Today marked by second day in the Senate. I attended a couple of interesting committee meetings. I began my day in the Agriculture committee meeting, which was short and straightforward. I then attended the “Rules and Operations” meeting which was interesting. Several Senators posed questions to those putting forth the bill. The Compassionate Care Act, which would legalize medicinal marijuana, was up for debate. One senator remarked that she had heard some of the most moving testimony in her twelve years in the Senate with regards to the bill prior to today’s meeting. The senators presenting the bill cited strong public support as well. In the afternoon, I attended the “Judiciary” meeting. One thing I learned this week is how transparent the legislative process is in terms of inclusivity of the public. At 4 pm, we had a legislative session. After its presentation, numerous senators commented on the bill expanding Medicaid. One called it a “gamechanger” and there was discussion of the importance of healthcare accessibility, especially in rural parts of the state. Then, the contended Parental Bill of Rights was presented. Different senators had vastly different opinions on this bill. It has been very exciting to gain exposure to the debate and conversation that occurs in the Senate and to develop nuance with regards to my knowledge of the legislative process.
