Critical considerations regarding State legislatures range from the operations of the legislature, key legislators, procedures for the introduction of political laws, the roles of various committees, and available resources. Other sections in this handbook deal specifically with the process by which a bill becomes a law, the selection of a bill's author, and the committee process including notice of hearings and testimony-related issues. Suggestions for contacting individual legislators, dealing with legislative staff, and conducting lobbying and legislative action are provided. This handbook recommends building statewide coalitions for victims' right in order to increase the effectiveness of legislative advocates and offers a proposed coalition code of ethics.