LAW5 662 - Legislative Drafting and Public Policy

Each student in this seminar will draft legislation and supporting documentation on an issue of particular interest to the student. Each student will be required to prepare a draft statute, and a supporting commentary of usual seminar paper length. The first class several class sessions will cover political theory, lobbying, and statutory interpretation problems and techniques. The remaining sessions will be devoted to consideration of specific legislative proposals. The remaining sessions will be devoted to proposals prepared by students in the class. Each student presentation session will be conducted in the format of a legislative committee debate. All students will be expected to have read each proposal and supporting commentary. The student who prepared the proposal will present it for adoption, making whatever oral presentation in favor of the proposal he or she wishes. The remainder of the session will be devoted to a “committee” debate of the issue, with a view towards adopting the proposal or some amended version thereof. Following the session at which his or her proposal is discussed, each student will be required to prepare a final draft of his or her legislative proposal (not a re-write of the research paper) that incorporates amendments adopted by a majority vote of the “committee.”

Credits: 3