Tennessee Intercollegiate State Legislature


The Tennessee Intercollegiate State Legislature is an annual legislative session conducted by college students from across Tennessee, providing students over with an education about Tennessee state government and a channel to express their opinions on state issues.
This model legislature convenes in the State Capitol for four days, typically in November. It consists of a Senate and a House of Representatives, which debate bills that are produced wholly by the students. The Supreme Court consists of judges and lawyers participating in the Appellate Moot Court Collegiate Challenge. Students also have the option to work as lobbyists or members of the media.
During each General Assembly, officers are elected to serve on the Executive Council that governs the organization for the following year. The Executive Council chooses from ten bills that have passed in both the House and the Senate and designates them as Priority Legislation to be presented to the Tennessee General Assembly. Many of TISL's bills have become state law.

History

The history of the Tennessee Intercollegiate State Legislature is a story of students taking the initiative and providing leadership to organize themselves for learning about state government and expressing their views on state issues.
In 1966, Dr. Douglas Carlisle, a political science professor at the University of Tennessee at Knoxville, approached the Student Government Association with the concept of TISL. Dr. Carlisle was familiar with similar programs in North Carolina and South Carolina.
Events of the 1960s were important to TISL's founding. President John F. Kennedy's emphasis on student activism motivated young people across the nation before he was assassinated in 1963. His death heightened the resolve of many students to participate and make a difference. Important federal laws under President Lyndon Johnson such as the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the Voting Rights Act of 1965 and other far-reaching programs were focusing attention on the role of government. Student activism over the Vietnam War was growing.
It was also an exciting time in Tennessee politics. In Nashville, the Tennessee General Assembly was demonstrating the first stirrings of independence after decades under the control of the governor's office. The 1962 Baker v. Carr decision, a Tennessee case of national significance, led to the first redistricting of the legislature since 1900. This, in turn, produced a flood of new state senators and state representatives to change the political dynamic.
The legislature also began annual sessions after voters approved a constitutional amendment changing the legislative calendar. Consequently, Tennesseans were paying more attention to their state government than they'd paid in a long time. Republican Howard Baker's election to the U.S. Senate in 1966 introduced two-party competition for statewide offices and raised interest in politics.
The UTK student most intrigued with the TISL concept was Phillip Moffitt. Together, Moffitt and Dr. Carlisle contacted other student government associations across the state. At Vanderbilt University, they caught the interest of student Charles Bone. Bone and Moffitt were to become the first and second governors of TISL.
Records suggest that an organizational meeting occurred on the Vanderbilt campus in the spring or summer of 1966. The 1st General Assembly occurred in the fall at the State Capitol. Since that time, TISL has convened in nearly every academic year. The General Assembly has been displaced from the Capitol occasionally, usually because of construction. It has sometimes met in the auditorium of the War Memorial Building and in committee rooms of the Legislative Plaza.
The Tennessee Intercollegiate State Legislature Foundation was incorporated in 1976 under TISL Governor David Lillard Jr. and received a 501 classification from the Internal Revenue Service a year later as a further result of Lillard's work.
In 2014, the record for most colleges in attendance was broken. With 43 colleges and universities in attendance, the 45th General Assembly of the Tennessee Intercollegiate State Legislature was the largest group of students to attend the conference.

Officers

Executive Council

The ten-member Executive Council manages TISL through the year and prepares for the next General Assembly. Officers are ambassadors for TISL, which means they frequently call on other campuses, university administrators and state officials. Officers’ duties and responsibilities are enumerated in Article V of the TISL Constitution.
The Executive Council consists of the Governor, Lieutenant Governor, Secretary of State, State Treasurer, Speaker of the House of Representatives, Speaker Pro Tempore of the House of Representatives, Speaker Pro Tempore of the Senate, Attorney General, Lobbying Director, and Chief Justice of the Tennessee Intercollegiate Supreme Court.
The current officers were elected at the 49th General Assembly to serve a one-year term. The current officers are:
PositionOffice HolderSchool Name
GovernorFaith UdobongRhodes College
Secretary of StateAlexandra SleddUniversity of Memphis
State TreasurerKobe HermannMiddle Tennessee State University
Lieutenant GovernorBrock RowellUniversity of Memphis
Speaker Pro Tempore of the SenateHarley ChapmanRhodes College
Speaker of the HouseMatthew MullinsUniversity of Memphis
Speaker Pro Tempore of the HouseHunter McCloudUniversity of Tennessee, Martin
Attorney GeneralStephen KusickKing University
Chief Justice of the Supreme CourtMarina YousefTrevecca Nazerene University
Lobbying DirectorJacie WomackTrevecca Nazerene University

