Capitol Ideas | 2020 | Issue 1 | Serving the States

2020 ISSUE 1

SERVING THE STATES MEET THE 2020 CSG NATIONAL LEADERS PREPARING FOR THE FUTURE OF WORK LEARN TO LEAD WITH CSG PROVIDING TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE IN YOUR STATE

ASKED & ANSWERED WITH

Re p. J oan Ball we g W is consin

THANK YOU!

CSG Leadership Circle

To learn more about the CSG Associates Program and Leadership Circle, please contact: Maggie Mick, chief advancement officer | p. 859.244.8113 | e. mmick@csg.org

Issue 1 / 2020 SERVING THE STATES ON THE COVER Wisconsin state Rep. Joan Ballweg serves as the 2020 CSG National Chair. Ballweg is an advocate of early childhood education and supports women running for political office. In 2020, the U.S. celebrates the 100th anniversary of the 19th amendment granting women the right to vote.

Photo Courtesy of Rep. Joan Ballweg

STAY CONNECTED LIKE US

facebook.com/CSGovts

LINK US

linkedin.com/company/council-of-state-governments

FOLLOW US

@CSGovts

TUNE IN

CSGovts

10

14

22

24

CSG CHAMPIONS EXCELLENCE

GET TO KNOW THE CSG NATIONAL CHAIR

LEARN TO LEAD WITH CSG

2020 POLICY ACADEMY LINEUP

State Rep. Joan Ballweg has served in the Wisconsin legislature for 16 years. She looks forward to continuing her participation in the leadership development and networking opportunities CSG offers.

State leaders are dedicated to their communities, states and nation. One of the most important parts of the CSG mission is to support state leaders through national and regional leadership development.

The CSG Policy Academy series provides customized training on critical policy topics facing the states. Find out this year’s topics and where these vital trainings will be held in 2020.

ISSUE 1 2020 | CAPITOL IDEAS

Encompassing four regions, 50 states, all three branches of state government and nearly 15,000 members, CSG brings together state leaders and works to establish best practices.

1

ISSUE 1

FEATURES

16

19

SPOTLIGHT: Serving the States

7 On the Road with CSG

22 Learning to Lead with CSG

CSG provides convenings, technical assistance and learning opportunities; find an event near you in 2020.

State leaders are dedicated to their communities, states and nation. One of the most important parts of the CSG mission is to support state leaders through national and regional leadership development.

8 Come Together with CSG Hear from members about the valuable services provided by CSG and how the organization’s meetings and convenings help members serve their constituents.

10 CSG Champions Excellence Encompassing four regions, 50 states, all three branches of state government and nearly 15,000 members, CSG brings together state leaders and works to establish best practices. Learn more about the organization’s history and projects.

14 Asked and Answered with Rep. Joan Ballweg State Rep. Joan Ballweg has served in the Wisconsin legislature for 16 years. She looks forward to continuing her participation in the leadership development and networking opportunities CSG offers.

ISSUE 1 2020 | CAPITOL IDEAS

16 Meet Your CSG Leaders

2

Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly, Washington Sen. Sam Hunt and North Carolina Rep. Julia Howard join Wisconsin Rep. Joan Ballweg as the CSG 2020 National Leadership team.

19 Technical Assistance in Your State The CSG Center of Innovation provides hands-on expertise and customized assistance in workforce, health and elections policies.

24 Nonpartisan Public Policy Solutions The CSG Policy Academy series provides customized training on critical policy topics facing the states. Find out this year’s topics and where these vital trainings will be held in 2020.

28 Maximizing Our Return on Investment The CSG Healthy States National Task Force State Health Systems Return on Investment Subcommittee examines social determinants of health to help shape the future of health care.

30 Preparing the Workforce of Tomorrow The CSG Future of Work National Task Force Workforce of Tomorrow Subcommittee is working to plan for technological advancements, the emergence of artificial intelligence and how to better prepare students for the workforce.

42 Together Again Over 900 members convened in Puerto Rico for the 2019 CSG National Conference. Sessions encouraged collaboration and innovation and helped attendees work together on common policy issues.

4 WHAT’S HAPPENING AT CSG 5 THEY TWEETED IT | all about csg 32 REGIONAL ROUNDUP | east 34 REGIONAL ROUNDUP | midwest 36 REGIONAL ROUNDUP | south 38 REGIONAL ROUNDUP | west 40 JUSTICE CENTER ROUNDUP | dc 44 FINAL FACTS | serving the states

publisher DAVID ADKINS

dadkins@csg.org

editor-in-chief KELLEY ARNOLD

karnold@csg.org

managing editor BLAIR HESS

bhess@csg.org

associate editor JOEL SAMS jsams@csg.org

technical editor CHRIS PRYOR cpryor@csg.org

contributing JACK AITKEN writers CSG East/ERC

CAPITOL IDEAS, ISSN 2152-8489, ISSUE 5, Vol. 63, No. 1—Published by The Council of State Governments, 1776 Avenue of the States, Lexington, KY 40511-8536. Opinions expressed in this magazine do not necessarily reflect the policies of The Council of State Governments nor the views of the editorial staff. Readers’ comments are welcome. Subscription rates: in the U.S., $42 per year. Single issues are available at $7 per copy. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Capitol Ideas, Sales Department, The Council of State Governments, 1776 Avenue of the States, Lexington, KY 40511-8536. Periodicals postage paid at Lexington, Ky., and additional mailing offices.

