by Jan Goehring
"It started as a challenge from me to the students when I was visiting their class back in September as part of the National Conference of State Legislatures Back to school Program," says Louisiana Senator Gerald Theunissen. He asked the eighth grade students from Hathaway High School in Jennings, LA to come up with a bill that would be important to the young people of the state. The result was senate bill 46 to create a Legislative Youth Advisory Council. The bill passed overwhelmingly.
The students helped write the bill and learned first-hand about building support for their legislation. Before session started they, together with Senator Theunissen, visited the capitol and met with Governor Kathleen Blanco who strongly supported the idea. They also spoke with Secretary of State Jay Dardenne, Senator Sharon Weston Broome, vice-chair of the the Senate Education Committee and Louisiana Public Broadcasting President Beth Courtney who serves on the Louisiana Commission on Civic Education. All supported the bill. The students helped with the bill as it made its way through the Legislative process.
The Legislative Youth Advisory Council will advise the Legislature on youth policy matters and proposed legislation. Membership on the council will include students in grades 9 - 12 with at least a 2.5 grade point average. The council will also hold at least one public hearing each year on issues of importance to youth and participate in an annual seminar about leadership, government and the legislatures. The Commission on Civic Education will oversee their work.
"This council will give young people a way to voice their opinions about matters important to them," says Taylor Granger, one of the students involved with the bill. "If we make the effort to learn about our government and policy making now, we will make better decisions later," he adds.
Maine, New Hampshire, New Mexico and Washington also have established youth advisory councils.
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