More than 100 4-H and FFA students from around the state gathered at the Oklahoma state Capitol September 3-4 for Oklahoma Farm Bureau’s fourth-annual Capitol Camp.
Capitol Camp is an immersive two-day experience for high school juniors and seniors to learn about Oklahoma’s legislative process and the process of how bills become law through a mock legislative experience. This year, students had the opportunity to present bills on the floor of both the Oklahoma House of Representative and the Oklahoma Senate.
The event began with attendees electing fellow students to serve as speaker of the house and house floor leader along with a senate president pro rempore and senate floor leader.
Throughout the event, students had the opportunity to present a piece of legislation they wrote about an issue important to them and then helped guide it through the legislative process. Bills were first heard in committees, and bills that passed their assigned committee were heard and voted up on the House and Senate floor.
During day two of Capitol Camp, students had the opportunity to experience first-hand how the Oklahoma state legislature operates, as bills that passed in the Senate and House swapped chambers and were heard and voted upon by the opposite mock legislative body. Bills that passed through both chambers were either signed into law by the governor or vetoed and sent back for a veto override.
Students had a special visit from Gov. Kevin Stitt, who addressed the group.
Students also heard from several legislators and industry leaders during the two-day event, including OKFB President Rodd Moesel and legislators Rep. Scott Fetgatter, Rep. John Pfeiffer, Rep. Judd Strom, Rep. Steve Bashore, Sen. Brenda Stanley and Rep. David Hardin.
In addition to the mock legislative activities, Capitol Camp attendees took time at the end of the event’s first day to complete a community service project at the Regional Food Bank of Oklahoma, enjoy dinner and fellowship at the Dust Bowl bowling alley and wrapped up the day with a night tour of the Oklahoma City National Memorial from OKFB President Rodd Moesel.
