The Legislators Back to School Program is an excellent opportunity for legislators and students to talk about how and why our governmental system works and how together we can help make Louisiana a better, stronger state. The National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL) instituted this national program in 1999 to provide a contemporary approach for engaging American students in understanding the value of democracy. This bipartisan effort provides an incentive for us to go into classrooms and discuss with our young people -- the voters and decision-makers of tomorrow – our role as legislators, the challenges facing our state, the importance of citizen participation in government, and the privilege and responsibility of voting. I encourage all legislators, teachers, parents, and students to support this highly acclaimed program. It's more important than ever to reaffirm our belief that democracy works.

Speaker of The House Taylor F. Barras