Support Staff

In addition to the Executive Council, various other officers and support staff are appointed to help the Executive Council with the management of the different components of TISL. The Speakers of each chamber appoint a Chief Clerk to oversee the flow of legislation and keep records while in session. There is also a Deputy Clerk who help the Chief Clerk in his/her duties. Both the Secretary of State and State Treasurer appoint Deputies and Assistants to assist them in their responsibilities. The Supreme Court justices appoint a Chief Clerk and Marshall to oversee paperwork and records of the AMC3 competition. There are also a number of law clerks and courtroom clerks that help the AMC3 program function. A Director of Lobbying is appointed to coordinate that program, as well as a Media Director to oversee the media component. The Governor is assisted by a Chief of Staff and Cabinet, who advise him on bills and convey the Governor's wishes to Senators and Representatives.

TISL Governors: Past & Present

The Governors of TISL and the schools they represented are listed below. The incumbent Governor is James Matthew Wyatt, and is indicated below in bold.
YearGovernor's NameGovernor's School
1966-1967Phillip MoffittThe University of Tennessee, Knoxville
1967-1968Charles BoneVanderbilt University
1968-1969Jonah GrayEast Tennessee State University
1969-1970George DeJarnattVanderbilt University
1970-1971Chad McCulloughTennessee Technological University
1971-1972Frank Clement Jr.The University of Memphis
1972-1973David FlemingTennessee Technological University
1973-1974Stephen HarrisEast Tennessee State University
1974-1975Roy HerronThe University of Tennessee, Martin
1975-1976Philip SanfordAustin Peay State University
1976-1977David Lillard Jr.The University of Memphis
1977-1978Jeff WilsonThe University of Tennessee, Knoxville
1978-1979Douglas LittlejohnThe University of Memphis
1979-1980David MasonAustin Peay State University
1980-1981Kem MorganThe University of Tennessee, Chattanooga
1981-1982Randy WilmoreTennessee Technological University
1982-1983Tony YatesMiddle Tennessee State University
1983-1984Mark RossMiddle Tennessee State University
1984-1985Mark RossMiddle Tennessee State University
1985-1986Nathan PossCumberland University
1986-1987Glenn KeeseeVanderbilt University
1987-1988Alan CroneThe University of Memphis
1988-1989David SanfordLincoln Memorial University
1990-1991Kevin O'ConnorThe University of Memphis
1991-1992Mark L. SluderTennessee Technological University
1992-1993Mark L. SluderTennessee Technological University
1993-1994Tre HargettThe University of Memphis
1994-1995Steven L. DenneyTennessee Technological University
1995-1996Russell A. HumphreyThe University of Memphis
1996-1997Elizabeth G. MillsapsMiddle Tennessee State University
1997-1998Jeffrey F. WisdomThe University of Memphis
1998-1999Ashley WoodsWalters State Community College
1999-2000Emily ClineThe University of Memphis
2000-2001Lee ScottLambuth University
2001-2002Josh TrentUnion University
2002-2003Elizabeth ShelleyThe University of Memphis
2005-2006Joshua ClarkeUnion University
2006-2007Amir BahreiniCleveland State Community College & The University of Tennessee, Knoxville
2007-2008Kenneth TaylorThe University of Memphis
2008-2009Micah RoederUnion University
2009-2010Gian GozumThe University of Memphis
2010-2011Cory HigdonThe University of Memphis
2011-2012Matthew MeinelVanderbilt University
2012-2013Alexander R. BrownChattanooga State Community College
2013-2014Jamie ArnettThe University of Tennessee, Martin & Austin Peay State University
2014-2015Brandon ChrismanThe University of Tennessee, Knoxville
2015-2016John DomanskiThe University of Tennessee, Martin
2016-2017Kara GilliamThe University of Tennessee, Knoxville
2017-2018James Matthew WyattUnion University
2018-2019Faith UdobongRhodes College

Notable TISL Alumni

Several alumni of the TISL program have gone into government and public serve in Tennessee and other states. Below is a list of TISL's notable alumni and positions they hold today.
NameNotes
Doug OverbeyTennessee State Senator
Former Tennessee State Representative
Russell HumphreyChief Clerk of the Tennessee State Senate
Mike KernellTennessee State Representative
Ron LollarTennessee State Representative
Tre HargettTennessee Secretary of State
David LillardTennessee State Treasurer
Jeff BivinsTennessee Supreme Court Chief Justice
Holly KirbyTennessee Supreme Court Justice
Mike FaulkFormer Tennessee Circuit Court Judge
Former Tennessee State Senator
Roy HerronFormer Chair of the Tennessee Democratic Party
Former Tennessee State Senator
Former Tennessee State Representative
Tony ShipleyFormer Tennessee State Representative
Phillip MoffittFounder, Balanced Life Institute