Bill Writing Ideas & FAQs

A Bill is a proposed law. In the Maine State Legislature, only members of the House or the Senate may submit Bills, however, any delegate in Maine Youth and Government may submit a Bill or more than one Bill. Delegates (2-3) may work together to co-sponsor a Bill, but only one person will be listed as the primary sponsor, the others are listed as co-sponsors. All participants are strongly encouraged to sponsor or co-sponsor a Bill—it will make the Weekend much more fun and interesting to follow your Vill all the way through the legislative process!

• Senate Committee Chairperson
• House Committee Chairperson
• Lobbyist
• Governor's Cabinet

A Bill may do any of the following:

1. Create a new law
2. Amend an existing law 
3. Repeal an existing law

Constitutional Amendment: A change to the Maine Constitution requires a two-thirds majority of both House and Senate to pass. The title will read: “A Bill for an Act Entitled: An Act To The Qualified Electors Of Maine An Amendment To Article # of the Maine Constitution to… …(describe the content of the act).”

Referenda: Allows Maine voters to determine the passage or rejection of your proposition. The correct title would read: “A Bill for an Act Entitled: An Act to…(describe the content of the act), providing that the proposed act be submitted to the qualified electorate of the State of Maine.”

Joint Resolution: A request of the Legislature to express their desire, an opinion, or sympathy; or their will to the United States Congress; or to amend the rules of the House and Senate; or to ratify a proposed Constitutional Amendment. The title will read “A Joint Resolution of the Maine State Senate and the Maine House of Representative of the YMCA Camp of Maine Youth in Government program to …(describe the content of the act).”

A Bill can be written on any topic.  Keep a few things in mind when developing ideas for your Bill

• Your Bill should be a solution to a problem you see 
• Your Bill can be related to a local, statewide or national issue
• Your Bill should be limited to one issue 
• Your Bill may not be a copy of a bill from last year's program

Places to find bill topics

• Look for an issue in your school or community
• Watch or read local news to see if can find an issue
• Read through Sample Bills on this site to find an idea
• Look at the Maine Legislature website to get ideas 

Check out these questions from the Maine Legislature Bill Submission portal.

Maine’s real legislators must answer these questions in order to submit a Bill:

1. What is the problem you are seeking to address?
2. What is your proposed solution?
3. Who is being directed to implement your proposal?
4. How will it be enforced?
5. Are there any penalties?
6. Are you aware of any other states that have tried your proposed solution? If so, which states?
7. Has this solution been proposed to the Maine Legislature in the past? If so, when?

We want everyone to have a great time at Youth and Government, but we also want the experience to be as close to the real Maine Legislative Process as possible. If you cannot talk about your Bill without breaking into laughter, rolling your eyes, or smirking, it does not pass the “Straight Face” test and should not be submitted! 

All Bills must meet three principles:

1. Your Advisor approves and endorses your Bill.
2. Your Bill is an original idea. Bills having been submitted in previous Youth in Government programs will not be accepted unless they include significant changes from the previously submitted Bills.
3. You would be willing to stand before the actual legislature to convince them that your Bill should become Maine law.