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CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. - Following an intense month of legislative activity where more than 850 bills were submitted from schools around the country, student legislators participating in the 2002 YLI e-Congress adjourned sine die after supporting only eleven new legislative measures. Of the legislation adopted, the bill receiving the greatest show of support - with 67% voting YEA - was a proposal to place severe restrictions on the telemarketing industry. Students also adopted measures to raise the minimum wage, encourage the teaching of sign language, strengthen immigration background checks, reduce hate crimes, encourage adoption and lower the age for "R" rated movies.
"Student legislators, in many different settings, were asked to consider issues that were important to them and their local community, and to guide their proposed solutions through a complex legislative labyrinth. In the end, the key to success was framing local issues in the context of a national community need," said YLI Director Ken Stroupe. "As the bills came in, it also became apparent that during the process the students would have to consider many of the same issues - with many of the same ideological extremes - that confront actual Members of Congress."
Thousands of students participated in the 2002 e-Congress, including schools in Virginia, Texas, Colorado, Pennsylvania, Georgia, New Jersey, Maryland, Wisconsin, North Carolina, and New York. The student legislators introduced more than 850 pieces of legislation. Of the total, 104 bills were released from the student legislative committees. The final phase of the exercise required students to vote on the "House Floor," an electronic community designed by the Youth Leadership Initiative, wherein more than 33,000 votes were cast. The following eleven pieces of legislation received a majority vote of the students. (Titles provided by students)
H.R. 1326 Stopping Telemarketers Cold 66.79%
H.R. 1311 Increase in Minimum Wage Act of 2002 58.27%
H.R. 943 Ocean Disposal Cut down 57.87%
H.R. 5225 Immigration Background Check 57.38%
H.R. 222 Deaf Education at a Higher Level 57.02%
H.R. 40 American Sign Language is a Language 56.68%
H.R. 2810 Equal Rights For Women in the Military 55.69%
H.R. 226 Newborn Abandonment Reduction 51.59%
H.R. 1439 The Prevention of Hate Crimes in America Act 2002 51.45%
H.R. 4159 American Sign Language for Our Youth 50.45%
H.R. 5244 Lowering Age for R Movies 50.14%
The University of Virginia Center for Governmental Studies launched the national Youth Leadership Initiative as its signature program in 1998 to combat the rising tide of apathy and cynicism many Americans--and particularly young people--feel toward politics and government. The goal for the program is to rekindle citizen interest and participation in the American electoral process. To achieve this goal, the YLI couples academic excellence and cutting-edge technology with civic and community participation.
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