Connecticut’s Three Branches: Three Jobs – One Government

 

In 1989, Mrs. Donahue’s fourth grade class in Killingly Memorial School, Danielson, Connecticut produced the following list of bills. The list was presented to both their State Senator and Representative. Several of their proposals have since become state law in one form or another.

 

Choose three of their proposals you believe would be most likely to become law. Using a copy of the Constitution of the State of Connecticut and your knowledge about the three branches of government, explain as specifically as possible how each branch might be involved in the initiation, adaptation and implementation of each of the three proposals chosen.

 

- Make it a crime to kill animals on purpose.

- Speed limits on the highways should be higher than 55 MPH.

- Violent movies and TV shows should be banned.

- Swearing in public should not be allowed.

- Train and hire more teachers for our school.

- Guns should be outlawed.

- Drinking and driving laws need to be stricter.

- Stricter penalties for air and water pollution are needed, especially in Long Island Sound.

- Smoking in public places should be banned.

- Pass stricter laws for drug dealing, selling and using.

- Lower the state sales tax.

- Create a state health care program for everyone.

- Create stricter penalties for crimes against children and senior citizens.

- Build a super-highway between Danielson and Hartford.

- Build more affordable housing for people in Northeast Connecticut.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The list has been adapted from an activity in 350 Years of Connecticut: Search for the Common Good Teacher’s Guide, published by the Connecticut Consortium for Law and Citizenship Education in 1989. The entire guide is available for free download online at: cclce.org under “resources – curriculum.”