Welcome to Model Legislature
The Metro State Model Legislature provides hands-on civics education to high school and community college students. Leveraging both a long-standing commitment to equity, inclusion, and anti-racism and proximity to Minnesota’s capitol buildings in Saint Paul, Metro State is uniquely situated to provide the state’s diverse students with access to an educational experience in policy making often denied to members of their communities.
Preparing the next generation of engaged citizens
Integrating Metro State’s Model Legislature experience into high-school or community college civics or political science work gets students intensive experience simulating the work of the Minnesota Legislature. The weekend-long session takes place at the end of each fall semester at the nearby Minnesota State Council.
Whether your students see themselves as future lawmakers, lobbyists, or simply want to have a say in their state’s future, Model legislature prepares participants with an experiential look at how decisions are made, policy is honed, and citizen voices are focused to enact change.
A unique educational experience
Metro State’s Model Legislature program is a two-day immersive experience in which participants take the roles of legislators, legislative staff, or lobbyists. Working with Model Legislature advisors drawn from a pool of Metro State undergraduate and graduate students, those enrolled will work through the entire process of legislative policy making:
- Preparing for the event with readings and course work on civics, policy, and the legislative process.
- Reading bills that are to be discussed during the session
- Taking those bills through the legislative process, from informational and advocacy meetings, committee hearings and votes, to floor sessions in the house and senate where bills are debated and voted on