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By Caden Zeigler

During the 2017 Youth and Government District Conference, several students recounted interesting and controversial bills that were proposed. Not all of these bills were centered around current events, but some were rather methods of inspiring thoughtful and sometimes comedic debate.

“The most interesting bill I’ve seen was at state last year in my committee room,” Emma Cook of the Jack C Hays delegation said, “there was a bill to cut all of the rapists’ d*cks off.” The bill didn’t pass, and Emma posed the question, “what about female rapists?… We can’t really cut their d*cks of.” Jokingly, Cook offered the solution of cutting off their entire lower body. “It’s close enough,” she said.

Multiple people mentioned a bill proposed by Bret Johnson, that replaces all names with a specific 10 digit number set. “He says it’s more individualistic,” said Cook, “because there are… 20 thousand people named John.” The bill wasn’t passed at first, but Bret called for a revote and it was.

Bri Branscomb, junior at the Leander delegation, said that “last year, there was a guy who tried to legalize public nudity… everywhere.” She did not know if it got passed at state, “but it got passed at our district” Branscom says “he compared people not wanting to see public nudity to people not wanting their children to see black people during the Jim Crow period.” Branscomb put an amendment on it that “nudity can only be allowed in certain areas… but it can’t be close to a school.”

“He calls it ‘banime’,” Branscomb says, “this year there is a kid who wants to ban all forms of anime.” The bill still passed, though Branscomb did not vote to pass it.

Joshua Skadberg of the Jack C Hays delegation, author of “banime,” defines anime as “a Japanese style of motion-picture animation, characterized by highly stylized, colorful art, futuristic settings, violence, and sexuality.”

His bill states that any “weeaboo” who is seen watching “anime, reading manga, or having possession of anime merchandise shall be… fined $200, doubling every repeated offense to a max of $6400.” Later in the bill, Skadberg defines a weeaboo as “ a non Japanese person who basically denounces their own culture and calls themselves Japanese. They try to learn japanese through the anime they watch and usually end up pronouncing it wrong and looking like a complete idiot.”

“When you get a bill like ‘banime’ it’s just fun cause nobody is actually like usper for against it,” Bri Branscomb says, “so it’s just a fun bill to debate because no one takes it seriously.”

By: Nettie Comerford

Freshmen Maria Noonan, Annabel Glass, and Angelica Monrreal from the Ann Richards School Delegation proposed a bill to provide better mental health services to veterans that passed unanimously in the State Affairs forum this afternoon. The bill addresses the need to better educate health professionals in the field, and for more efficient access to help by shortening the wait list for Veterans to receive help from the U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs.

“In 2014 a study showed that 25% of active duty members showed signs of mental health problems, and this is not a rare or uncommon issue. These mental health issues are hindering active duty members and veterans from transitioning into civilian life.” Monrreal said. According to “Troubling Veteran Mental Health Facts and Statistics that Need to be Addressed,” published on March 25, 2016 by National Veterans Foundation, “A study conducted by the the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration found that only 50% of Veterans who need mental health services will actually receive them.” Of the people who receive mental help, “Only 40% of veterans who screen positive for serious emotional problems seek help from a mental health professional and only 30% of veterans who screen positive receive help from the U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs.” This is in part due to the fear that many Veterans have about asking for mental help.

Another factor is the long wait list to receive help from Veteran Affairs. “The main issue with the Veteran Affairs is the waiting list. Veterans are supposed to see a doctor within 14 days after paperwork is accepted, but many veterans are being waitlisted for an upwards of 150 days,” Glass said. Noonan believes there is a way to cut the long wait. “One Veteran Affairs has approximately $800,000 that is not being used but can be accessed. If they put the money to hiring more employees or using more viable resources, the long wait time can be resolved,” Noonan said. According to Monrreal, without mental help, veterans financially suffer. “These statistics are following active members and veterans into normal civilian life, showing that veterans between ages 18 to 34 are most likely to live under the poverty line than any other group,” Monrreal said.

