Civics 101 in 120 Seconds(ish)

Civics 101 in 120 Seconds (ish) - Introducing Mike Hoover: Your Soon-to-Be Favorite Parliamentarian (1 min)

Civics 101 in 120 Seconds (ish) is your straightforward guide through the often confounding legislative process.

Script:
Hello, I am Parliamentarian Mike Hoover and I will explain the Legislative Process.
I’ve been a Parliamentarian for most of 3 decades - Somebody has got to do it.
I’ve done it for the Senate, the House, King County Council, even my Cub Scouts Troop.
A Parliamentarian is just a fancy word for someone who works in parliamentary procedure and that is just a fancy word for legislative process.
One thing I warn students is that the legislative process can seem overwhelming - don’t be overwhelmed, it’s easy
There’s a lot of steps but you just need to focus on where it is now and where it goes next.
Don’t need to know everything, just the key steps and we’re going to go through those in detail.

Watch the entire Civics 101 in 120 Seconds (ish) PLAYLIST HERE:
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL75F8E2rv4SDcy6Oz3plxQCqpfNUb2HGf

Teach with TVW is a free online resource provided by TVW for Washington state social studies teachers to engage their students in state government and help to inspire active citizens.

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Civics 101 in 120 Seconds (ish) - What is the Law? (2 min)

Civics 101 in 120 Seconds (ish) is your straightforward guide through the often confounding legislative process.

Script:
Most people think of criminal law, but the criminal code is a small portion of the law
The rest are rules and regulations, such as:
Rules on how to process wheat
Curriculum in schools
The content of gasoline at the pump
Collectively all of the laws together are referred to as the Revised Code of Washington (RCW)
The way to change the law in the RCW is with a bill. Which is a “wanna -be law”
Bills start as a good idea that has been introduced by a legislator
It is written like a law
It is a suggestion to be added into the RCW that must be voted on by the Legislature
Keep in mind, many more bills are introduced than become law

Credit Sources:
00:18 - Thelma & Louise. Directed by Ridley Scott, Performances by Susan Sarandon and Geena Davis, MGM,1991. Youtube, uploaded by BlackView HD, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N090M8s9MYo&t=0s

00:32 - Old man splashed by puddle. Youtube, uploaded by mike froese, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N090M8s9MYo&t=0s

00:39 - Tommy Boy. Directed by Peter Segal, Performances by Chris Farley, Paramount Pictures,1995. Youtube, uploaded by kfilew, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U3xWOriHqwU&t=0s

Watch the entire Civics 101 in 120 Seconds (ish) PLAYLIST HERE:
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL75F8E2rv4SDcy6Oz3plxQCqpfNUb2HGf

Teach with TVW is a free online resource provided by TVW for Washington state social studies teachers to engage their students in state government and help to inspire active citizens.

Learn more at: https://www.teachwithtvw.org

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Civics 101 in 120 Seconds (ish) - What is the Legislature? (2 min)

Civics 101 in 120 Seconds (ish) is your straightforward guide through the often confounding legislative process.

The Legislature is made up of people. Regular people.
We have a part-time legislature:
Odd years are the long session (105 days)
Even years is the short session (60 days)
The two sessions combined make up a Biennium
When the session is over they return to their regular jobs.

Watch the entire Civics 101 in 120 Seconds (ish) PLAYLIST HERE:
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL75F8E2rv4SDcy6Oz3plxQCqpfNUb2HGf

Teach with TVW is a free online resource provided by TVW for Washington state social studies teachers to engage their students in state government and help to inspire active citizens.

Learn more at: https://www.teachwithtvw.org

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Civics 101 in 120 Seconds (ish) - The Three Branches (3 min)

Civics 101 in 120 Seconds (ish) is your straightforward guide through the often confounding legislative process.

