Delegation Resource Manual: Preparing for the Model Legislature
Page 86
YMCA PA Youth & Government Program
Bill Writing Policies
Position Papers – All 1st year participants regardless of grade are expected to write a Position
Paper before writing their Bills. The Position Paper is a valuable resource for writing the
Bill, writing supporting speeches, and understanding the general scope of the topic at hand.
Refer to the section on writing position papers earlier in the manual.
Number of Bills to Write
At minimum, each club will be responsible for authoring and submitting a bill for every
Representative and Senator attending the Model Legislature.
Bills in excess of the minimum will be placed in the Bill Book but cannot be heard ahead of
the bills that are submitted to fulfill the required minimum submissions.
Each bill will be co-authored by 2 delegates who will also serve as the sponsors for the bill in
the Model Legislature. Co-Authors will be placed in opposite chambers of the same color
legislature. (Note: This implies that Senators will need to author and sponsor multiple bills).
Authors may utilize other club members for assistance with concept, research, and bill
construction.
Topics
Authors must designate an appropriate Senate or House Committee into which they wish to
direct their bill for consideration. The topic of each bill must relate to the concern of the
committee designated. Secondly, each club may direct only one (1) bill to a specific committee.
After every committee has been assigned at least one bill, clubs may direct additional bills to
any committee.
Banned Topics
Each year the topics of the bills that were passed by the previous Model Legislature and signed into
law by the Youth Governor are banned from discussion for one year. The list of banned topics will
be sent to each club at the beginning of the program year.
Committees
Blue & Gold Senates
Blue, & Gold Houses
Commerce & Consumer Affairs
Commerce & Consumer Affairs
Education
Education
Law & Justice
Law & Justice
Current Events
Current Events
Health & Human Services
Blue House Only - Science, Technology, and Environment
Gold House Only – Children & Youth
Legislative Bills received after the deadline will be returned to you. You will then be
responsible to prepare 25 copies of each bill and deliver them to the BILL COORDINATOR
at the Model Government Convention.
