At the top of every page, there's a register menu option. Simply click on it, fill out the short form and follow the instructions that follow.

At the moment, BillHop does not upload every bill on record for each legislature in teh BillHop system. Bills are loaded into the system when someone looks for a bill by its bill number.

BillHop has both bill pages and issue pages that users can update and comment on. A bill page represents a single piece of proposed legislation. The text of that legislation will be included in the bill page. The wiki and accompanying attachments on the bill page will represent a summary of that bill.

Users can also load pages about specific issues. Unlike bills which come and go each legislative cycle, the description of issues are broader in nature.

To add a bill to the website, simply search for it by its bill number in the search box at the top of any page..

To add an issue to the website, simply search for it in the search box at the top of any page. If the page exists, the website will give you option of going there. If the page has not been created, the website will give the option of creating it. (You must be logged in in order to do so.).

On any issue or bill page, simply click on the wiki tab, and click "Edit" or "Start Writing a Description..." and the editor will be initiated for you. The controls of the editor offer basic text editing options like bold, italics, links, images and bullets. You can not include any extraneous scripts or html in the html editor.

In the right hand column of both issue and bill pages, you will find a comments bar. Simply log in and fill out the comment form. Offensive comments or comments which unnecessarily provoke another user will be removed from the system, and the offending user risks banishment from the site.

Both bil and issue pages can be "tagged" by users with keywords. In order to do so, simply log in and double click on the tags section. After tags are added to a page, similar bills and issues will appear in the related pages section at the bottom of the page.

Bills do not have headings when they are first loaded into BillHop. To add a title to a bill, simply double click the bill heading, and you will be able to edit or add a bill title.

Both bill and issue pages can be tracked. In order to add a page to your tracking list, simply click "Change" next to "Tracking Off" in your user tools. The selection will change to "Tracking On." Be sure to click "Save" before you leave the page, or else your preferences will not be saved.

Bill pages provide you the option of voting in favor or against the piece of legislation. In order to submit your vote, simply click "Change" next to the second "This bill is..." in your user tools. The selection will change to "Favorable" or "Unfavorable." Be sure to click "Save" before you leave the page, or else your preferences will not be saved.

Bill pages provide you the option of determining the ideology of the piece of legislation. (The results are aggregated in on the front page of each billhop state.) In order to submit your choice, simply click "Change" next to the third "This bill is..." in your user tools. The selection will change to "Liberal," "Conservative," etc. Be sure to click "Save" before you leave the page, or else your preferences will not be saved.

Under the video tab of both bill and issue pages, you may submit the details of a video (already posted on YouTube or a related site) which will be attached to the BillHop page. Simply add the embed source, the title of the video and a short description of its contents. A source website is optional. (Please include "http://" at the beginning of the link.)

You can add pdf reports and documents to any bill or issue page. However, in order to provide some protection agaisnt the possible uploading of fraudulent documents from being uploaded, the pdf must already be uploaded on another website. (The "source website" gives BillHop users the ability to judge the accuracy / reliability of the documents uploaded.)

The PDF link must correspond to the website in the first field, otherwise it will not load. Also provide a title and description of the pdf.

Action items allow you post form letters, action advisories, or contact lists for specific bills or issues. You can attach an action item to a campaign you create in your Personal Tool and Settings which will allow subscribing users to follow every action you add to it.

Go to your "Personal Tools and Settings" page by clicking the link on your pesonal page. Under the "Action Items" tab, you can create a campaign using the form. If you make your campaign public, other users may join it and receive notifications when you add action items to them.

When you join a campaign, you will receive updates each time the organizing user adds a new action item to it.

When you write notes on any given bill or issue page, they are saved and can be viewed in your "Personal Tools and Settings" page. Simply click the link on your pesonal page.

Sure. Under any user's profile, there is a "Send Email" link in the left hand collumn. Click on it, and a message box will pop-up, enabling you send a message.