Seattle Academy Youth Legislature visits the State Capitol

On May 8-11, Seattle Academy's Youth Legislature Team, accompanied by Advisors Steve Retz and Regan Falcon, traveled to the State Capitol Building in Olympia to take part in the 72nd YMCA Youth Legislature Event. YMCA Youth Legislature allows teens grades 8-12 to explore the meaning of civics and democracy in our nation by assuming the role of various Washington State elected officials, researching and drafting creative policy solutions to community problems, and engaging in service-oriented activities.

This year, three hundred plus teens from across the states and from nineteen delegations participated. Over the four days, two hundred plus total bills from across the state were proposed and seventy-five plus bills made it out of committee and onto the Senate and House Floors. Seventeen bills passed in both chambers and were signed by the Governor. Ten Seattle Academy students attended this year and saw ten of their bills pass out of committee. 

Advisor Steve Retz reflected on this year's trip by saying, “The Seattle Academy delegation has built a solid reputation over the past decade for bringing well-crafted bills and then arguing persuasively for them in the House and Senate chambers. This year’s group did exactly that, and we all had a ton of fun in the process!”  

A little dance to celebrate the end of the afternoon session pic.twitter.com/IPRygdRIqC

— SAAS YAG (@saas_yag) May 10, 2019

The following Senate and House bills are the ones that passed in their houses of origination.

        1.  Makena Kerns '19 —Senate
            Cash bail replaced by risk assessment

        2.  Aki Eisenman-Shoda '20 —Senate
            Regulations for marijuana ads

        3.  Jacob Ratzliff '20 —House
            Fair repair of electronics products

        4.  Derek Eng '20 —House 
            Ownership of wild animals permitted

State Officers in 2019:

Hannah Davis '19 - Attorney General

Hannah is sworn in as Attorney General pic.twitter.com/IXuS0VFMEc

— SAAS YAG (@saas_yag) May 9, 2019

 

Danny Scherzer '20 - House Parliamentarian and Committee Chair 

  

Danny speaking out in favor of a bill allowing immigrants to become president of the US pic.twitter.com/JNz0bvKg3C

— SAAS YAG (@saas_yag) May 10, 2019

 

 More Photos from the 2019 Youth Legislature Event