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Assembly Session
State Capitol
Sacramento, California

Senate & Assembly

The Assembly, comprised of approximately 250 members, and the Senate, about 200 members make up the legislature of the California YMCA Youth and Government Program. To accommodate the numbers the legislators are divided into two groups (Blue and Gold*).

Senators and Assembly members are primarily concerned with the authority and passage of legislation. They are voting members of various committees, and certain members act as Committee Chairpersons. Legislators are expected to be well-versed in the pros and cons of the legislation they will consider, so that they can exercise their vote in an intelligent and far-sighted manner. They enlist the aid of Lobbyists and Legislative Analysts in their endeavor to comprehend more fully all aspects of legislation.

Legislators need to be familiar with basic parliamentary procedure, committee procedure, and the Standing Joint Rules of the Model Legislature/Court. They should practice speaking before their delegation on their bills, and prepare speeches and/or notes on some of the other bills. Legislators should also be proficient in answering questions on their bills and positions.

In committee, legislators debate, amend, pass and defeat legislation dealing with specific topics. Legislators are assigned to committees randomly, with those legislators acting as bill proponents assigned, obviously, to their bill's committee. Committees are made up of both Senators and Assemblymembers.

Officers at Senate Session State Capitol Sacramento, California

On the floor of the Assembly and Senate, members debate legislation. Proponents present the bills, some from the house of origin, some from the other house, to the members with a Author/Sponsor speech. After debate and summation, the bill is voted on. If passed, house of origin bills go on to the other house. If passed from the other house, the bill is sent to the Governor (except in the case of Concurrent or Joint Resolutions, and Constitutional Amendments) for his consideration.

*An explanation of the Blue and Gold system: Because of the tremendous size of California Youth and Government, the Assembly and Senate have each been split into two areas, Blue and Gold. The Blue and the Gold Assembly/Senate are entirely independent of each other (bills must pass only through either the Blue or the Gold to be considered as passed by the Assembly/Senate.)

The only interaction between the Blue and the Gold is the opening organizational meeting of the house and the interchanging of the presiding officers. Members and other house officers are assigned either Blue or Gold and remain so assigned for the entire Model Legislature.

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