capitol briefings special edition
DESCRIPTION
The first edition of the 2014-15 Florida YMCA Youth In Government program year.TRANSCRIPT
The Presiding Officer
Corps is comprised of
thirteen individuals who
were either elected or
appointed to serve the
Florida YMCA Youth In
Government program.
Being a PO is a
t r e m e n d o u s
responsibility, and it
takes hard work and
dedication. As a PO, you
spend lots of time
working with the other
officers, whether at
retreats, or on the
phone. Depending on
your position, you will
h e l p c r e a t e t h e
executive and legislative
agendas, edit articles for
Capital Briefings, or
write cases. Regardless
of your specific position,
when you become a PO
you become part of a
team.
A Presiding Officer
p o s i t i o n i s a
responsibility that should
not be taken lightly. First
you have to win the
election at your Fall
District Conference. If
y o u w i n ,
congratulations, now
begin the preparations
for running at State
Assembly. For those of
you interested in an
appointed position, work
on going above and
b e y o n d i n y o u r
delegation and program
area.
As a PO, you get the
honor to serve the entire
program. This means
you attend every FDC as
well as PO/SO, which is
great because you meet
more delegates in the
program.
Running to be a
presiding officer is a
huge decision that
should not be taken
lightly. It takes a lot of
time and effort so make
sure you are willing to
meet the demands.
Similar to Youth In
Government as a whole,
you get out of it what
you put into it, and I
encourage all of you to
consider running for a
p r e s i d i n g o f f i c e r
position, it truly is a life-
changing experience.
2014-15 Presiding Officer Corps. Photo Courtesy of Laura Stargel
BY CALEB MIRANDA
COMMISSIONER OF
AGRICULTURE
SPECIAL EDITION · 17 SEPTEMBER 2014
You can be a future leader
Do you love to write?
Are you constantly
checking twitter to keep
up with the latest news?
The Press Corps could be
the place for you! As a
member of the Press
Corps, you report on
everything from court
cases to bills to
Governor’s ball. The
Press Corps connects the
different program areas
so delegates know what
is going on in the
Cabinet while they are
debating in the Senate.
Similar to the other
program areas, you can
work with your friends
and write articles
together. Being in Press
is more than just sitting
at your computer
writing, you get to walk
around the Capitol
conducting interviews
and taking pictures. It is
unlike the other program
areas because the
process is more creative
and less formal. Do not
think you have to wait till
State Assembly for the
fun to begin, you write
articles at Fall District
Conference and in the
months leading up to
State Assembly. Since
there is a cap to how
many delegates can join
the corps, there is an
application, but do not
let that deter you. When
you join the Press Corps,
you join a family within
the YIG family.
Bonus to being in
Press: You get to use the
press box above the
House of Representatives
which gives you the best
seat in the house. If you
are a second year
delegate and Press is
something you would like
to do, apply on the
Deledex by October 1st.
BY ABBY CONTRERAS
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
Perks of the Press
2 CAPITOL BRIEFINGS SPECIAL EDITION 17 SEPTEMBER 2014
Find the right SO position for you
As your dedication to
the program increases,
you may decide to
apply for a supporting
officer position. There
are so many positions,
which one is the right
for you? Here is a run-
down of all the
support ing o f f i cer
positions available. If
more than one position
perks your interest, feel
free to sign up for both
of them.
EXECUTIVE
SUPPORTING OFFICERS
T h e E x e c u t i v e
supporting officers all
have their own Director
of Legislative Affairs
(DLA). You will write
and present a policy
proposal to the Cabinet
and basically be like
DLAs yourselves except
you set your own
agenda. Pos i t ions
include:
• Secretary of the Department of Juvenile Justices
• Secretary of the Department of Environmental Protection
• Commissioner of Education
• Secretary of State • State Surgeon General
JUDICIAL SUPPORTING
OFFICERS
The Associate Justices
(up to 5) write
questions to ask the
attorneys instead of
writing briefs and at
State Assembly, sit on
the Panel and question
attorneys.
LEGISLATIVE
SUPPORTING OFFICERS
A Committee Chairman
( t h e r e a r e
approximately 30) runs
the committees they
are assigned to. The
Secretary of the
Senate/Clerk of the
House (between 4-8
people) keeps track of
the time of debate on
the floor.
LOBBYISTS/ DIRECTORS
OF LEGISLATIVE
AFFAIRS
DLAs serve their
Cabinet member with
their respective title,
speak in committees
and encourage debates
to make caucuses
happen.
• Office of the Governor • Department of Financial Services
• Department of Agriculture & Consumer Services
• Office of the Attorney General
• Department of Education
• Department of State • Department of Health • Department of Environmental Protection
• Department of Juvenile Justice
PRESS SUPPORTING
OFFICERS
The assistant editor and
the editorial board
(about 3-8 delegates)
help the editor-in-chief
with article editing and
picture selection during
State Assembly.
Movers and shakers
The D i r e c t o r s o f
Legislative Affairs are one
of the key influences of
getting a bill passed
through the House of
Representatives and the
Senate and into the
Cabinet. They work for
an Office of Legislative
Affairs for one of the
Cabinet members and
help pass bills that are
important to the office
they represent. They help
these bills pass through
the House and the
Senate by speaking on
the leg is lat ion in
committees, finding co-
sponsors and making
sure the co-sponsors are
prepared, and informing
other delegates of the bill
and who supports it. The
DLAs link the legislative
and executive branches.
They are the movers and
shakers of getting a bill
passed. If you are
interest in being a DLA,
the applications are on
the Deledex and are due
October 1st.
BY MIRA PATEL
ATTORNEY GENERAL
BY LAURA STARGEL
CHIEF OF STAFF
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