Purpose
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.

Structure
The Legislative Program is based closely on the Missouri General Assembly. The Missouri YMCA General Assembly is composed of two chambers, the Senate and the House of Representatives. Each chamber is broken down into committees. Both the committees and chambers are comprised of students serving as Senators and Representatives.

The Legislative Program also includes a Novice House, which gives new legislative participants a better chance to learn and get involved in the proceedings. The Novice House generally operates in the same manner as the House of Representatives, although it does not exchange legislation with any other chamber. Bills passed by the Novice House are sent to the Governor for review and comment, and the authors of such bills are recognized for their achievements.

Roles
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. Beyond these roles, students may serve in one of a number of leadership positions.

• Presiding Officer (Speaker of the House or Lieutenant Governor)
• Floor Leader
• Secretary
• Reading Clerk
• Sergeant-at-Arms
• Chaplain
• Committee Chairperson

Legislative Documents
Click here to review YIG Handbooks and Legislative Program Documents. These documents may be useful in your preparation for the State Convention, especially with researching and writing a bill.

Related Links
Click here for links to other websites that may assist you as your research and write your bill.