Annabelle Yip, a freshman at Inglemoor High School, served as a page with the Washington State Senate the week of April 10. Sen. Manka Dhingra (D-Redmond) sponsored her week at the Legislature.<\/p>\n
The page program offers a week of interactive learning about how state government works. Pages get to witness committee hearings, sit in on floor debates, and deliver materials for Senate staff.<\/p>\n
Yip applied to the program because she\u2019s always been interested in how bills become a law and their origins.<\/p>\n
Yip\u2019s favorite part is being on the floor because she gets to have a close look at how the senators interact with each other: \u201cI also really enjoy being on the floor. Seeing all the motions being passed and passing papers out to the senators has been very fun, actually, as boring as it sounds.\u201d<\/p>\n
She sponsored a bill for her page program\u2019s mock committee regarding restrictions and regulations on vaping products.<\/p>\n
\u201cOur bill is focusing on the restrictions and regulations around vaping products. My group has decided that we need more regulatory laws around that, especially enforcing fines and fees for companies that market to underage children and companies that are distributing to those children.\u201d<\/p>\n
This bill is near and dear to Yip\u2019s heart because she\u2019s had close friends affected by the vaping epidemic in our school systems.<\/p>\n
\u201cI had a classmate at my high school that almost overdosed on fentanyl in his vape because when you get distributed these products it\u2019s done illegally if you are underage.\u201d<\/p>\n
Yip also would recommend the program to potential candidates in the future.<\/p>\n
\u201cI believe that being part of the government process has been eye opening, especially how bills become laws and how government agencies function internally with the staff. So, I would definitely recommend this to anybody else who is interested in the page program.\u201d<\/p>\n
Yip mentioned that she has a FBLA competition after the page program and is very much looking forward to it.<\/p>\n
Dhingra had brunch with Yip during her week at the Legislature. The senator said, \u201cAnnabelle is an inspiring young person who\u2019s going to make a tremendous difference with her passion for issues that she sees firsthand in our community.\u201d<\/p>\n