Youth Governor: Each of the eleven geographic districts nominate one candidate for Governor and develop their campaign for his/her election. The election takes place at the Pre-Legislative Session. He/she is sworn in and works with the Speaker of the House, President of the Senate, Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, and Advisors of Youth & Government through the completion of the program. At the assembly, he/she works with the Governor’s Council, signs or vetoes bills from the legislature, prepares his/her opening remarks to the general court and his/her closing remarks at the final joint session.
Governor’s Council: Assigned on a rotational basis to five of the eleven districts. Council Members are elected at district caucuses. The Council meets with the governor during the Model Legislature and play an advisory role to him/her as legislation that has been passed by the House or Senate is considered and a decision is made to either sign it into law or veto the legislation.
Senate: Comprised of two Senators from each district who are elected at the district caucus. The Senate meets both as a full body and as two separate committees to consider legislation. Bills are presented, reviewed, amended, and debated in Committee Hearings before being voted on. Bills that make it out of committee may then be brought to the floor of the Senate for consideration, debate, and a vote by the full Senate. During the Pre Legislative Session, the Senate elects the President of the Senate who presides in the Senate during the Legislative Session. Additional Officers of the Senate are elected at district caucuses. All Senators shall serve on one of the two Senate Committees.
President of the Senate: Presiding officer of the Senate. He/She is elected by the Senate at the Pre Legislative Session. He/She sets the legislative agenda for the Senate in collaboration with the two Senate Committee Chairs. He/She prepares remarks that shall be delivered at the final joint session.
Sergeant-at-Arms: Assigned on a rotational basis to one of the eleven districts to be elected at the district caucus. Officer of the Senate responsible, in collaboration with the Senate Advisor and President of the Senate, for maintaining order and decorum in the Senate Chamber.
Clerk: Assigned on a rotational basis to one of the eleven districts to be elected at the district caucus. Officer of the Senate responsible for maintaining the organization of all proposed legislation and amendments to legislation that come before the Senate.
Chaplain: Assigned on a rotational basis to one of the eleven districts to be elected at the district caucus. Officer of the Senate, he/she shall prepare and deliver the invocation at the Pre-Legislative Session and on the Saturday morning of the legislative session along with the benediction during the final joint session.
Committee Chair: Assigned on a rotational basis to two of the eleven districts to be elected at the district caucus. Officers of the Senate who shall serve as the presiding officer of their respective committees. Each Committee Chair sets the legislative agenda for his/her committee with potential assistance from the President of the Senate. Committee Chairs assist the President of the Senate with setting the legislative agenda of the Senate as a whole.
House: Largest body of the government, comprised of approximately 200 Representatives hailing from all eleven districts. The House meets both as a full body and as eleven separate committees to consider legislation. Bills are presented, reviewed, amended, and debated in Committee Hearings before being voted on. Bills that make it out of committee may then be brought to the floor of the House for consideration, debate, and a vote by the full House. During the Pre Legislative Session, the House elects the Speaker of the House who presides in the House during the Legislative Session. Additional Officers of the House are elected at district caucuses. All Representatives shall serve on one of the eleven House Committees.
Speaker of the House: Presiding officer of the House. He/She is elected by the House at the Pre Legislative Session. He/She sets the legislative agenda for the House, often in collaboration with House Committee Chairs. He/She invites the Senate, members of the Judiciary, and the Governor and his/her Council to attend and participate in the final joint session. He/She prepares remarks that shall be delivered at the final joint session.
Sergeant-at-Arms: Assigned on a rotational basis to one of the eleven districts to be elected at the district caucus. Officer of the House responsible, in collaboration with the House Advisor and the Speaker of the House, for maintaining order and decorum in the Senate Chamber.
Clerk: Assigned on a rotational basis to one of the eleven districts to be elected at the district caucus. Officer of the House responsible for maintaining the organization of all proposed legislation and amendments to legislation that come before the House.
Chaplain: Assigned on a rotational basis to one of the eleven districts to be elected at the district caucus. Officer of the House, he/she shall prepare and deliver the benediction at the conclusion of the Pre-Legislative Assembly, the invocation during the first joint session of the Legislative Session, and the invocation for the House on the Saturday morning of the Legislative Session.
Committee Chair: Assigned on a rotational basis to each of the eleven districts to be elected at the district caucus. Officers of the House who shall serve as the presiding officer of their respective committees. Each Committee Chair sets the legislative agenda for his/her committee with potential assistance from the Speaker of the House. Committee Chairs often assist the Speaker of the House with setting the legislative agenda of the House as a whole.
Supreme Court: Composed of five Judges, Four-six lawyers, and the Clerk of the Court; all of whom are elected at district caucuses. The Supreme Court is responsible for considering bills relative to their constitutionality. Each bill selected by the Supreme Court and Supreme Court Advisors for judicial review shall be researched, their constitutionality shall be argued, and a decision shall be reached by the Chief Justice and Associate Justices as to the constitutionality of the bill. During the Pre Legislative Session, the Supreme Court elects the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court who presides in the Supreme Court during the Legislative Session.
Chief Justice: Presiding officer of the Supreme Court. He/She is elected by the Supreme Court at the Pre Legislative Session. He/She swears in the Governor, Speaker of the House, and President of the Senate during the final joint session of the Pre-Legislative Session. He/She sets the judicial review agenda for the Supreme Court in collaboration with the Associate Justices and the other officers of the court. He/She prepares remarks that shall be delivered at the final joint session.
Clerk: Assigned on a rotational basis to one of the eleven districts to be elected at the district caucus. Officer of the Supreme Court responsible for maintaining the organization of all legislation under review by the Supreme Court and any associated documents including, but not limited to, opinions of the court.
Lawyers: Assigned on a rotational basis to six of the eleven districts to be elected at the district caucuses. Office of the Court responsible for researching and presenting arguments to the court relative to the constitutionality of bills slated for judicial review. Lawyers work in pairs as they deliver prepared arguments and respond to question from the justices.
Press Corps: Each district elects or appoints one or two delegates to the Press Corps. Non-legislative in function, the Press Corps will work with the local media in reporting the Youth & Government Program and producing two issues of the Youth & Government newspaper. Press Corps Journalists perform interviews, conduct research, and observe committee and floor debates while preparing to craft engaging articles and editorials. Press Corps Journalists are responsible for developing and posing questions to the Candidates for Governor during the afternoon of the Pre-Legislative Session. During the Pre Legislative Session, the Press Corps elects the Editor-in-Chief who manages the Press Corps until the conclusion of the Legislative Session.
Editor-in-Chief: Managing officer of the Press Corps. He/She is elected by the Press Corps at the Pre-Legislative Session. He/She is responsible, in collaboration with the Press Corps Advisor, for assigning story topics and editorials to Journalists, editing all articles that are submitted, and laying out the newspaper.
Executive Branch, Senate, and House Editors: Officer of the Press Corps. Elected by the Press Corps at the Pre-Legislative Session. Each editor is responsible for the coverage of his/her branch or house, assisting the Editor-in-Chief by distributing some of his/her responsibilities regarding story assignments, coordination of articles, and copy editing.
Lobbyists: Composed of members elected at district caucuses. Works without voting power to pass or defeat bills. As a representative of a political, social, or business interest group; each lobbyist uses all available resources to work for the success of the interests he/she represents.