Saturday, November 13, 2010
Representative Warren Kitzmiller listens to a citizen (Tanner Muller, age 6 from Middlesex) propose an idea for a mock bill
Representative Suzi Wizowaty (as Speaker of the House) oversees the reading of the mock bill by the Clerk of the House (Isaac Mandell-Seaver, age 7 from Adamant & Antonio Ratheau, age 10 from Lyndonville).
A citizen (Joseph Wills, age 11 from Richford) raises a concern about a mock bill requiring one hour of physical exercise a day for kids: "What if a child is sick? Would it be fair to make them exercise?" "I see an amendment coming," responded Health and Welfare Committee Chair (Representative Topper McFaun).
Senator Susan Bartlett discusses options for paying for new programs as mandated in the mock bill passed in the bill skit.
An advocate (Andrea with Lauretta and Hazel) testifies against the proposal to take funds away from the Vermont State Parks (which would result in closings the parks on Wednesdays) to fund the new programs mandated in the mock bill.
Kids decide how many dollars (taxes) they are willing to contribute to fund new playgrounds.
Kids celebrate the passage of the mock bill after it is signed by the Governor (Reeva Murphy) by sitting in the Governor's chair.
Participants enjoy lunch in the warm sunshine on the front steps of the State House and playground balls and books (donated by Senator Bill Doyle) were raffled off.
The golden dome atop the Vermont State House was sparkling on Saturday, November 13th, when 70 parents with their children, child care providers, policymakers and legislators gathered for a series of skits on How A Bill Becomes A Law and How Vermont Pays for Bills that Pass. Legislators and policymakers used a mock bill to guide participants through the legislative and budgetary process.
- Special thanks goes to legislators whose creativity made the complex process of lawmaking understandable for all ages, including Representatives Warren Kitzmiller, Bill Frank, Suzi Wizowaty, Dave Potter, Howard Crawford and Kitty Toll and Senators Bill Doyle and Susan Bartlett.
- Thank you to policymakers Susan Zeller and Reeva Murphy for their creativity and enthusiasm in the skits.
- Thank you to bill skit facilitator Andrea Stander and the volunteers who helped out by doing things such as staffing the registration table (Jill Murphy, Katie Gonyaw and Kelley Todriff) to ensuring the skits flowed smoothly (Heather Mattison, Cynthia Greene and Judy Pransky).
- Thank you to the 55 co-sponsoring organizations, businesses and agencies that promoted the event.
- Thanks to the Central Vermont Building Bright Futures Council for hosting the the Born Learning Trail in the first floor hallway.
- Thank you to the Vermont Head Start State Collaboration Office for donating funds for parent mileage reimbursement and lunch.
Co-sponsors
- Academy Street Child Care
- Apple Tree Learning Centers
- Ascension Childcare
- Brattleboro Area Prevention Coalition
- Building Bright Futures
- Building Bright Futures of Chittenden County
- Burlington Children's Space
- Champlain Valley Head Start
- Central Vermont Building Bright Futures
- Central Vermont Community Action Council Head Start
- Cherry Street PlayCare
- Child Care Resource
- Concept2
- Creative Minds Children's Center
- Early Education Services/Windham County Head Start
- Emerson Falls PlayCare Inc/Camp Laughing Turtle?
- Family Center for Washington County
- Franklin County Building Bright Futures
- Giggles Family Child Care and Pre-School
- Imagination Island Child Care
- Illume Fitness?
- Lamoille Family Center
- Lamoille Valley Building Bright Futures Council
- Mama Says
- Mother Load Doula Care
- Newbury Children's Center
- Northeast Kingdom Community Action
- Head Start/Early Head Start
- Northeast Kingdom Community Action Parent Child Center North
- Oak Hill Children's Center
- Pine Forest Children's Center
- Rutland County Head Start
- Southeastern Vermont Community Action Windsor County Head Start
- Springfield College School of Human Services - St Johnsbury Campus
- Sunshine Daydream Child Care
- Trinity Children's Center
- Vermont Association for the Education of Young Children
- Vermont Association of Child Care Resource and Referral Agencies?
- Vermont Businesses for Social Responsibility
- Vermont Business Roundtable?
- Vermont Center for Afterschool Excellence
- Vermont Child Care Industry and Careers Council
- Vermont Child Care Providers Association
- Vermont Child Development Division
- Vermont Children's Trust Foundation
- Vermont Commission on Women
- Vermont Department of Children and Families
- Vermont Early Educators United/American Federation of Teachers
- Vermont Family Network
- Vermont Head Start Association?
- Vermont Head Start State Collaboration Office
- Vermont Public Health Association
- Vermont School Age Care Network
- Voices for Vermont's Children
- West Bee Nursery School?
- Windham Child Care Association
- www.Vermontkinshipcarekids.com