2025 Mock Floor Debate

Committee Assignment PDF

Overview

As part of Local Officials Day, youth councils will have an opportunity to participate in mock floor debates by submitting their own policy proposals for consideration.

For a bill to become a law through the Utah legislative process, a bill is first presented to a legislative committee before it is debated and voted on by the full House or Senate in a floor debate.

Each youth council may submit up to two policy proposals to be debated and voted on by all the students in attendance. These debates will be similar to a bill coming before a full legislative body for a debate and vote on the floor.  Policy proposals will be selected by ULCT staff based on the volume and quality of submissions.

The youth council advisor(s) may submit up to 2 policy proposals on behalf of their youth council by emailing Cassidy Hansen at chansen@ulct.org by January 12.

ULCT staff will review proposals and post these proposals to our Local Officials Day page by January 17.  We will also inform youth council advisors as to what time and at which workshop selected proposals will be presented on Local Officials Day.

Policy Prompt: Utah is one of the fastest growing states in the nation and is projected to continue to grow in the coming years.  The eyes of the world will focus on Utah as we prepare to host the 2034 Winter Olympics.  What policies should Utah implement to help with long-term growth and to help us prepare for the Olympics and beyond? 

Quick Takeaways

  1. Policy Proposals are due by January 12.
  2. ULCT staff will select the proposals to be debated at LOD by January 17.
  3. On Local Officials Day the policy proposals will be debated during the morning workshops.
  4. If your youth council’s policy is selected, you will select up to two representatives from your youth council to present the policy on the council’s behalf.
  5. Policy proposals should focus on how Utah should plan for growth and prepare for the Olympics.

Frequently Asked Questions

Due to time constraints and the number of youth councils attending local officials day we are limiting each youth council to no more than two submissions.

 

If more than two youth council members submit proposals that is a great opportunity to debate the proposals internally and decide which proposal(s) you should submit for local officials day. Your youth council will be acting similar to a legislative committee, vetting policy proposals before they go to the whole body for consideration.

Each council only needs one presenter per proposal, although we would allow one co-presenter if needed. Due to time constraints, we won’t allow more than two presenters per proposal.

We will limit presenters to 2-4 minutes, depending on the number of proposals we receive and decide to use. There will be additional time for questions and comments on each proposal.

Youth will be given time to make comments on proposals and vote on the proposals whether their submissions are selected or not.

A proposal does not have to follow a specific format, but must include the following components:

  1. What issue is the proposal trying to solve.
  2. A proposal that has enough specificity that youth councils can debate.

 

For example:

-Utah should plan more for growth is too vague.

-Utah should implement reduced fares for public transit is better.

-A proposal that talks about specific timelines for implementation, how to offset costs for free fares, who would be eligible for the fares, etc.  would be an even better proposal.

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