LANCASTER — Fifth-graders at Tallmadge Elementary School learned first-hand how an idea can spark a bill and become law in the federal government.
 
U.S. Rep. Steve Stivers, R-Upper Arlington, came to class Tuesday prepared to help the students learn about the process in the Congress with a game called “How a Bill Becomes a Law.”
 
First, students brainstormed, offering up ideas and issues they wanted to turn into laws: having candy cost less than five cents; lowering prices for groceries, cars and gas; making it illegal for kids to text while walking in a crosswalk; hving free healthcare; requiring everyone in every state to wear a helmet while riding a motorcycle or an ATV; allowing kids to drive vehicles from the age of 11. Those were just some of the ideas.
 
They decided to proceed with the last one, allowing kids to drive vehicles from the age of 11. Stivers divided up the classes in two sections after discussing the House of Representatives and the Senate.
 
Halee Bell was picked to be the president of Senate, and Jacob Balser was the Speaker of the House. The Senate and House formed committees, and members of Stivers’ staff and the school testified about the pros and cons of allowing 11-year-olds to drive. After passing through all of the committees, and the House and Senate also approved the bill.
 
However, another student, President Alexis Bowe, vetoed the bill when it reached her desk at the Sivers’ request, which caused the bill to go back to the House of Representatives and Senate, where the students voted to override the presidential veto.
 
Bowe said she enjoyed the experience and learned a lot about how complicated it could be to get a bill passed.
 
“It was a good opportunity to see the congressman,” Bell said.
 
She also said she was interested in government service in the future.
 
For Balser, the time he spent as Speaker was “honorable.”
 
He enjoyed talking about ideas and seeing how they become laws.
 
“It can take a long time for a bill to become law,” Balser said.
 
Teacher Marty Tussing said the students recently started learning about the formation of the United States, with the creation of the House of Burgesses and its connection to the English monarchy.
 
“It is interesting for the students to see how we started with House of Burgesses, and this shows them how it has evolved into the process we use today,” Tussing said.
 
Tallmadge Principal Brian Lawson said Stivers‘s visit was an inspiring event, adding it was an honor to have someone such as Stivers come to speak to the students and give them such an opportunity.
 
Stivers said he enjoyed spending part of the afternoon with the students at Tallmadge.
 
“It’s a bit of fun that, hopefully, helps them understand the process more,” Stivers said. “It was great to hear all the good ideas the students had come up with before we got started. Their ideas were some of the best I’ve heard for fifth-graders.”
 
Cburnett@lancastereaglegazette.com