US/VA GOVERNMENT

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. THE 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 3 COPIES OF YOUR BILL ON THE DUE DATE: ONE FOR THE COMMITTEE - ONE FOR THE INSTRUCTOR - ONE FOR YOURSELF. BILL COPIES ARE DUE 0N 1/12/01 FOR 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 3 COPIES OF YOUR BILL ON THE DUE DATE: ONE FOR THE COMMITTEE - ONE FOR THE INSTRUCTOR - ONE FOR YOURSELF. BILL COPIES ARE DUE ON 1/12/01 FOR 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 CLASS AS A COMBINED HOUSE OF DELEGATES, STATE SENATE AND CONFERENCE COMMITTEE. A VETO OVERRIDE SESSION WILL BE HELD FOR ALL VETOED BILLS. THE 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 ON THE LAST DAY 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 25% PROJECT GRADE FOR THE 2ND QUARTER

TIMELINE AND ASSIGNMENTS -

1. 11/3/00 - 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. 1/12/01 - FINAL COPIES OF DELEGATE AND PERSONAL BILLS DUE - 3

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. 1/12/01 TO 1/17/01 - COMMITTEE WORK ON BILLS - ALL APPROVED BILLS (WITH 30

COPIES) DUE BY: B-1/22/01

4. 1/22/01 TO 1/26/01 - FLOOR DEBATE AND VOTE PLUS VETO OVERRIDE SESSION -

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

GOVERNOR WILL APPROVE OR VETO BILLS WITH A MESSAGE - CLASS WILL CONSIDER

VETOED BILLS AND VOTE TO OVERRIDE. THE MODEL GENERAL ASSEMBLY WILL

CONCLUDE AFTER THESE VETO OVERRIDE VOTES.

SOURCES:

Web site - Legislative Information System - http://leg1.state.va.us/001/lis.htm (Members Bills)

Project Vote-Smart - http://www.vote-smart.org/index.phtml (Virginia General Assembly)

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