Letter to Representative
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Part 1. Introduction (Establishing Ethos + Purpose)
Rhetorical goal: Establish your credibility, identify exigence, and state your purpose.
Include:
- Who you are
- Your connection to the district/community
- The issue
- The bill(s)
- Your position
Example sentence structure:
My name is __________, and I am a __________ grade student at __________ High School in your district. I am writing to you about __________, an issue that directly affects students, families, and communities across Utah. I am particularly concerned about __________, which is connected to proposed legislation such as __________ (Bill # and name). I respectfully urge you to __________ because __________.
Part 2. Context & Exigence (Logos + Public Meaning)
Rhetorical goal: Make the issue understandable and urgent.
Include:
- Why the issue matters to more than just you
- What the legislation addresses
- Why the moment matters now (i.e. exigence)
Example sentence structure:
This issue is significant because __________. The proposed legislation __________ seeks to __________, which would affect __________. Given the current conditions in our state, this issue requires serious attention because __________.
Part 3. Evidence & Reasoning (Logos + Ethos)
Rhetorical goal: Support claims with credible, integrated evidence.
Each evidence move should include:
- Claim
- Evidence
- Explanation
- Impact
Types of evidence:
- Data (stats, numbers, trends)
- Experts (doctors, scientists, researchers, professionals)
- Anecdotes (stories of people impacted by issue, real-life examples)
- Historical examples (past patterns, past policies)
- Ethics (fairness, justice, values)
- Civics (laws, government, public responsibility)
- Comparative examples (other places doing better/worse)
Example sentence structure:
One major concern related to this issue is __________. According to __________, __________. This matters because __________, which directly affects __________.
Research from __________ demonstrates that __________. As a result, __________, placing __________ at risk.
Part 4. Personal Positioning (Ethos + Pathos)
Rhetorical goal: Humanize the issue and establish moral credibility.
Include:
- Why you care
- How this issue intersects with your lived experience
- Why this matters to teens and/or the general public
Example sentence structure:
This issue matters to me personally because __________. I have witnessed __________, and it has shown me that this is not just a policy debate—it is a lived reality for people in our community.
Part 5. Civic Action Request
Rhetorical goal: End with a call to action.
Include:
- Specific bill(s)
- Clear position
- Respectful civic language
Example sentence structure:
I respectfully urge you to support __________ (Bill # and name) because __________.
I ask that you reconsider your position on __________ in light of __________.
Part 6. Conclusion (Rhetorical Closure)
Rhetorical goal: Leave a professional, thoughtful final impression.
Include:
- Restated concern
- Appreciation for public service
- Forward-looking tone
Example sentence structure:
Thank you for your time, service, and commitment to our community. I appreciate your consideration of this issue and hope you will continue working toward policies that serve the long-term well-being of the people of Utah.
Examples of formal closings:
Sincerely,
Respectfully,
Thank you for your service,
[your name, address…]
General Document Comments 0
You’re doing thoughtful work pulling your sources and the letter template together. For your specific question:
- HB 0442 is not popping up clearly in the current Utah bill tracking I can see, which makes me think the bill number might be slightly off (Utah bills are usually formatted HB### and tied to a specific year/session).
- Sen. Jen Plumb is a Democratic state senator and pediatric emergency doctor who’s been especially active on public health, addiction, homelessness, and protecting minors (for example, she sponsored SB76 to narrow age gaps in teen marriage to protect youth). (Wikipedia, Jennifer Plumb, 2026); (Katie McKellar, Utah News Dispatch, 2025)
- Her record shows consistent support for LGBTQ+ protections (she opposed HB257, the transgender bathroom restrictions, and tried to amend it to allow restroom access by gender identity). (Bethany Rogers, The Salt Lake Tribune, 2024)
- She has also sponsored bills on homelessness oversight (SB78, creating an ombudsman for homeless services) and often argues from a “patient care / human impact” perspective. (Leia Larsen, The Salt Lake Tribune, 2025)
If you double‑check the exact year and title of “HB 0442,” do you want to either click Continue with AI so we can figure out how her past votes and statements line up with that bill, OR go to Create Document to start drafting your letter using the template your teacher gave you?
You’re doing exactly what this assignment is asking: tying a real bill and a real representative to that rhetorical letter frame.
Here’s what we can say right now—and what’s still unknown:
- HB 442 (2026 General Session, “Feminine Hygiene Products Amendments”) is listed on the Legislature’s site, but it doesn’t yet show a text summary, votes, or hearings, so we can’t see details or who’s for/against it yet ((Utah Legislature, HB 442 page, 2026)).
- The chief sponsor you named, Rep. Kristen Chevrier, is a new Republican House member known for “health freedom” and tight control over what schools can serve or what SNAP can buy, based on her own campaign site and bills like HB 402 (school food dyes) and HB 403 (candy/soda and SNAP) ((Chevrier, Issues page, 2025); (Woodruff, KSL report, 2025)).
- On period products more broadly, Utah already passed HB 162 in 2022, which requires free period products in K–12 girls’ and unisex restrooms statewide, and follow-up reporting shows that students say this access helps them stay in class and feel supported ((Utah Legislature, HB 162 bill text, 2022); (Utah Business, Policy Project survey, 2024)).
- I couldn’t find a clear public statement yet from Senator Jen Plumb specifically about HB 442, and the bill is early enough in the process that recorded committee or floor votes involving her aren’t posted, so any claim about her exact stance on this bill would be guessing.
If you imagine Jen Plumb reading your letter tomorrow, what’s one specific thing you’d want her to understand about how access to (or limits on) period products affects students like you—and do you want to draft that “Part 1: Introduction” now by clicking Continue with AI, or would you rather go to Create Document to start building your full letter there instead?
on the uploaded document.
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