Young Lawmakers | Video

Jessica Roose | 1/25/2013

Every other year the session brings many veteran legislators and some freshmen lawmakers to the capitol. Some of the freshmen lawmakers this year are unique, two of 25 new members of the 63rd legislative assembly are significantly younger than most of their colleagues.

There are 141 members of the Senate and House, in that mix are Grand Forks Representative Kylie Oversen (D) and Jamestown Representative Alex Looysen (R).

"It`s definitely a different experience because I come in with a different, of course, a very different perspective than a lot of the legislators that are here. Especially those that have been serving here for a longer period of time and just getting out of college I relate a lot to the higher education issues," said Oversen, 23.

Oversen graduated from the University of North Dakota in August with degrees in Social Science and Social Work. But she isn`t slowing down; she`s been applying and hopes to attend law school during the interim.

"It will definitely take a lot of balance. It`s overwhelming to think about what the next four years will be like with balancing a session and hopefully a law school career. But it`s been done before, Stacey Dahl who held this seat before I did, did the same thing her first session."

She`s not the only one with a lot to balance. Looysen, 21, is still a student at Jamestown College.

The junior was able to take the semester off by earning internship credit while he serves. "Her main requirement was that you get real world life experience and nothing better than right now."

He says it was his concern for where the country could be heading that inspired him to run for the office. "I really decided, you know, let`s try and make a difference to ensure that at least North Dakota has a young perspective when making these decisions about future generations."

He plans to start taking classes towards his biology and pre-med degree again this summer and during the interim.

Both Representatives say while it was a little scary at first they have been welcomed in by other members and shown how the process works.

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