By Elizabeth Bennett
Cholla City Reporter
After the conclusion of elections, citizens of Girls State were sworn into their positions. From the Governor to County Supervisors, girls stood proudly and took oaths, one after another, officially committing to their county and state responsibilities. As cities retreated from state hall, we split into our respective groups for afternoon meetings.
In the Senate, the first matter of business was determining the party chairs for Federalists and Nationalists. Afterwards we voted on a Senate President, Samantha Wang, who then appointed senators to additional leadership positions. We split into committees including judiciary, education, and appropriations, and began working on bills.
From wind farm grants to abolishing the death row to civic education, senators worked tirelessly on their bills and gracefully accepted constructive criticism. Lobbyists continued to move between the House of Representatives and the Senate, keeping track of the bills in development and discussing bills with Senators.
I have genuinely enjoyed working in the senate for these past two days and I am so grateful for the thoughtful conversation I am able to participate in with the other intelligent senators of Arizona Girls State.
While some bills may be silly, such as “The Anti-Ethan Safety Bill” and “The Truth Bill,” others are absolutely giving young minds the platform to discuss and perhaps eventually create real change in our communities.