Topics - All Events

Policy Debate will use the NSDA/NFHS 2024-25 topic -- Resolved: The United States federal government should significantly strengthen its protection of domestic intellectual property rights in copyrights, patents, and/or trademarks.

LD Debate will use the NSDA September/October 2024 topic -- Resolved: The United States ought to require that workers receive a living wage.

PF Debate will use the NSDA September/October 2024 topic -- Resolved: The United States federal government should substantially expand surveillance infrastructure along its southern border.

No novice topics will be used in any division.

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WSD will follow the scaffold and TFA Constitution recommendations. We will break to TFA points for elimination rounds. Elim 1 will always be the first elimination round, whether that is quarterfinals, semifinals, or finals, and so on.

Round 1 AND 2 (students will debate both sides): This House would implement a living wage.

Round 3: Impromptu

Round 4: This House regrets the narrative that democracy is the best form of governance.

Elim 1: This House, as a state with an aging population, would prefer policies that increase immigration (e.g. more visas) over ones that encourage citizens to have more children (e.g. tax benefits).

Elim 2: Impromptu

Elim 3 (if needed): This House would nationalize energy companies.

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Congress will follow the TFA Scaffold for Fall 2024. All legislation will be pulled from this link:https://www.txfa.org/_files/ugd/a3a5e9_6d6d91ca3a514a3d8742287239108546.pdf

Specific docket is TBA.

Additionally, we will be using Rule 2(l) on page 68 of the TFA Constitution and limiting floor debate per item of legislation to no more than one-third of a session's total floor time. We anticipate that will be 1 hour per piece of legislation.

As per the TFA Constitution page 67, section 2 - "When no one seeks the floor for debate, the presiding officer may ask the chamber if they are 'ready for the question' at which point, if there is no objection, voting may commence on the legislation itself. There is no 'minimum cycle.'"

Chambers are welcome to move the previous question or to table legislation as they see fit without a requirement for authorship or debate on a particular item. This should be done in accordance with parliamentary procedure.

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Extemp topic areas are TBA.