Pennsylvania’s Governor Josh Shapiro recently issued an executive order forcing all Pennsylvania state lawmakers to register for and attend at least one semester at Elizabethtown College. All 203 state representatives and 50 state senators will be registered starting next fall, and each lawmaker will have the opportunity to continue taking classes into the spring.
Funding for the bill will come through a new revenue stream for the commonwealth — competitive caterpillar racing. The sport has recently taken off, with a huge market for sports betting.
Pennsylvania created a taxing system for all bets placed on caterpillar racing and on the racers themselves. Caterpillar owners will now be taxed twice what their caterpillar is worth — a number that can climb up to $25 million dollars.
“Maybe instead of directing that funding stream to increase lawmaker education, they should put it towards the caterpillar’s health and safety,” third-year occupational therapy major and caterpillar rights activist Elena Kenvin said. “Just look at how many great names in caterpillar racing have recently disappeared out of the sport. I blame the butterflies that so often flock to the races.”
While the funding stream was immediately met with controversy, the bill itself has many supporters, including Kenvin.
“I think everyone should have to undergo at least a semester at Etown,” she said. “There’s nothing like stepping out of your dorm room on a chocolate day and going to see amazing professors and people.”
Each lawmaker will automatically be registered in the communications department and forced to write at least one article for The Etownian.
“It’s going to be great to have actual lawmakers reporting for The Etownian,” Etownian Editor-In-Chief Chandler McGuire said. “I was a bit worried about bias, but we all know politicians would never intentionally try to mislead the public!”
While the representatives and senators are gone from the Harrisburg capitol complex, Etown students will take over their seats.
“I’m excited to experience being a lawmaker,” Kenvin said. “I’m hoping to push some caterpillar-related legislation through. I might even run for a leadership position!”
Etown students certainly have their work cut out for them. The legislators should be able to pass a budget before classes begin, but if they haven’t, it will be up to the Blue Jays to finish budget negotiations. The College plans to send a mix of majors to create a more diverse and representative legislature. No student who participates in Student Assembly will be allowed to go to Harrisburg, since they will still be needed to run the campus.
