what's meant by obtain hearings on a bill?

Answer 1

TESTIFYING AT A LEGISLATIVE HEARING
Your elected state legislators want to know your opinion on legislation before they take a vote on the issue. Speaking at a public hearing is an effective way to let your opinion be known, rather than just writing a letter or making a call.

The purpose of a public hearing is to receive testimony and hear opinions from members of the public. The following explains how you can participate in the Legislature's public hearing process:

WHEN YOU ARRIVE:
Most committee hearings are held in the State House (the Capitol) or on the second floor of the Cross Office Building. The buildings are connected through an underground connector, which can be entered from the ground floor of either building. The committee hearing times and locations are posted on the third floor of the State House and on the second floor of the Cross Office Building.

First time visitors might want to look at the web page visiting the state house.
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PUBLIC HEARING PROCEDURES:
Speaking Order: At the beginning of each hearing, the presiding committee chair will call the public hearing to order and announce the bill to be heard. The legislator who sponsored the bill will introduce the bill, after which, the presiding chair will ask if any other cosponsors wish to testify. Once sponsors and cosponsors have had the opportunity to speak, public testimony is invited. Generally, the public may present testimony in one of three categories in the following order: those favoring the bill, those against the bill, and those neither for nor against the bill but who wish to offer information about the bill.

NOTE: The committee may be hearing several bills during a public hearing. Generally the bills are heard in the order in which they are advertised. However, the schedule is subject to change and the length of the hearing on most bills is difficult to predict.

Answer 2

It means that they have been approved to be heard and plead their case on why a bill should be passed.