Junior delegate Carlos Carroll is a con speaker for the bill; he believes the bill does not solve the root of the problem and that the real issue is beyond the waitlists. “What actually goes on in Veteran Affairs is not the lack of staff or the lack of doctors,” he said. “It’s that within the Veteran Affairs organization there’s a culture of … silence for the employees and doctors there. If they speak out against the bureaucratic policies of the veterans affairs, they will get punished.”

Senior delegate Julie Apagya-Bonney is a pro speaker for the bill, and believes this bill will tackle multiple issues.  “I believe that with the implementation of this proposal we can not only educate students and give them the opportunities to get access to real life training which they can use for their later on professions, but we’re also helping veterans who actually need access to this care,” Apagya-Bonney said. “It’s really admirable of the proposal officers to create such a system in which we can do both of these things at the same time.”

By Ben Cousins

Today a bill proposed by Brandon Adams was passed proposing that student-athletes should be paid for playing at a collegiate level. In this bill, public and private schools would be required to pay their athletes or risk losing five percent of the federal funding.

The act shall take effect ninety days prior to the passing of the bill. It would be left to the board of regents how this pay is distributed. The pay may may be given to the student directly or be used to help with the student’s college tuition that scholarships or financial aid do not pay.   

“I am an athlete myself; I am just trying to make life easier for these students,” Adams said.

Adams commented that athletes are a primary source of income for universities, so they should be compensated fairly. In addition, some athletes can end up clocking more than 45 hours a week going to practice and games, making it difficult for them keep up with their grades, much less go out apply for jobs and work.

“We want to allow athletes to receive payment for their sports in order to compensate for what they give back to the university. Studies show that forty percent of student athletes struggle finding or maintaining jobs,” said Adams.

Ridah Shaik commented, many student athletes are constantly under pressure mentally and physically. It doesn’t help that they also have to worry about their financial situation. The athletes have to go out,day after day, and push themselves to the limit, just to wake up and do it all again.

“Some sports can affect your health. Not only is it harmful to their time they could be spending on other things, it’s such a commitment. It doesn’t only take a toll on them mentally and physically, but also financially. They really deserve to get compensated when their are risks that could affect you seriously,” said Shaik.

By Brianna Taylor

Upon presenting her bill, representative Kayla Frazier from the Cedar Park delegation is well aware of the discomfort in the room. The shifting eyes, the shuffling feet, and the occasional clearing of the throat are all things she is used to witnessing when speaking about her proposal. Although it may be uncomfortable for some, the subject of her bill is something she as well as many other women believe we should be talking about on a larger scale.

American women spend roughly $2 billion on feminine hygiene products in a single year, and that number is only projected to rise. Despite this statistic, many women that are homeless, imprisoned, or impoverished do not have immediate access to feminine hygiene products, leaving them in a difficult situation because of their inability to pay for a necessity. These issues, as well as many others associated with feminine hygiene costs, are what have prompted the United Nations to declare the state of menstrual hygiene a “public-health, gender-equality and human rights issue.”

Frazier’s bill is formally described as: “An act to remove all tax on feminine hygiene products to decrease the burden in women and declaring an emergency.”

According to Frazier, the implications of removing the tax from feminine hygiene products would be minuscule, and would not negatively impact the fiscal responsibility of the federal government. There are many other goods that are not currently taxed that could make up for the slight loss of revenue from removing this tax – things that are a lot less vital than feminine hygiene products. The taxation of these goods instead of those necessary for proper feminine hygiene would be much more logical, and prove to be more beneficial for women in the long run.

Frazier wrote this bill in order to draw attention to the difficulties that all women face throughout their lifetime, as well as lessen the burden of purchasing these necessary products every single month. Frazier is quite aware that for some, every penny counts, and that the removal of sales tax from feminine hygiene products will ultimately benefit women from all socio-economic areas. The idea that this topic is too taboo for conversation is eliminated in the presentation of this bill, as it allows everyone to have a mature outlook on the issue.