Script:
Why is our system of government and making laws so complicated? Because It was intended to be difficult to pass laws and to make sure we get it “right.”
Three branches: the Judiciary, the Executive and the Legislative
The Legislative branch makes and passes the laws
The Executive implements and enforces the laws
The Judiciary interprets whether the law is being interpreted correctly or is constitutional in the first place.
Each step helps to “perfect” the bill (get more eyes on it) to make sure it is written correctly and will make sense for the Executive to implement it.
Steps also allow for the public to see it and comment on it
In those instances where the law is passed and the people are unsure it is being implemented correctly or is constitutional they are able to bring it to the Judiciary.
This is called ‘Checks and Balances’.

Watch the entire Civics 101 in 120 Seconds (ish) PLAYLIST HERE:
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL75F8E2rv4SDcy6Oz3plxQCqpfNUb2HGf

Teach with TVW is a free online resource provided by TVW for Washington state social studies teachers to engage their students in state government and help to inspire active citizens.

Learn more at: https://www.teachwithtvw.org

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Civics 101 in 120 Seconds (ish) - The Legislative Process (2 min)

Civics 101 in 120 Seconds (ish) is your straightforward guide through the often confounding legislative process.

Script:
The Legislative Process is a series of steps that bills must go through to be enacted. Each step must be completed in a certain period of time.
The Legislature is split into 2 chambers (Senate & House)
In order to become law the exact same bill must pass both chambers in the exact same form (no changes) in the exact same session.
This allows more elected officials to “perfect” a bill before it is passed
The basic steps are:
Policy Committee
Fiscal Committee
Floor Debate
Then pass over to the other chamber to start again
If the bill passes through the second chamber unchanged it goes to the Governor's desk who can sign it, veto it, or do nothing and allow it to pass into law without signature.

Watch the entire Civics 101 in 120 Seconds (ish) PLAYLIST HERE:
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL75F8E2rv4SDcy6Oz3plxQCqpfNUb2HGf

Teach with TVW is a free online resource provided by TVW for Washington state social studies teachers to engage their students in state government and help to inspire active citizens.

Learn more at: https://www.teachwithtvw.org

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Civics 101 in 120 Seconds (ish) - What is a Lobbyist? (2 min)

Civics 101 in 120 Seconds (ish) is your straightforward guide through the often confounding legislative process.

Script:
A private citizen with an interest in a particular topic and an expertise in the legislative process
Lobbyists are hired (paid and unpaid) because:
The process is complicated
As I explained before The process takes a long time (very time-consuming)
Lobbyists act on clients' behalf (alter-ego) in Olympia
The term lobbyist comes from waiting in the lobby to speak to legislators when they exit the chambers.

Watch the entire Civics 101 in 120 Seconds (ish) PLAYLIST HERE:
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL75F8E2rv4SDcy6Oz3plxQCqpfNUb2HGf

Teach with TVW is a free online resource provided by TVW for Washington state social studies teachers to engage their students in state government and help to inspire active citizens.

Learn more at: https://www.teachwithtvw.org

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Civics 101 in 120 Seconds (ish) - Policy Committees (3 min)

Civics 101 in 120 Seconds (ish) is your straightforward guide through the often confounding legislative process.

Script:
It’s the only time all bills have the same status
All that has happened is that bills have been:
“Introduced”
Given a number
Sent to a Policy Committee
Policy Committees are organized by topic
Members specialize on their areas of expertise within committees
Committee members look at bills assigned to the committee and act on two phases:
A Public Hearing - Interested parties from the public weigh in / testify on a bill
Executive Session - is the term for when they vote on it to send it out of committee
Committees vary in size.

Watch the entire Civics 101 in 120 Seconds (ish) PLAYLIST HERE:
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL75F8E2rv4SDcy6Oz3plxQCqpfNUb2HGf

Teach with TVW is a free online resource provided by TVW for Washington state social studies teachers to engage their students in state government and help to inspire active citizens.

Learn more at: https://www.teachwithtvw.org

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Civics 101 in 120 Seconds (ish) - Fiscal Committees (3 min)

Civics 101 in 120 Seconds (ish) is your straightforward guide through the often confounding legislative process.

