State Affairs Forum
State Affairs Forum is designed to broaden participants’ knowledge of pre-selected current events topics. State Affairs Forum uses the structure of committee hearings with parliamentary procedure where students propose solutions to important current issues. It encourages debate on these solutions and thereby fosters an in-depth understanding of the topics at hand. Delegates are encouraged to be vocal, listen intently, and participate as much as possible.
Our goal for our State Affairs Forum participants is for them to understand well-formulated solutions (not legislation) for major problems facing Texas and the national/international community, furthering their holistic understanding of news events and empowering them to speak intelligently about feasible ways to address such problems.
State Affairs Forum Resources
State Affairs Forum 2023-2024 Updates and Memo
State Affairs Proposal Debate Timeline
State Affairs Forum Section Manual
Writing your Proposal
Select a topics, proposal that are successful are topics that the author(s) is passionate about. Proposal topics that deal with one specific issue are the best to address and debate. When considering a topics they must cover state issues and not federal issues. Once you select a topic it should be check and approved by a club’s student leaders and the adult advisor. A template for your proposal is available below. This proposal template will already include the parts of the proposal that are required. Remember your proposal should not be longer than one page. A breakdown of what is need in each page is also below.
Chairperson and Clerks
Another opportunity for State Affairs Forum leadership is the committee team composed of a Chairperson and Clerk. These teams will be evaluated at the District Conferences. The highest ranked teams will be assigned to serve at the State Conference. Each delegation is require to send 1 chair clerk team for every 15 delegates coming to the state conference. If delegations are smaller than 15, the club are required to provide a chairperson or clerk .
Each member of the Chair/Clerk team must still prepare a proposal to be presented at the District Conference and at State Conference.