CONNELLSVILLE – Senator Pat Stefano (R-32) will host his 5th annual student government seminar for more than 100 local students from 17 school districts on Friday at Penn State Fayette’s Eberly Campus.
The program encourages students to become “Senators for a Day” to better understand the legislative process and think critically about some of the real-life issues facing lawmakers.
Students are assigned to one of five committees – Education, Finance, Judiciary, Law & Justice or Transportation – to consider two mock Senate proposals. Once the mock committee meetings adjourn, the groups come together in a general session to debate the bills that were approved in committee.
This year, students will consider a wide range of proposals, including property tax elimination, year-round schooling, Second Amendment rights, liquor store privatization, voter identification and other topics currently under consideration in the General Assembly. The students are given news articles in advance of the seminar to become familiar with the issues.
“In addition to teaching students about the legislative process, the Senator for a Day program offers students a chance to discuss and debate the merits of some of the most important issues facing Pennsylvania,” Stefano said. “I look forward to giving students an opportunity to get a glimpse of how government functions and how it reacts to public policy issues so they get to see how the legislative process works from the inside.”
The program begins at 8 a.m. and is scheduled to run until 1:30 p.m.
CONTACT: Sue Quinn (724) 626-1611