OSU students getting a legislative experience at State Capitol

Wednesday, November 19, 2014

Now through this weekend, more than 50 Oklahoma State University students are joining others at the Oklahoma State Capitol in Oklahoma City to learn about and participate in the legislative process.

The students represent the OSU chapter of the Oklahoma Intercollegiate Legislature (O.I.L.) and they’re competing with their counterparts from other Oklahoma universities to offer bills that could ultimately be passed into law by state legislators.

Students can participate in the O.I.L. House of Representatives, the senate, the executive branch, the supreme court, and the press corps.

Derek Wietelman, co-chair of the O.I.L chapter at OSU, assistant floor leader of the senate, and freshman liaison, expects the experience to offer students real insights. “There is a wide diversity of opinions on various issues from students throughout the state,” Wietelman said. “You also get a greater understanding of how to write a bill and a chance to really make a difference. I heard that an Oklahoma G.I. bill, introduced by an OSU student at O.I.L., was recently passed into law.” 

O.I.L. was formed in 1969 by then-Lt. Gov. George Nigh in an effort to provide students the opportunity to learn about state government and the legislative process. It is one of the largest and oldest intercollegiate student legislatures in the United States.

Student legislative committees started hearing the student-authored bills Wednesday. The committees will recommend some of the bills to the student members of the house and senate chambers.

The bills are then debated in the two chambers. Senior members of each chamber, known as the rules committee, will then further discuss the bills and the arguments presented and vote on winners for various legislative awards. 

The O.I.L. governor can sign some of the bills into law, which means they are eligible to be reviewed by both the actual Oklahoma House and Senate chambers.

Outside of the legislative and executive branches, moot court and press corps students also compete throughout the week. Moot court contestants debate cases of constitutional issues and are judged by a panel of student supreme court justices. The journalists cover one branch a day, writing a variety of editorial and feature pieces, and produce a short news broadcast Sunday morning.

OIL concludes Sunday with a closing joint session where all awards are presented.