The Associated Students Inc. Senate approved a resolution to amend a Lobby Corps bylaw that would change the way Students-at-Large are selected, on its first reading Wednesday.
In the current process of selecting Students-at-Large for Lobby Corps, the ASI president interviews applicants and then recommends potential candidates to the Senate for their approval.
However, this process excludes the Lobby Corps from the decision-making process.
“[Lobby Corps] has a more in-depth understanding of what they will require from any potential appointees … to leave [Lobby Corps] out of the process would be unwise,” author of the resolution and ASI Senator Jorge Soriano said.
Soriano’s resolution allows Lobby Corps to make recommendations to the Senate.
Former ASI President James Ahumada established Lobby Corps in 2011 to create a group to advocate for students on a local, state and federal level.
The duties of Lobby Corps include reporting the actions of the California State Student Association (CSSA) to the Senate, coordinating state and federal voter registration drives and higher education campaigns on campus and establishing a training program to prepare student advocates for lobby visits.
Lobby Corps is a division under the ASI Senate, which is under the legislative branch of ASI. The ASI President is part of the executive branch.
“Our ASI’s structure models the structure of the national government, which operates under the idea of a separation of powers,” Soriano said. “To have the chief executive appoint a voting member of a legislative branch committee negates that idea.”
Soriano said he recognized the problem when he became chair of Lobby Corps.
“This [will keep] the decision within the appropriate branch and allow the Lobby Corps to make a decision based on the qualifications of the applicant and the needs of the group,” Soriano said.