Tennessee (state)

F

Sports

Tennessee’s mountains, forests, lakes, rivers, and parks provide sports enthusiasts with ideal conditions for such outdoor activities as fishing, swimming, boating, hunting, horseback riding, hiking, and golf. Great Smoky Mountains National Park and Cherokee National Forest, both in the eastern part of the state, are particularly popular recreational areas. Automobile races are held in Nashville and at the Bristol International Speedway and Drag Strip, in Bristol. Gatlinburg, at the entrance to the Smoky Mountains Park, is a center for skiing and other winter sports. Tennessee’s professional football team is the Tennessee Titans (formerly the Houston Oilers). The team moved to Tennessee in 1997.

VII

Government

Tennessee has had three constitutions. The first state constitution was adopted in 1796, and the second in 1835. The present one, adopted in 1870, was revised by limited constitutional conventions in 1953, 1959, 1965, 1971, and 1977. Amendments to the constitution must be approved by a simple majority of the elected members of each house of the state legislature, then by a two-thirds majority during the next legislative session. The amendment must then be ratified by a majority of the Tennesseans voting for governor in the next general election. Amendments may also be initiated by a constitutional convention, but this may only be done once every six years.

A

Executive

The state’s chief executive, the governor, is elected for a four-year term and may not serve more than two terms in a row. The governor may veto proposed legislation, but the legislature may override the veto by a majority vote of the houses. The governor appoints numerous state officials, including most of the heads of the executive departments. Of the state administrative officials, only the governor and the three public service commissioners are elected directly by the voters. The remaining officials, the lieutenant governor, secretary of state, treasurer, and comptroller are elected by the legislators. The attorney general is selected by the justices of the state supreme court.

B

Legislative

The state legislature, which is called the General Assembly, consists of a 33-member Senate and a 99-member House of Representatives. Senators are elected for four-year terms, and house members are elected for two-year terms. The legislature meets in regular sessions, beginning in January. In addition, the governor has the power to call special sessions.

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C

Judicial

The highest court in Tennessee is the state supreme court, which consists of five justices elected for eight-year terms. The justices select one of their number to serve as chief justice. The two intermediate tribunals are the court of criminal appeals and the court of appeals. Judges on these courts are elected to eight-year terms, as are judges of the state’s chancery courts, circuit courts, criminal courts, and law-equity courts. Tennessee courts with purely local jurisdiction include justice-of-the-peace courts, courts of general sessions, and county courts.

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