LASA 2 Write Your Own Bill
Scenario:
You are a newly elected Member of Congress. It is up to you as to whether you are a Senator or a Representative from your State. You made several important promises during your campaign and now that you have taken your seat, you need to show the constituents you represent that you are going to fulfill at least one of these promises with a bill you write and introduce into your chamber.
Directions:
Choose a topic for your bill:
Envision the constituents that elected you
Imagine that you have interacted with your constituents
What’s making news?
Look to other states
Look to your own experience
Look at current logs and regulations
Use the internet
Research your bill topic:
Look at existing law
Explore various solutions to the issue
Support your position with facts and figures
Determine your support and opposition
When writing your bill:
Ensure clarity, organization and accuracy
Ensure you are creating law
Anticipate questions and concerns
Proofread and check grammar
Bill structure (see attached)
Bill writing checklist (see attached)
Some links that may help you understand how to write a bill:
Congressional Bills Web site http://www.gpo.gov
USA.gov is the front door to every government website. http://www.usa.gov.
Congressional Bills Search Tips Web Site http://www.gpo.gov/help/index.html#simple_search.htm
Thomas (Library of Congress)http://thomas.loc.gov/home/lawsmade.toc.html
Review the Bill Writing Checklist. Using the Bill Structure document fill in all sections to write your bill.
To complete this assignment, you must submit the completed Bill Structure Document that clearly illustrates all components of a professionally written bill and address all required elements of the assignment listed in the grading criteria below.
The assignment must be submitted as a Word document. Include APA formatted title and reference page. Be sure to cite any references used in APA format..
By Monday, June 27, 2016, deliver your assignment to the M5 Assignment 1 Dropbox.
Assignment 1 Grading Criteria
Maximum Points
Bill Topic: Provide a clear discussion and evaluation of the topic of the bill and include relevance and constituency affected.
40
Bill Topic Research: Examine existing law; Explore various solutions to the issue; Support your position with facts and figures; Evaluate support and opposition to the bill.
40
Bill Content: Ensure clarity, organization and accuracy; Verify that law is being created; Anticipate questions and concerns.
52
Bill Structure (see attached for details)
Each Bill must include the following:
Title
Name of sponsor
Purpose
Section on short title
Section on definitions
Section on how your bill will work
Section on function
Section on regulations
Section on penalties
Section on effective date
52
Bill Writing (see attached)
Review the Bill Writing Checklist to ensure that you have included everything in your bill.
Clarity
Bill’s purpose
Definitions
Clear identification of terms
Appropriate terminology
Conditions placed on bill
Purpose section is clear and consistent throughout the bill
What the bill is to do comes at the beginning
Enactment clause
Sections are consistent with no contradiction
Actions are clearly stated Research/Preparation
Solution proposed is appropriate to the problem
Solution is thorough and clear
Definitions are clear
50
Written Components:
Organization (16 points)
Usage and mechanics (16 points)
Style (14 points)
APA elements (20 points)
66
Total:
300
