Bill Writing Guide - Florida Model Legislature printable pdf download

Florida Model Legislature

How to Write a Bill

What is a Florida Model Legislature bill?

Bill writing is a major component of our legislative process. It serves to create, amend, or abolish laws.

Bills at model legislature are written by students (delegates). All bills are compiled and printed in a bill

book. Every delegate will receive a bill book. Bills will be debated in house and senate committees.

Favorable bills will be sent to the chamber leadership for debate on the floor during full sessions. All bills

must be state issues only.

Step 1: Bill Idea

Ideas for a change to state laws can come from concerned citizens, legislators, residents, etc., who have

ideas on how to improve their lives and the state. Many laws are already in existence in Florida, but these

laws can be amended for further improvement. Your idea for a bill must be for either a law that does not

yet exist, or an amendment to an existing law. You will need to do some RESEARCH. In the box below,

write down your ideas for a law, that would improve the lives of the citizens of Florida. Some topics for

ideas are:

Education

What are some topics that are important to you?

Florida Springs

Crime

Traffic

Income Taxes

Equality

Employment

Civil Rights

Use these questions to help you generate more ideas.

1. What conditions exist in your school that make in difficult for you to get the best education?

2. What conditions exist in your city that makes it difficult for you to feel safe?

3. Are there enough employment opportunities for your family?

4. Does your family have health care?

Now, formulate your idea for a bill: _______________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________________

Research tools:

1. Go to

and type in keywords for your bills; a law may already exists and

may just need to be amended.

2. Research your district demographics and talk to your constituents.

3. Review existing legislation under consideration by the actual Florida legislature:

Bill Writing Guide - Florida Model Legislature