Assignment 1: LASA 2 Write Your Own Bill

Scenario:

You are a newly elected Member of Congress. It is up to you as to whether you are a Senator or a Representative from your State.  You made several important promises during your campaign and now that you have taken your seat, you need to show the constituents you represent that you are going to fulfill at least one of these promises with a bill you write and introduce into your chamber.

Directions:

1. Choose a topic for your bill:
   1. Envision the constituents that elected you
   2. Imagine that you have interacted with your constituents
   3. What’s making news?
   4. Look to other states
   5. Look to your own experience
   6. Look at current logs and regulations
   7. Use the internet
2. Research your bill topic:
   1. Look at existing law
   2. Explore various solutions to the issue
   3. Support your position with facts and figures
   4. Determine your support and opposition
3. When writing your bill:
   1. Ensure clarity, organization and accuracy
   2. Ensure you are creating law
   3. Anticipate questions and concerns
   4. Proofread and check grammar
4. Bill structure (see attached)
5. Bill writing checklist (see attached)

Some links that may help you understand how to write a bill:

• Congressional Bills Web site http://www.gpoaccess.gov/bills/index.html
• USA.gov is the front door to every government website.  http://www.usa.gov.
• Congressional Bills Search Tips Web Site  http://www.gpo.gov/help/index.html#simple_search.htm
• Thomas (Library of Congress) http://thomas.loc.gov/home/lawsmade.toc.html

Review the Bill Writing Checklist. Using the Bill Structure document fill in all sections to write your bill.

To complete this assignment, you must submit the completed Bill Structure Document that clearly illustrates all components of a professionally written bill and address all required elements of the assignment listed in the grading criteria below.

The assignment must be submitted as a Word document. Include APA formatted title and reference page. Be sure to cite any references used in APA format..

By Saturday, June 21, 2014, deliver your assignment to the M5 Assignment 1 Dropbox.

Assignment 1 Grading Criteria	Maximum Points
Bill Topic: Provide a clear discussion and evaluation of the topic of the bill and include relevance and constituency affected.	40
Bill Topic Research: Examine existing law; Explore various solutions to the issue; Support your position with facts and figures; Evaluate support and opposition to the bill.	40
Bill Content: Ensure clarity, organization and accuracy; Verify that law is being created; Anticipate questions and concerns.	52
Bill Structure (see attached for details) Each Bill must include the following: Title Name of sponsor Purpose Section on short title Section on definitions Section on how your bill will work Section on function Section on regulations Section on penalties Section on effective date	52
Bill Writing (see attached) Review the Bill Writing Checklist to ensure that you have included everything in your bill. Clarity Bill’s purpose Definitions Clear identification of terms Appropriate terminology Conditions placed on bill Purpose section is clear and consistent throughout the bill What the bill is to do comes at the beginning Enactment clause Sections are consistent with no contradiction Actions are clearly stated Research/Preparation Solution proposed is appropriate to the problem Solution is thorough and clear Definitions are clear	50
Written Components: Organization (16 points) Usage and mechanics (16 points) Style (14 points) APA elements (20 points)	66
Total:	300

What is welfare? When you hear the word “welfare,” do you picture images of individuals who are facing hard times? While there is more than one type of social program available in the United States to those who need it, social welfare programs like TANF provide assistance to families in need through government tax revenues. Programs like these are often referred to as “public assistance” or “means-tested programs.” These programs have eligibility criteria that are based on the individual’s or the family’s household income and assets. Do these types of programs exist in your state or region? If so, what are the criteria? If you encountered a client like Eboni Logan, from the Logan Family video, who soon will become a mother, how might you best assist her in obtaining benefits from these types of programs?

For this Discussion, review this week’s resources, including the Logan Family video case. Consider the means-tested programs that might be available to her in your state or region. Then, think about the likely long-term outcomes for Eboni and her child, if she chooses to parent. Finally, reflect on the state welfare policies that might help her manage the responsibilities of parenthood.

By Day 3

Post a brief explanation of the means-tested programs that might be available to Eboni. Be sure your answer is specific to the means-tested programs available in your state or region. Then, explain the potential long-term outcomes for Eboni and her child, if she chooses to parent. Finally, explain the state public assistance policies that might help Eboni manage the responsibilities of parenthood.

Learning Resources

Note: To access this week’s required library resources, please click on the link to the Course Readings List, found in the Course Materials section of your Syllabus.

Required Readings

Popple, P. R., & Leighninger, L. (2015). The policy-based profession: An introduction to social welfare policy analysis for social workers. (6th ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education.
Chapter 6, “Fighting poverty: Temporary Assistance to Needy Families” (pp. 101-138)

Bentele, K. G., & Nicoli, L. T. (2012). Ending access as we know it: State welfare benefit coverage in the TANF era. Social Service Review, 86(2), 223–268.
Note: Retrieved from Walden Library databases.

Posiniewski, L. (2011). A unique approach to meeting the employment and training needs of food stamp recipients. Policy & Practice, 69(2), 14–15.
Note: Retrieved from Walden Library databases.

Plummer, S. -B., Makris, S., & Brocksen, S. (Eds.). (2014). Sessions: Case histories. Baltimore: MD: Laureate International Universities Publishing. [Vital Source e-reader].
Part 1, “The Logan Family” (pp. 9–10)

U.S. Department of Health & Human Services. (n.d.). Office of Planning, Research & Evaluation. Retrieved November 14, 2013, from http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/opre/research

Required Media

Laureate Education (Producer). (2013). Sessions: Logan family (Episode 4 of 42) [Video file]. Retrieved from https://class.waldenu.edu
Accessible player –Downloads–Download Video w/CCDownload AudioDownload Transcript