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SALT LAKE CITY — Fourth-grader Savana Olsen had an unusual experience Tuesday when she joined lawmakers at the Capitol.
She's not old enough to vote for them, but their bills certainly affect her.
"I got to go to the Capitol and learn about Brad Dee and about how they make the laws, and I got to sit by him," Savana said.
Rep. Brad Dee is inviting students from his Ogden-area district to meet with him at the Capitol, where he teaches them about the legislative process firsthand.
“You've got 29 senators, so you need 15 in order to pass it,” Dee said. “Then obviously, if the governor likes the bill, he'll sign it."
Savana is the first student to visit with the representative, and on her trip she had the chance to sit next to him during a legislative session. Her parents had to watch from the balcony, but they said they are glad their daughter had this opportunity.
"It's just neat for them to be able to see how it really works like where it happens and stuff so it’s really good," Clint Olsen said.
Savana is part of the 25 percent of Utah’s population that attends public schools. The bills passed in the House will impact her future.
"We really appreciate him taking his time to come down, spend the time with Savana. I know it's a busy time, so we appreciate it," Jennie Olsen said.
Any student who attends the Legislature at Dee's invitation has to write an essay about what he or she learned and send it back to him.
