Take action by submitting testimony on your bill by clicking here" Now the words themselves are the "link" to the web form that you created earlier on the Policy Portal.
3. You can also add a picture to your email and make that a "hot link" as well, depending on
the capabilities of your email broadcast system.
If someone from my email list clicks on a link from one of my emails, goes to the web form for my bill, and then submits testimony using the web form, will the recipients of the testimony know that the testimony came from the Policy Ninja?
No, the recipients of the testimony will not know that it came from the Policy Ninja. It will appear to have come from the email address of the person who is submitting the testimony through the web form.
Should I fill in the "Sample Testimony" box when I'm adding a new bill?
We recommend thtat you help people with the beginning and encourage them to write their own testimony. For example, you could fill in the "sample testimony" box with a short beginning like this: "I support this bill because..." This will help people get started. It's typically better to have someone submit a short testimony in their own words than a long testimony that is a duplicate.
Is it bad to fill in the "Sample Testimony" box with sample testimony?
No, even if someone is not adding their own words, and they're just sending the pre-written, or "form" testimony, it works. Legislators know that those people are reading the information and care enough about the bill to send in testimony, even if it is pre-written. It still makes a significant impact on whether or not the bill passes.
Hawaii Government Directory & Guide - This is a comprehensive list of government branches, departments, and agencies and the links to their respective websites, guides, and administrative rules.
State Legislative Bill Search -- Use this handy web page to insert the number of a bill to find out the current status and committee assignment (e.g. HB 5555).
Hawaii State Senate -- Use this website to find members of the state Senate, their contact info, committe assignments, and other information.
Hawaii State House of Representatives -- Use this website to find members of the House of Representatives, their contact info, committee assignments, and other information.
County of Hawaii Government Homepage
County of Kauai Government Homepage