The Yapp


By: Christopher Fowler


            Model General Assembly is back in full swing, and with it, brings the addition of a new form of distributing and receiving information. Forget keeping up with your bill book, schedule, and other usual MGA necessities, because our advisors have created our very own MGA account on the Yapp. The Yapp, which can be downloaded from the App Store or Google Play, will keep all participants on track with copies of schedules, seating charts, and even a live news feed. The app also allows for our advisors to upload pictures from throughout the weekend and allows participants to follow the MGA Twitter feed. Delegate Josh Mortensen from Kecoughtan mentioned that he utilizes the schedule feature the most on the app. Along with the entire weekend schedule, the Yapp allows the user to make a personalized schedule that consists of his/her own meetings, sessions, and press conferences. This feature becomes beneficial for all of us who are constantly losing track of time or forget which floor a particular meeting is on. “Bill Tracking” has become a hot feature on the Yapp app, where users can now view the status of certain bills and amendments made to them on their mobile device. Users also have the ability to view the patron of each bill, the patron’s high school, and whether the Youth Governor signs or vetoes the bill once the papers hit his desk. Attorney General Zach Lingle mentioned in a press conference today, that he utilizes Yapp, and the Bill Tracking feature in particular, to see how certain bills did in committee and which bills to focus on heading into chamber sessions. Just with one year of Yapp usage, the app is already proven to be a huge success, and with new technological improvements coming in the next several years, this app could be the beginning of a more efficient MGA experience. 

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