By: Mary Virginia Huffaker
With less than four days until the start of the 2020 Youth Legislature Conference, delegates have already begun to socialize. The start of social events for the conference began last night with the Witty Debate.
Delegates presented seemingly controversial ideas to their peers, stating their stance on certain topics while others debated for and against them. The first topic was presented by Caroline Lloyd of the Cherokee County Delegation. The question of “can soap get dirty” began the light-hearted debate. Her stance was that soap can get dirty, using a quick anecdote set in 1883 as an analogy to prove her point. Fellow delegates agreed with delegate Lloyd, as the ayes had it during voting- dirty soap is a valid idea.
The next topic was presented by delegate Skylar Billings of the Spain Park Delegation. She proposed that straws have two holes rather than one, saying that length does matter when considering whether or not an object has one or two holes. However, her fellow delegates strongly disagreed with her, voting nay for her idea. Most delegates agreed that straws simply had one hole.
The next debate topic, presented by Ella Sweeney of the Vestavia Delegation, was that ketchup belonged in the fridge rather than the pantry. After further questioning, delegates were able to learn that delegate Sweeney specifically meant big bottled ketchup after being opened, not small individual packets. Sweeney’s fellow delegates agreed with her as voting ensued. The ayes had it and her idea was deemed valid.
Next Sarah Lloyd of the Cherokee County Delegation proposed that water is not wet. This topic ignited lively debate about the properties of water and the definition of the word “wet”. Delegate Lloyd’s idea was deemed valid by her peers during voting.
Lastly, Selma Maric of the Spain Park Delegation suggested that birds aren’t real. Delegate Maric insisted that birds have been killed by the CIA for years and instead been replaced with drones to spy on the American people. After debate, delegates concluded that birds are not real.
After the debate concluded, special order bills were announced. First Year Chamber special order bills were bills 159 (Votes for Everyone) by Sarah Deewees of the Spain Park Delegation and 200 (Our Voice; Student Representation in School Board Meetings) by Anna Beth Frazier of the Vestavia Delegation. The special order bills for the Senate are 162 (Make Them Better, Not Criminals) by Sarah Lloyd of the Cherokee County Delegation and 136 (Not in my Backyard Act) by Vincent Indovina of the Spain Park Delegation. The special order House bills are 165 (Baby Fingerprint Bill) by Peyton Plumlee of the Mobile ASMS Delegation and 220 (The Law Enforcement Intercourse Elimination Act) by Selma Maric of the Spain Park Delegation.
The conference begins this Saturday morning. The public supreme court hearing is November 5th at 7 pm. Be sure to attend!