Overview
In Legal Studies 600: Major Legislative Drafting Project, students will pursue a “capstone” drafting project relying upon the foundation of knowledge and skills they have developed in the previous courses in the program. This course will require the student to engage in all steps of the legislative process including analysis of instructions for legislation, legislative planning, and legislative drafting. In consultation with the program director and a project supervisor, the student will select a project, review instructions for legislation, prepare an effective legislative outline, and prepare an original bill suitable for consideration of enactment.
Successful projects in this course can be viewed in the Digital Thesis & Project Room.
Learning outcomes
Upon completion of this course, students should be able to
- review instructions for legislation and analyze those instructions for completeness and consistency;
- take appropriate action when instructions are inadequate, as discussed in LGST 557, and respond to revisions in instructions;
- formulate a proposal for legislation based on third-party instructions or recommendations;
- synthesize and apply relevant theory and techniques learned in legislative drafting courses in an applied drafting project;
- work independently under supervision to implement a complex project;
- work flexibly and capably with the project supervisor to implement a specific task;
- demonstrate appropriate legislative drafting professional analytical, organizational, composition, and presentation skills;
- prepare an effective legislative outline as discussed in LGST 553; and
- prepare an original bill suitable for consideration of enactment based on the instructions and outline.
Evaluation
To receive credit in LGST 600, you must complete five components of a major drafting project and receive a passing grade of at least C– (60%) overall based on all assessed elements. The major drafting project is assessed through five component parts:
| Activity | Weight |
| Part 1: Analysis of Instructions for Legislation | 10% |
| Part 2: Further Analysis of Instructions for Legislation | 10% |
| Part 3: Legislative Outline | 20% |
| Part 4: Draft Bill | 50% |
| Part 5: Revised Draft Bill | 10% |
| Total | 100% |
Materials
There are no required textbooks for LGST 600. It is expected that students will consult appropriate reference materials—including course materials in previous courses—for information directly related to their major drafting project.