Script:
Fiscal Committees are where bills go if they cost money
We are in a short session, but still go to a fiscal committee if costs money
Ways & Means
Appropriations
Capital Budget
Transportation
They decide: Does the state want to spend money on these great ideas?
Reason it follows policy committee is because the policy committee may not worry about the cost
EX. Every student gets a laptop, big screen and high speed internet
Great idea but fiscal committee may decide not to do all/part/any of that
Fiscal Committee also has to decide how to raise money to pay for it
This is with FEES & Taxes
Great idea we will fund it with a fee
A lot of the groups who want the idea are ok with the fee
Ex. Fisherman want improvements to a dock
We are willing to pay $5 docking fees to pay for it
You may not think people want to raise their own taxes but it actually does happen
Everything has got to be paid for
Unlike DC where they can print money and run deficits
Our state cannot do that -The Budget must be balanced

Watch the entire Civics 101 in 120 Seconds (ish) PLAYLIST HERE:
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL75F8E2rv4SDcy6Oz3plxQCqpfNUb2HGf

Teach with TVW is a free online resource provided by TVW for Washington state social studies teachers to engage their students in state government and help to inspire active citizens.

Learn more at: https://www.teachwithtvw.org

#TEACHwithTVW, #CapitolClassroom, #CONNECTS #waleg #youthvoice #civics101 #participate #nextgenerationleaders #civilengagement #civicengagement #legislativeprocess #socialstudies #APGov #debate

Civics 101 in 120 Seconds (ish) - Rules Committee (3 min)


Civics 101 in 120 Seconds (ish) is your straightforward guide through the often confounding legislative process.


Script:
What is the Rules Committee?
Not a policy committee or a fiscal committee and it doesn’t look at rules. It is a political step between committee action and the Floor, it is the Gatekeeper
Political reasons
Time management Reasons
Average bill in the Senate takes 5 minutes to pass
Not enough time even around the clock
Anything that is stuck in Rules is another way to say it is “dead for the session”.
Legislative leadership rarely serve on committees, they generally stay above that.
But they do serve on the Rules Committee and so do other key members of leadership - Speaker and Majority Leader etc.
Rules is a chance for leadership to decide what they really want to hit the Floor for a vote.


Watch the entire Civics 101 in 120 Seconds (ish) PLAYLIST HERE:
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL75F8E2rv4SDcy6Oz3plxQCqpfNUb2HGf


Teach with TVW is a free online resource provided by TVW for Washington state social studies teachers to engage their students in state government and help to inspire active citizens.


Learn more at: https://www.teachwithtvw.org


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Civics 101 in 120 Seconds (ish) - Public Input (2 min)

Civics 101 in 120 Seconds (ish) is your straightforward guide through the often confounding legislative process.

Most bills don’t die with fiery speeches on the Floor
Most commonly they fail to advance by a certain timeline
You can influence that by engaging in the process at a key step
Testify
Write a letter
Know what you want to see happen and explain
The public has power when citizens engage in the process
Your Voice Matters

Watch the entire Civics 101 in 120 Seconds (ish) PLAYLIST HERE:
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL75F8E2rv4SDcy6Oz3plxQCqpfNUb2HGf

Teach with TVW is a free online resource provided by TVW for Washington state social studies teachers to engage their students in state government and help to inspire active citizens.

Learn more at: https://www.teachwithtvw.org

#TEACHwithTVW, #CapitolClassroom, #CONNECTS #waleg #youthvoice #civics101 #participate #nextgenerationleaders #civilengagement #civicengagement #legislativeprocess #socialstudies #APGov #debate

Civics 101 in 120 Seconds (ish) - What is an Amendment? (2min)

Civics 101 in 120 Seconds (ish) is your straightforward guide through the often confounding legislative process.

Script:
Bills often don’t remain the same, they are often changed
Amendments is the name for changes in a bill
2 big changes are:
Striker
Substitute
Both replace the entire language of a bill
Don’t get confused on the terms, amendments are just a “wanna be” part of a bill.

