PROJECT TWO MODEL GENERAL ASSEMBLY 2001 MR. ADDIE

PROJECT 2 WILL SIMULATE THE INTRODUCTION AND COMMITTEE STAGES OF THE VIRGINIA STATE LEGISLATURE’S BILL PASSAGE PROCESS. EACH CLASS WILL BE DIVIDED INTO 4 STANDING COMMITTEES FROM THE HOUSE OF DELEGATES. EACH STUDENT WILL BE ASSIGNED AN ACTUAL HOUSE OF DELEGATE OR SENATE DISTRICT AND SEAT ON A COMMITTEE FROM THE 2001 GENERAL ASSEMBLY SESSION. STUDENT/DELEGATES ARE EXPECTED TO “ROLE PLAY” THE POLITICAL PARTY, DISTRICT AND ACTUAL REPRESENTATIVE THEY ARE ASSIGNED.

REQUIREMENTS -

1. DELEGATE BILL -

STUDENT/DELEGATES WILL CHOOSE ONE BILL THAT HAS BEEN PREFILED OR

SPONSORED BY THE ACTUAL REPRESENTATIVE THEY ARE ASSIGNED TO ROLE-PLAY

AND CONDENSE INTO A ONE-PAGE SUMMARY OF THE BILL FOR SUBMISSION TO ONE

OF THE 4 CLASS COMMITTEES FOR REVIEW.

BILLS WILL BE SUBMITTED TO THE COMMITTEES THROUGH A “FOLDER SYSTEM”.

HAVE 9 COPIES OF YOUR BILL ON THE DUE DATE: 7 FOR THE COMMITTEE - ONE

FOR THE INSTRUCTOR - ONE FOR YOURSELF. BILL COPIES ARE DUE: B-12/19/00 AND

G - 12/20/00 FOR BILL CHECK AND DISTRIBUTION TO COMMITTEES

2. PERSONAL BILL -

STUDENT/DELEGATES WILL ALSO DEVELOP ONE “PERSONAL BILL” ON A STATE

GOVERNMENT TOPIC OF THEIR CHOICE AND CONDENSE INTO A ONE-PAGE SUMMARY

FOR SUBMISSION TO ONE OF THE 4 COMMITTEES

BILLS WILL BE SUBMITTED TO THE COMMITTEES THROUGH A “COMMITTEE FOLDER

SYSTEM”. HAVE 9 COPIES OF YOUR BILL ON THE DUE DATE: 7 FOR THE

COMMITTEE - ONE FOR THE INSTRUCTOR - ONE FOR YOURSELF. BILL COPIES ARE DUE:

B - 12/19/00 AND G - 12/20/00 FOR BILL CHECK AND DISTRIBUTION TO COMMITTEES.

3. COMMITTEE WORK -

STUDENT/DELEGATES WILL MEET IN COMMITTEE DURING THE ASSIGNED DATES TO

CONSIDER ALL BILLS SUBMITTED. COMMITTEE CHAIRPERSONS WILL BE THE

STUDENT/DELEGATE ELECTED BY THE COMMITTEE ON THE CAUCUS DAY. UNDER

THE CHAIRPERSON’S GUIDANCE, ALL BILLS WILL BE CONSIDERED (MARKED UP) FOR

FINAL COMMITTEE APPROVAL. COMMITTEE MEMBERS WILL BE ASSESSED ON GROUP

INTERACTION AND PARTICIPATION. BILLS THAT SURVIVE THE MARK-UP SESSION

WILL BE VOTED ON BY THE FULL COMMITTEE AND, IF APPROVED, ASSIGNED TO

COMMITTEE MEMBERS FOR “REWRITING” INTO THE FINAL VERSION THAT WILL GO

TO THE “GOVERNOR” FOR APPROVAL OR VETO. SINCE EACH COMMITTEE MEMBER IS

REQUIRED TO DO AT LEAST ONE “REWRITE”, MAKE SURE YOUR COMMITTEE PASSES

ENOUGH BILLS TO MEET THIS REQUIREMENT. IN ADDITION TO THE “REWRITE”, EACH

COMMITTEE MEMBER IS REQUIRED TO MAKE THIRTY COPIES OF THE “REWRITE” FOR

A CLASS SET OF BILLS FOR EVERYONE TO READ AND CONSIDER DURING THE FLOOR

VOTE SESSION.

BECAUSE OF TIME RESTRICTIONS, BILLS PASSED BY THE COMMITTEE WILL BE

VOTED ON IN EACH CLASS AS A COMBINED HOUSE OF DELEGATES, STATE SENATE

AND CONFERENCE COMMITTEE. A VETO OVERRIDE SESSION WILL BE HELD FOR ALL

VETOED BILLS. COPIES OF VETOED BILLS WILL BE GIVEN TO EACH CLASS AND EACH

CLASS WILL VOTE TO OVERRIDE THE VETO OR SUSTAIN THE VETO. A 3/4 MAJORITY

OF THE CLASS IS REQUIRED TO OVERRIDE EACH VETO. VETO OVERRIDE

VOTING SESSIONS WILL BE HELD IN EACH CLASS ON THE LAST TWO DAYS OF THE

SIMULATION.

ASSESSMENT -

A SEPARATE SHEET WITH ASSESSMENT AREAS WILL BE USED TO EVALUATE THIS PROJECT. ATTENDANCE WILL BE PART OF THIS ASSESSMENT. THIS ASSIGNMENT WILL

COUNT AS YOUR 15% PROJECT GRADE FOR THE 2ND QUARTER

TIMELINE AND ASSIGNMENTS -

1. 11/29/00 (B) AND 11/30/00(G) - DISTRICT AND COMMITTEE ASSIGNMENTS GIVEN - BEGIN

BILL SEARCH AND PERSONAL BILL DEVELOPMENT - EACH BILL MUST BY TYPED, ONE

PAGE SUMMARIES FOLLOWING THE FORMAT USED ON THE WEBSITE SAMPLE.

2. 12/19/00 (B) AND 12/20/00 (G)-FINAL COPIES OF DELEGATE AND PERSONAL BILLS DUE -9

COPIES OF EACH REQUIRED - FILE BILLS IN THE COMMITTEE FOLDERS - CAUCUS IN

COMMITTEES TO ELECT CHAIRPERSON - REVIEW PROCEDURES AND COMMITTEE

RULES TO DEBATE, AMEND AND VOTE ON BILLS - BEGIN REVIEW OF BILLS.

3. 1/4/01 TO 1/9/01 - COMMITTEE WORK ON BILLS - ALL APPROVED BILLS (WITH 30

COPIES) DUE BY: B-1/10/01 AND G-1/11/01

4. 1/10/01 TO 1/11/01 - FLOOR DEBATE AND VOTE PLUS VETO OVERRIDE SESSION - EACH

CLASS READS, DEBATES AND VOTES ON BILLS PASSED BY THE COMMITTEES.

GOVERNOR IN EACH CLASS WILL APPROVE OR VETO BILLS - CLASS WILL CONSIDER

VETOED BILLS AND VOTE TO OVERRIDE. END OF SESSION.

SOURCES:

Web sites - Virginia General Assembly

Legislative Information System - http://leg1.state.va.us/001/lis.htm

(Members Bills)

Virginia Legislature Online - http://legis.state.va.us/vaonline/v.htm

Project Vote-Smart - http://www.vote-smart.org/index.phtml