The Path to Maine Lawmaking has been organized around three guiding principles:
- The effectiveness of a democratic system of government can be measured by the understanding and participation of its citizenry.
- Citizens must have full confidence and assurance in their representative system of self-governance.
- Citizens of all ages must understand and appreciate that government's success relies on their full knowledge and active participation.
The goal of The Path to Maine Lawmaking site is to de-mystify Maine's legislative process so that students can understand how the steps in the process result in state laws. That understanding will make them feel more familiar with what elected officials do and may even result in their becoming more involved in governance in their school, community or state. Ultimately, teachers and students can begin conversations about what it means to be a citizen, what rights and responsibilities accompany citizenship, and what is meant by an "informed electorate".
The 6 online lessons and activities that accompany the video Person to Person: Legislating Maine are designed for you to help students understand how legislation is introduced, how laws are passed, how public policy decisions affect their lives, and how they can contribute to governance in Maine. We hope that using these materials will engage your students and enhance your instruction in Maine governance.