Watch Entire Civics 101 in 120 Seconds (ish) PLAYLIST HERE: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PL75F8E2rv4SDcy6Oz3plxQCqpfNUb2HGf&feature=shared

Teach with TVW is a free online resource provided by TVW for Washington state social studies teachers to engage their students in state government and help to inspire active citizens.

Learn more at: https://www.teachwithtvw.org

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Civics 101 in 120 Seconds (ish) - Floor: What is Decorum? (3min)
Don’t want people attacking each other - fun to watch but it’s a bad thing

Civics 101 in 120 Seconds (ish) is your straightforward guide through the often confounding legislative process.

Script:
What is the Floor? Floor of Senate or House
The chamber and everybody in it at the same time
All 49 in the Senate and 98 members in the House - That's what the Floor is
All sorts of rules, decorum to process. What is decorum?
Rules on how members treat each other
Speak to ideas not people, policies not personalities
Meant to depersonalize conflict - Don’t want people attacking each other - fun to watch but it’s a bad thing
Decorum also speeds up the process by avoiding distractions
Not allowed to use each other's names but rather, ‘Gentle Lady from the 26th district’ etc.
Don't want it to get personal
No impugning motives

Watch Entire Civics 101 in 120 Seconds (ish) PLAYLIST HERE: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PL75F8E2rv4SDcy6Oz3plxQCqpfNUb2HGf&feature=shared

Teach with TVW is a free online resource provided by TVW for Washington state social studies teachers to engage their students in state government and help to inspire active citizens.

Learn more at: https://www.teachwithtvw.org

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Civics 101 in 120 Seconds (ish) - The Floor: 1st 2nd & 3rd Readings Explained (2min)

Civics 101 in 120 Seconds (ish) is your straightforward guide through the often confounding legislative process.

Script:
What are Readings?
Terms come from English Parliament
1st, 2nd & 3rd Readings
I’ve heard two explanations, you decide:
1) Long ago, some members could not read, so it was read to them
2) No copy machines. No ability to have own copy of a bill
How do you know what's in it? Have it read aloud.
1st - Read at committee introduction
2nd - Bill read with the changes made by the committee
3rd - Final form of bill before the committee’s final vote out of committee

Watch Entire Civics 101 in 120 Seconds (ish) PLAYLIST HERE: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PL75F8E2rv4SDcy6Oz3plxQCqpfNUb2HGf&feature=shared

Teach with TVW is a free online resource provided by TVW for Washington state social studies teachers to engage their students in state government and help to inspire active citizens.

Learn more at: https://www.teachwithtvw.org

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Civics 101 in 120 Seconds (ish) - The Floor: What is Caucus? (2min)
Looks easy, like there’s no conflict, but the conflict really happens off camera so it looks smooth...

Civics 101 in 120 Seconds (ish) is your straightforward guide through the often confounding legislative process.

Script:
Everything that happiness on the Floor is highly scripted
They get a Floor calendar and they go to caucus - get ready to wait
Majority & minority split up into separate rooms
A lot of shuttle diplomacy running between the two rooms to hammer out a deal
“We don't have time to do your 30 amends. Let's do 4?”
Overwhelming majority of bills are bipartisan
Last chance to weigh in before it heads to the other chamber
Looks easy, like there’s no conflict, but the conflict really happens off camera so it looks smooth

Watch Entire Civics 101 in 120 Seconds (ish) PLAYLIST HERE: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PL75F8E2rv4SDcy6Oz3plxQCqpfNUb2HGf&feature=shared

Teach with TVW is a free online resource provided by TVW for Washington state social studies teachers to engage their students in state government and help to inspire active citizens.

Learn more at: https://www.teachwithtvw.org

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Civics 101 in 120 Seconds (ish) - The Floor: Where BIG CHANGES Can Happen (2min)
What can happen to your bill on the Floor after it’s made it this far?

Civics 101 in 120 Seconds (ish) is your straightforward guide through the often confounding legislative process.

