You are invited to attend the 2019 Arkansas Student Congress, which marks the 51st year of Arkansas Student Congress. This year’s Student Congress will be held at the Crowne Plaza Hotel Little Rock (201 S Shackleford Road) and the Arkansas State Capitol Building (500 Woodlane Street) Sunday, November 10th to Tuesday, November 12th, 2019.
The following additional information will soon be posted on our website, www.actaa.net:
● 2019 Student Congress Schedule
● Entry Forms
● Bill Writing Instructions
● A Sample Bill
● A list of the 2018 bill titles (subjects) which cannot be used for 2019
● A summary rules sheet for parliamentary procedure
● Revised Student Congress By-Laws (the rules of the competition; which should be read and printed before completing your entry)
Should you decide to attend Student Congress, your completed entry form and one clear copy of each bill must be E-MAILED to Zack Tucker at zatucker@asub.edu and Martene Campbell at martene@gmail.com. Please send your bills as Word documents or google docs.
DEADLINES AND IMPORTANT DATES
Entry forms and bills to be submitted must be in the hands of the Congress director by Monday, September 30, 2019.. To avoid technical glitches and to ensure the receipt of your entry, please e-mail to both zatucker@asub.edu and martene@gmail.com.
PLEASE TAKE NOTE OF ALL DEADLINES; THEY ARE STRICTLY ENFORCED!
HOTEL INFORMATION
This year, we will be using the Crowne Plaza Hotel at 201 S Shackleford Road off I-430 in Little Rock. Reservations must be arranged by October 18th. Ask for the “Reservations Department” and tell them that you are with “ACTAA Student Congress.” Please plan to stay here. Our rates for meeting rooms are based on Student Congress using 50 guest rooms. Rates are $99 per room, plus tax. Phone number for the hotel is 501-223-3000. Remember the October 18th deadline for reservations.
ENTRY INFORMATION
All delegations must be sponsored and accompanied by an active member of ACTAA. Coaches are to remain on site with students during the entirety of the competition. Each coach is responsible for the Student Congress rule compliance of his/her delegation. Colleges may enter a maximum of eight delegates; high schools may enter a maximum of six delegates. If you have any students wishing to run for office, candidates must be declared on the attached entry form. Entries must be submitted on time. Each allowable change made after September 30th will be assessed a $5.00 change fee for each name. There will also be a $5.00 judge drop fee assessed after that date. Please note: Entries require delegate names by September 30th, not merely “Entry A”. A student cannot be changed from one House to another after this date. At registration the only names that can be added are those of students who are completely replacing entry form delegates. Once Congress begins, NO SUBSTITUTIONS are allowed for any reason. Delegations must operate with only the registered delegates. Fees will be assessed for any changes requested after September 30th. Colleges may enter a maximum of four bills; high schools may enter a maximum of three, with the author/co-author assigned to the same house as their bill. Bills not in compliance with the rules will not be included in the bill book.
CONGRESS LOCATIONS
Sessions will be held at the Crowne Plaza on Sunday and in the State Capitol Building on Monday and Tuesday. Congress Headquarters and Tab Room will be located on the first floor of the State Capitol; the Coaches Lounge location will be announced at the Coaches meeting on Sunday evening.
ELECTRONIC DEVICES
We will be allowing laptop computers for internet use in round for research purposes ONLY. Students may not communicate with coaches or competitors or other persons during session. Proper use will be monitored by the Student Congress Committee and pages. Any student found inappropriately accessing the internet during competition at any point will be immediately disqualified and forfeit all points.
CAMPAIGNING
Campaigning is strictly prohibited. Students are not allowed to communicate about Student Congress with students of a different school prior to 1:00 pm Sunday, November 10th. Do not post materials on hotel walls or in elevators. Handouts, posters on easels, and other temporary options are encouraged. Please remove all discarded and leftover materials. Pages may not campaign but may wear stickers or other campaign material.
ENTRY FEES
The entry fee for high schools is $125 and colleges/universities is $150 per delegation. Fees are payable upon the return of the registration form or when Congress begins on Sunday. If this is not possible for your delegation, please make arrangements with the Congress Director. Please request checks now!
GET BILLS AND ENTRIES IN EARLY. Call if you have any questions and we look forward to seeing you at Student Congress in November.
2019 ACTAA STUDENT CONGRESS COMMITTEE MEMBERS
Martene Campbell – ACTAA Student Congress Permanent Director
Zack Tucker– Student Congress Director
Patrick Laxson– Co-Director
Julie Rine
Casey Griffith
Joe Kieklak- Observer
Jennifer Akers – Tabulation
Colton Gilbert – Immediate Past Director
IMPORTANT DATES
Entry and Bill Submission: September 30, 2019
Hotel Reservations for Student Congress at the Hotel Little Rock: October 18, 2019
Student Congress: November 10-12, 2019
ACTAA MEMBERSHIP
If sponsors are NOT YET members of ACTAA, they must join! Remember membership runs from September to August. If you have not joined and would like to, please include full name/address (school and home, email) and a check made out to “ACTAA” for $50, and your membership will be forwarded to the Treasurer.
Yours,
Zack Tucker, Director
Martene Campbell, Permanent Director
Arkansas Student Congress