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Serving Northern St. Louis County, Minnesota

Local students voice concerns at State Capitol

Part of YMCA’s Youth in Government program

Aloysia Power
Posted 1/23/15

ST. PAUL— The State Capitol buzzed with the noise of shuffling papers, clanging gavels, and the ongoing chatter of persuasive argument the weekend of Jan. 10. It seemed like a normal legislative …

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Local students voice concerns at State Capitol

Part of YMCA’s Youth in Government program

Posted

ST. PAUL— The State Capitol buzzed with the noise of shuffling papers, clanging gavels, and the ongoing chatter of persuasive argument the weekend of Jan. 10. It seemed like a normal legislative session at the golden-topped house on the hill, but with a cast of unfamiliar characters a decade too young for their time.

About 1,600 students from around the state, ranging from middle schoolers to high schoolers, filled the rooms and halls in their suit jackets and dress skirts, busy with presenting their bills and following fiery debates on the House and Senate floors as part of the Minnesota YMCA’s Youth in Government’s Model Assembly Session. Among the crowd were two young legislators from Tower’s Vermilion Country Charter School, freshmen Kaitlyn Larson and Jeffrey Mattson.

Through the school, Larson and Mattson joined the Youth in Government program at the beginning of the school year. They’ve been learning the ropes of the parliamentary system for the past semester and drove to the weekend legislative practicum to argue their very own bills.

“They did fantastically,” said their Youth in Government advisor, Clint Hughes. “I’m incredibly proud of them.”

Mattson was able to argue his bill all the way to the House floor and Larson withstood scrutiny from the House’s transportation committee before her bill died.

The students’ model for passing bills followed the same system as an official Minnesota State Legislator, with the bills starting before the committee, next moving onto the floor, then to the Senate or House, and finally to the Governor. The only difference is everything is student-run, from the lobbyists to the legislators, and even the media.

“Everything about Youth in Government is about student leadership,” said Hughes. “We are very hands-off.”

Hughes said he and other advisors were present at the assembly, but were there only to ensure the students’ safety.

Once Mattson and Larson got off the bus at the Capitol, they quickly changed from their traveling sweat pants into clean, presentable dress clothing and rushed into their respective rooms to present their bills.

Larson was the second presenter at the assembly and said she felt nervous — it being her first time — but was also excited to see what would happen.

“I didn’t know what to expect,” she said.

In front of the transportation committee, Larson presented her bill, proposing that the state make an exception to the driver’s license minimum age requirement for students who live 20 miles or more from their schools, allowing such students to obtain their licenses a year early at 15 years of age. Larson, who is one such student living 30 miles away in Ely, argued that this new law would make the commute easier for both the students and their families, especially in cases in which the student misses the bus or is involved in after-school activities.

“It stinks having to call my parents to come pick me up when I can’t take the bus home,” said Larson.

After consideration, the 24-person committee decided to table Larson’s bill because it was “poorly written” and Larson wasn’t fully ready to defend it, she said.

“Next year, I know I have to put more explaining into it and to write my opening and closing statements beforehand,” she said.

Though her bill died in the first step of the long process, Larson said she’s not discouraged and already has ideas brewing in her head for the bill she will write for next year’s assembly.

Until then, she will act on the steering committee for her school, where she’ll attend a Minnesota Youth in Government summer retreat, help write the program’s code of conduct, and coach her fellow students on how to pass their bills.

Mattson, however, will move on to be a lobbyist next year.

“You get to run around more rather than sit in one room the whole time,” he said.

For a first-time legislator, Hughes said Mattson did very well, and it was a big hit for him to have his bill debated on the floor.

In his bill, Mattson proposed that charter schools be allowed to own their own real estate so they can use that rental money elsewhere in their budgets.

Although it didn’t make it past the floor, Mattson said he learned a lot about communication and organization that he’s brought back to his student council.

“Instead of the agenda maker saying something, it’s everyone saying something and then a vote,” he said about council.

Both Mattson and Larson said the St. Paul trip has inspired them to voice their opinions more, and for Larson, to maybe even pursue a career in politics.

The two students had a chance to watch real legislators at work after their own mock session, and Larson said it made an impression.

“Watching them in the big room with the gavel was exciting,” she said. “It looked like something I’d like to do, I’m just not sure exactly what yet.”

Youth in Government, "Vermilion Country School"