Script:
What can happen to your bill on the Floor after it’s made it this far?
Not uncommon for big changes on the Floor, Why?
Only committee members have had a chance to work on the bill
Some of chamber members have not had a chance to speak on it
Leadership will often make changes because they want the bill voted out or it is dead.
The people who are offering amendments know that there’s a time limit for passing bills
They are willing to run out the clock and hold a bill hostage so other bill don’t get passed
Other members care but not to the point to kill their own bill
Making changes can add votes, but can also lose votes - must have majority
Rarely does a bill come up and fail- votes are counted in advance
Maybe your bill gets a striking amendment that completely changes it
Laptops for every student, last minute change makes it a study
What happened? That is what they thought they needed to do to get it out
Is it even worth having the bill at this point?
At what point has the bill changed so much, you can’t support it?
Or is something better than nothing, study means do it next year

Watch Entire Civics 101 in 120 Seconds (ish) PLAYLIST HERE: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PL75F8E2rv4SDcy6Oz3plxQCqpfNUb2HGf&feature=shared

Teach with TVW is a free online resource provided by TVW for Washington state social studies teachers to engage their students in state government and help to inspire active citizens.

Learn more at: https://www.teachwithtvw.org

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Civics 101 in 120 Seconds (ish) - What is an Amendment? (2min)

Civics 101 in 120 Seconds (ish) is your straightforward guide through the often confounding legislative process.
If your bill has made it through the Policy, Fiscal and Floor, congratulations! But don’t sit down, still work to be done…

Script:
What is the concurrence/dispute process?
If your bill has made it through the Policy, Fiscal and Floor, congratulations! But don’t sit down, still work to be done…
Now everything your bill just did, it has to go over to the other chamber and do it all over again
Each bill has to be voted on in the exact same language by both chambers in the same session.
So what do you do if you have differences? There’s a process called Dispute and Concurrence.
Suppose you have a bill in the Senate and they think it’s perfect, but the House has the audacity to slap some changes on it.
The Senate may “CONCUR”. It doesn’t mean they like it, but they can live with it. they vote on it and It’s on its way to the Gov.
Now imagine they don’t concur
They “DISPUTE” the changes.
It can ping pong back and forth - if they don’t agree, the bill is dead.
Or they can find a different change that they both agree on.
Last option is to convene a Conference Committee with 6 total members, 3 from each chamber - they create a Conference Report which cannot be amended and they create their own agreement that the House and Senate can vote yes or no on

Watch Entire Civics 101 in 120 Seconds (ish) PLAYLIST HERE: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PL75F8E2rv4SDcy6Oz3plxQCqpfNUb2HGf&feature=shared

Teach with TVW is a free online resource provided by TVW for Washington state social studies teachers to engage their students in state government and help to inspire active citizens.

Learn more at: https://www.teachwithtvw.org

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Civics 101 in 120 Seconds (ish) - Final Step: The Governor's Desk (3 min)
There are rules on what the Gov can and cannot veto...

Civics 101 in 120 Seconds (ish) is your straightforward guide through the often confounding legislative process.

Script:
Your bill has been passed by the House and Senate both - Now it’s on the Governor’s desk:
The Governor has choices:
Sign it into law
Veto it
Partial Veto
Allow it to pass into law unsigned
Veto-
Legislature can override the veto but it takes a super majority and is very rare
Most of the time the Gov loves your bill
There has been communication with the Governor throughout the legislative session
Partial Veto
There are rules on what the Gov can and cannot veto
Usually a whole section or a line item veto
Most often bills get signed unchanged

Watch Entire Civics 101 in 120 Seconds (ish) PLAYLIST HERE: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PL75F8E2rv4SDcy6Oz3plxQCqpfNUb2HGf&feature=shared

Teach with TVW is a free online resource provided by TVW for Washington state social studies teachers to engage their students in state government and help to inspire active citizens.

Learn more at: https://www.teachwithtvw.org

#TEACHwithTVW, #CapitolClassroom, #CONNECTS #waleg #youthvoice #civics101 #participate #nextgenerationleaders #civilengagement #civicengagement #legislativeprocess #socialstudies #APGov #debate