Official Rules
For official rules, please see the VHSL Debate Manual.
Understanding Legislation
A bill is an enumeration of specific provisions which if enacted will have the force of law. A resolution is simply a generalized statement expressing a conviction or sentiment. A resolution will generally center debate on the broad principles of the concept; a bill is more apt to delve into the merits of the specific provisions it contains. Although they are not necessary, a resolution may have whereas clauses, but a bill never has them. The use of both bills and resolutions will add variety to congress proceedings.
Resolutions
Simple resolutions are usually generalized statements expressing the belief of the group adopting them, and they do not have the force of law. Resolutions may be preceded by one or more whereas clauses, stating the principal reasons for adopting the resolution, but their number should be limited and may be omitted altogether.
View a Sample Resolution (32K .pdf)
Bills
A bill is an enumeration of specific provisions which if enacted will have the force of law. It must be definite; it must state exactly what is to be done or not to be done. A penalty must be stipulated or the law will not have force. A bill does not have whereas clauses.
View a Sample Bill (32K .pdf)
Preparing and Submitting Legislation
In constructing your bill or resolution, be sure that the following procedures are followed:
1. Use this VHSL Student Congress website to ensure proper submission of legislation. For regional tournaments, each regional page linked at the left (Group A, Group AA and Group AAA) will contain drop down boxes that list the high schools in each region. To submit your legislation, select your high school name and you will be automatically redirected to the proper submission form for your region. For State Congress, all submission links will be located on the VHSL State Congress linked at the left. All legislation must be typed, double-spaced, and no longer than one page. Each line of a bill or resolution must also be numbered. The web site will number the lines automatically for you.
2. The first words of a bill are "Be it enacted." The first words of a resolution are "Be it resolved." As you begin to enter your legislation on the web submission form, a drop-down box on the form will let you select “Be it enacted” or “Be it resolved” so there is no need to type it separately. A resolution may be preceded by one or more whereas clauses but bills and joint resolutions never have them.
3. The language of a bill must always be in the imperative mood. That is, it must state exactly what is to be done and by whom. Bills and/or resolutions that do not conform to the VHSL Congress guidelines may be rejected from consideration for the Student Congress docket.
Offering Amendments
Amendments may be brought from the floor, but will be considered only if they receive a second from at least one-third of the members. Amendments are not guaranteed an authorship speech. In all Student Congresses, an amendment shall be considered neutral in the speaking order of proponent and opponent speeches on a bill or resolution.
Presiding Officer and Conduct of Business
The President of the Senate shall follow Parliamentary Procedure according to VHSL rules and according to Robert's Rules of Order in the event VHSL rules do not cover a question of procedure. Bills and resolutions shall be considered in the order in which they appear on the docket, unless the rules are suspended. (A motion to consider a bill out of sequence or not on the calendar at all is a suspension of the rules and requires a two-thirds vote.) An authorship speech shall be a maximum of 3 minutes in length, but this authorship speech will have an additional 2 minutes of cross-examination to follow the speech. This two minute addition does not apply to speeches on amendments. At the State Congress, a Congressperson from the authorship school shall be entitled to this privilege.