Frazier’s bill, which garnered support from all in the room, was unanimously passed by all in attendance. It is evident that everyone is aware of the implications that this tax imposes on women, and that the elimination of this tax would help women save money that could go to other important things.

Although this bill has a long way to go until we see it enacted Nationwide, there are many places that have already taken action in reducing the cost of feminine hygiene products. Canada was recently successful in eliminating the Goods and Services tax on items such as tampons, pads, and menstrual cups, proving themselves trailblazers in the worldwide effort to improve the availability of these products to women. Several other countries may soon follow suit, as many have begun realizing that this pressing issue is something that requires immediate action. Frazier’s bill is evidence of the menstrual crisis being something that lawmakers and citizens alike need to start recognizing and taking action against.

By: Chase Wilson

With its tumultuous history since its establishment in the early 1960’s, affirmative action has been both praised and attacked as an answer to the racial injustice and inequality that persisted despite civil war efforts and constitutional guarantees throughout our history. On Saturday, Kianna Anderson, a delegate from Vista Ridge High School, proposed an act that was passed repealing laws supporting Affirmative Action in the state of Texas. Within this bill, Anderson spoke against the “edge” given to some students over others due to their ethnic backgrounds in education as well as other aspects of their lives.

Anderson stated that although “

By Lightner Callahan

Senior Ashleigh McCoy proposed a bill that would provide Texas residents with free community college tuition. Although there was significant opposition, the bill was passed.

McCoy’s bill centers around a common aspect of any college – the finances. She has proposed a bill that requires free community college to be given to all residents of Texas.

A community college is a non-residential junior college offering courses to the people living in a specific place. Community colleges, unlike four-year colleges, have the ability to teach classes that compare to real-life situations; English as a second language, skills retaining, community enrichment options, and cultural identity. Community colleges also provide transfers to four-year colleges, a higher rate of affordability, updated relevance, and often partner with different industries, according to the American Association of Community Colleges.

The American Association of Community Colleges states that almost half of all undergraduate students in the United States go to community colleges. Those who do go to these colleges have the ability to educate themselves at their own pace, and over however many years that they choose.

The bill McCoy proposed outlined a series of things that are specific to bill 157, called provisions. These provisions act as the requirements if the bill were to be passed. They state; “any citizen of the United States that has lived in the state of Texas for at least 12 months shall be eligible for free college at any community college in the state, this free education shall not extend to housing, textbooks, or any other extra supplies needed for class, and that four year colleges shall not follow these guidelines.”

McCoy could relate to the topic because she’s been researching colleges since early in her high school career.

“Well, I am actually going to college next year and I’ve been looking at the prices since about junior year and it really just blows my mind how much it costs…” McCoy said.

McCoy knew that this was a topic that isn’t normally mentioned, but is still important. She mentioned that other states such as Tennessee, New York, and Rhode Island have implemented similar plans, and that Texas could join them in paving their way for other places.

McCoy raised points like; “it’s hard for lower-class people to afford higher-class education, a financial burden will be lifted of so many people’s backs, and the fact that an associates degree is becoming more and more needed.”

“If we don’t do anything about these people’s financial situations, we are ignoring all the potential that those people have to help and better our community.” McCoy said.

Kelly Frazier, a junior delegate opposed to bill 157, brought up the economical aspect of it.

“Until we fix the inflammation of the economy itself, [the cost of providing free community college] will just keep hurting the government.” Frazier said.

Frazier pointed out that passing this bill could result in higher taxes for citizens, a struggling economy, and could place education in a bad light, causing people to become frustrated.

“College should be a privilege, not a given.” Frazier said.

McCoy ended her presentation with a quote from one of our forefathers. She quoted Benjamin Franklin in saying,

“An investment in knowledge pays the best interest.”

By Nettie Comerford

Authors Michael Vasquez (12) and Elena Perales (12) proposed a bill titled War on Drugs this morning at the Texas Youth and Government District competition, that was passed in the State of Affairs forum. Vasquez and Perales propose to end the War on Drugs and develop educational programs for those who have been imprisoned for drug possession. The proposal dives into the complex aspects of the War on Drugs including racial discrimination, mandatory minimum sentencing, and the overall destructive effect drug use has had on the United States for years.

