The goal of the Legislative Program is to turn the ideas of Missouri youth into formal laws by writing, debating, and voting on legislation according to specific rules and procedures. The program also promotes leadership by operating under the direction of both elected and appointed student leaders. Further, the Legislative Program encourages collaboration and compromise as legislators work with participants in other YIG programs, as well as each other, to achieve their goals.
The structure of the YIG Legislative Program is based as closely as possible on that of Missouri's state legislature, the General Assembly. The Missouri YMCA General Assembly is composed of two chambers, with the smaller body known as the Senate and the larger body known as the House of Representatives. Each chamber can also be broken down at times into a number of committees. Both the committees and the chambers are comprised of students serving as Senators and Representatives, plus their elected and appointed student leaders.
The Legislative Program also includes a Freshman House, which gives new legislative participants a better chance to learn and get involved in the proceedings. The Freshman House generally operates in the same manner as the House of Representatives, although it does not exchange legislation with any other chamber and cannot have any bills signed into YIG law by the Governor. Bills passed by the Freshman House are sent to the Governor for review and comment, and the authors of such bills are recognized for their achievements.
The operations of the Missouri YMCA General Assembly are based on parliamentary procedures and the rules of the Missouri General Assembly, except when these guidelines are superseded by the rules of the Missouri YMCA General Assembly. All rules and procedures may be accessed via the section on the Legislative Program on the Missouri YMCA Youth In Government website.
Most participants in the Legislative Program serve as Senators or Representatives in their respective chambers. The main duties of these legislators are to research, write, and submit bills as individuals or in pairs, and then participate in the proposal of, debate upon, and vote on legislation in larger groups. In addition, all legislators have the opportunity to utilize lobbyists and the media to promote their ideas. Legislators may also serve as witnesses in a mock trial.
Beyond these roles, students may serve in one of a number of leadership positions. Each legislative chamber has a Presiding Officer, as well as a set of Program Leaders, including a Floor Leader, Sergeant-At-Arms, Secretary, Reading Clerk, and Chaplain. The Presiding Officer serves as the most powerful leader in each chamber, where he or she maintains order, controls the flow of debate, and directs the course of legislation. Each Program Leader performs some special duties to assist the Presiding Officer in her or his respective chamber, in addition to fulfilling the basic role of a legislator (including submitting a bill and voting on legislation). Students may apply to be a Program Leader when completing their initial program application. Selection of Program Leaders is made by the Legislative Program Coordinators.
In the Senate, the Lieutenant Governor is the Presiding Officer. The candidates for this office appear on the ballot of the general election at the State Convention and are voted on by all student participants. The winner serves during the following year. The runner-up becomes the President Pro Tempore of the Senate and presides in the Lieutenant Governor’s absence.
The Speaker of the House is the Presiding Officer of the House of Representatives. Only members of the House vote for the Speaker. Like the Lieutenant Governor, the Speaker is elected at the State Convention and serves during the following year. The runner-up becomes the Speaker Pro Tempore of the House and presides in place of the Speaker when necessary.
The Presiding Officer of the Freshman House is selected by the Legislative Program Coordinators from students who express an interest on their initial program applications. Selection is based on both legislative experience and advisor recommendations. This Presiding Officer serves during the same year in which they are appointed.
Proposed legislation submitted to the Legislative Program Coordinators is assigned to a one of several legislative committees. At the State Convention, student legislators preside over these small groups as Committee Chairpersons. Students may apply for the position of Committee Chairperson when completing their initial program application. Selection of committee chairpersons is made by the Legislative Program Coordinators.
Each legislative chamber has special committee, known as a Rules Committee, composed of key leaders from the chamber. This group meets several times during the State Convention to create a calendar that determines the order in which the bills will be presented in that chamber. The Rules Committees for the Senate and the House are composed of the Presiding Officer, Pro Tempore, Floor Leader, and Committee Chairpersons of that chamber. The calendar for the Freshman House is set by the Presiding Officer, Program Leaders, and Committee Chairpersons of the chamber.