At Louisiana Youth Legislature, we strive to emulate Louisiana Legislative and Judicial Processes. The Supreme Court will only hold trials for those passed bills and laws that have been challenged by Youth Legislative delegates. Delegates can challenge the constitutionality of previously passed Youth Legislature bills, actual Louisiana laws and bills being passed in real time at the current conference. Two Supreme Court Justices will be elected from each district at Pre-LEG. Supreme Court Justices participate in and administer rulings on cases between a complainant who has challenged the constitutionality of a particular law and the Attorney General, who represents the state. The Governor will appoint the 2 Attorney Generals, and applications are accepted at Pre-LEG. The Attorney General is responsible for representing the state and defending the constitutionality of the law in any challenges brought forth by a conference participant in cases before the Supreme Court. This position requires a willingness to debate and defend all current bills regardless of personal opinions or beliefs. 2011 Youth Leg passed bills are attached below and delegates are encouraged to review them and fill out a challenge form. SUPREME COURT PROCEDURES OPENING STATEMENTS 3 MINUTES (EACH) 1. The complainant will present a three (3) minute opening statement that introduces the basis for the complaint. 2. The Attorney General will present a three (3) minute opening statement. QUESTIONS FROM THE BENCH 10 MINUTES The Justices will have the opportunity to ask either party questions concerning their arguments for a period of ten (10) minutes. WITNESSES 4 MINUTES PER WITNESS 1. Each party is allowed to bring a total of three (3) witnesses in order to advance their arguments. 2. The complainant will bring forward witnesses in order to question them for a period of two (2) minutes. The defendant will then be allowed to ask the witnesses questions for a period of two (2) minutes as well. 3. The defendant will then bring their witnesses, and proceed with the aforementioned procedure. PRESENTATION OF DOCUMENTARY EVIDENCE 5 MINUTES EACH Each party has the opportunity to present any documentary evidence to the court for a period of five (5) minutes. DELIBERATION AND JUDGMENT After all proceedings have occurred, the court will enter into deliberation, in which the complainant and Attorney General must vacate the room. As soon as a decision has been reached, both parties will be recalled into the room and the Chief Justice will present the decision. Passed Legislation of the 2011 Louisiana Youth Legislature SB No. 7: TO: Require all new residential homes to have a carbon monoxide detector that meets the applicable ANSI/UL standard SB No. 8: TO: Mandate that all Louisiana Correctional Facillities establish a Farming program and grow 80% of their consumed food by 2022. SB No. 10: TO: Mandate foreign language instruction in every K-12 school within the State of Louisiana. SB No. 13: TO: Initiate the FreeCons Program SB No. 16: TO: Mandate that the possession of marijuana be decriminalized to a misdemeanor offense in the state of Louisiana and follow the leads of Alaska, California, Colorado, Nebraska, New York, North Carolina, Maine, Minnesota, Ohio, and Oregon. Louisiana should make legislative steps towards legalizing marijuana and Louisiana should be the next state to legalize the sale and possession of marijuana. SB No. 19: TO: Mandate that homosexual couples be granted the same rights as heterosexual couples, including the right to be married in the state of Louisiana SB No. 25: TO: Enact S.A.F.E. (State Augmentation of Firearm Edicts) SB No. 29: TO: Require that the Secretary of State of Louisiana waive all notary fees charged to adults in the process of becoming the legal caretaker of a child SB No. 30: TO: Provide funding for the creation of more innovative homeless shelters around the New Orleans area to decrease the population of homeless, and improve the quality of life for the impoverished. SB No. 32: TO: Mandate that all graduating students in Louisiana Public Schools complete forty hours of community service. SB No. 33: TO: Digitize Textbooks SB No. 36: TO: Create a yearly $100 tax break for parents who donate their children’s cord blood SB No. 42: TO: Hereby nullify the Act of legislation known as the USA P.A.T.R.I.O.T. Act in the state of Louisiana SB No. 43: TO: Ensure equal protection of the law for foreign language speaking and deaf or hearing-impaired individuals.
HB No. 5: TO: Raise the prices and/or taxes on the bullets of assault rifles; and imprinting tracking numbers on such bullets that could be compared to those of gun identification numbers. HB No. 16: TO: Mandate that there be a $500 tax credit to mothers who willingly donate their child’s umbilical cord blood HB No. 37: TO: Overturn the ban on gay marriage in Louisiana HB. No. 58: TO: Fund school music programs in Louisiana HB No. 70: TO: Manipulate yields of sugarcane into fermented ethanol for usage in flex-fuel capable cars, and to promote environmental stabilization within the state of Louisiana. HB No. 71: TO: Transition from Civil Law to Common Law in Louisiana
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