Vasquez believes that since the beginning of the War in Drugs, America’s policies and efforts to end the war have done more harm than good. “Our strategies have only empowered criminals, corrupt governments,

By Caden Zeigler

Today, Nov. 11th, senior Julianna Castillo proposed the bill, “A Resolution to Protect Illegal Victims of Human Trafficking,” which passed and intends to assist the victims of human trafficking with legal aid.

“There are… over 600 thousand illegal immigrants being smuggled over the border and they are not receiving the help that they probably need,” Castillo said. “So I want to shed light onto that issue.”

According to the Federation for American Immigration Reform, or FAIR, 17,000 to 19,000 immigrants are trafficked into the United States every year, many of which are “lured with false promises of good jobs and better lives, and then forced to work under brutal and inhuman conditions.”

“Trafficking is the second largest criminal industry in the world today,” said Castillo “victims of trafficking are exploited for purposes of commercial sex, including prostitution, stripping, pornography live-sex shows and other acts.” According to Castillo’s bill, the illegal immigrants would face no legal consequences because they were “here by force because of… sex trafficking.”

The US Immigration and Customs Enforcement is currently working with nongovernmental organizations, or NGOs, to “identify, rescue and provide assistance to trafficking victims.” According to ICE, they more than 350 victim coordinators that work with the NGOs in order to provide an environment where victims can feel “stable and free from fear and intimidation to be effective witnesses.”

One difference between the current legislative policies and Castillo’s bill is that ICE provides short-term immigration relief to trafficking victims for one year, that can be renewed every year until the victim is no longer proven to be a potential witness. Victims are also eligible to apply for a  T and U nonimmigrant status granting them four years of residency, and can lead to possible permanent future residency.  

Castillo’s bill has already been enacted in the federal government, according to Homeland Security, the NGOs that ICE works with also “offer a variety of services to assist crime victims

such as immigration legal assistance, crisis intervention, counseling, medical care, housing, job skills training and case management,” aligning with Castillo’s bill stating that immigrants should be provided assistance with “homes, financial needs, and emotional state.”

Every point of all of Castillo’s bill has already been covered in the current laws enacted in the US, the only difference being that Castillo wishes to provide long-term citizenship immediately to these victims, not just temporary citizenship.

Castillo’s bill was passed and will continue on to the House of Representatives. “We are all human,” says Castillo, “and we all deserve the fundamental human rights.”

By Skylar Sigala

Imagine going through life without a name and instead being addressed by a number. Some people see the idea as efficient and creative while others see it as dehumanizing. Replacing names with a number phrase is a  concept often present is dystopian novels and reference to the treatment of prisoners in labor camps, but this morning a bill was proposed with those exact intentions in the Youth and Government legislation competition. The bill penned by Bret Johnson, a junior at Hays High School, plans to ban conventional names and replace them with a 10 digit ID code.

The code would also function as their personal phone number. Inspiration for the bill sourced from Johnson seeing kids with common or embarrassing names and wanting to make a change to not only improve their lives, but promote individuality. Despite his best efforts, Johnson’s bill was not passed.

“It’s efficient, easy, and simple,” Johnson said, while also calling the bill, “The way of the future.”

The bill was met with much opposition, most of which was centered around statistics and the argument of efficiency.

“It doesn’t make sense…you have a social security ID number this bill will just create unnecessary confusion,” said Ridah Shaik, senior member of the Senate, speaking in opposition of the bill.

“Are there enough number combinations to support your bill for the Texas residents?” asked Kianna Anderson, a junior member of the House.

Johnson, who had no speakers in support of his bill, replied, “I calculated the combinations and there are one billion (number) combinations…the population of Texas is significantly lower than that.”

Though the bill was written with intentions to save face for children with embarrassing names or are looking for a way to individualize their common name, it will not be a possibility for Texas residents.