Research Associate jaitken@csg.org

MIKKO LINDBERG

CSG South/SLC Senior Communications & Research Specialist mlindberg@csg.org

Mailing lists are available for rent upon approval of a sample mailing. Contact the sales department at (800) 800-1910.

LISA MCKINNEY

Copyright 2020 by The Council of State Governments. Periodicals postage paid at Lexington, Ky., and at additional mailing offices.

press@csg.org

ERICA MILLER graphic designers THERESA CARROLL CSG West

tcarroll@csg.org

Programs & Communications Manager emiller@csg.org

STEPHANIE NORTHERN

snorthern@csg.org

CHRIS PRYOR cpryor@csg.org

CHAD YOUNG

30 SFI-01681

SHANNON MORIARTY

CSG Justice Center

Deputy Division Director,

Communications & Public Affairs

smoriarty@csg.org

cyoung@csg.org

email

capitolideas@csg.org

Rep. Joan Ballweg

Sen. Sharon Carson

KANSAS CSG National President

WISCONSIN CSG National Chair

NEW HAMPSHIRE CSG East Co-Chair

David Adkins

Wendell M. Hannaford

CSG EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR/CEO dadkins@csg.org

CSG EAST DIRECTOR whannaford@csg.org

Rep. Lucy McVitty Weber NEW HAMPSHIRE CSG East Co-Chair

Sen. Ken Horn MICHIGAN CSG Midwest Chair

House Speaker Tim Moore

Sen. Michael Von Flatern

NORTH CAROLINA CSG South Chair

WYOMING CSG West Chair

Michael H. McCabe

Colleen Cousineau

Edgar Ruiz

CSG MIDWEST DIRECTOR mmccabe@csg.org

CSG SOUTH DIRECTOR fitzgerald@csg.org

CSG WEST DIRECTOR eruiz@csg.org

ISSUE 1 2020 | CAPITOL IDEAS

Gov. Laura Kelly

3

what’s happening at csg

WHAT’S

HAPPENING AT CSG

CSG to Award Grants to Improve Access to WIC The Council of State Governments and partners at the Gretchen Swanson Center for Nutrition recently convened a meeting of policy experts on the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) to brainstorm opportunities to improve the program’s enrollment process. Through a cooperative agreement with the U.S. Department of Agriculture Food and Nutrition Service, CSG will help increase program participation and address barriers to eligibility and certification by awarding sub-grants to state WIC agencies for innovative project ideas. CSG is excited to improve access to the WIC program for nutritionally at-risk mothers and their children.

Applications Open for CSG Regional Leadership Programs CSG National Task Forces Convene in Puerto Rico The 100 state leaders from around the country who are staffing CSG’s Healthy States and The Future of Work National Task Forces and their subcommittees had their second convening at the 2019 CSG National Conference in December in San Juan, Puerto Rico. They heard from experts in business, academia and the nonprofit sector around key topics of interest to help guide them as they continue their work compiling best practices and strategies for success. The task forces’ two-year process will conclude at the end of 2020 with the rollout of two frameworks on health and workforce policy for state leaders to consider.

Leadership development programs offered in each of the CSG regions are designed to equip talented state policymakers with the skills and strategies they need to meet the unique challenges they face in their states and regions. Each of the four programs attracts emerging state leaders who are striving to improve state government and their personal effectiveness as public servants. Find out more about CSG East’s Eastern Leadership Academy, CSG Midwest’s Bowhay Institute for Legislative Leadership Development, CSG South’s Center for the Advancement of Leadership Skills, and CSG West’s Western Legislative Academy at csg.org/csg_regional_programs.aspx.

VALLO Partnership Seeks to Ease Burdens on Transitioning Veterans

ISSUE 1 2020 | CAPITOL IDEAS

2020 Toll Fellowship Applications Now Available

4

The CSG Henry Toll Fellowship convenes 48 officials from all three branches of state government each year for a weeklong leadership development program designed to stimulate personal assessment and growth. CSG is now accepting applications for the 2019 program. The application can be found online at csg.org/tollfellows. The program will take place in Lexington, Kentucky, Aug. 21-25. Participants selected for the 2020 Henry Toll Fellowship will be required to attend the Toll Fellowship Graduation Ceremony, which will be held during the 2020 CSG National Conference in Santa Fe, New Mexico, Dec. 2-5.

CSG partnered with Ivy Tech Community College of Indiana on the Veterans Accelerated Learning for Licensed Occupations (VALLO) project, a U.S. Department of Labor initiative to create pathways for occupational licensure for service members seeking to rejoin the civilian workforce.

The VALLO team works with state licensing bodies and government officials to recognize military training and certifications toward the requirements for civilian licensure and to create bridge programs that close the gaps between military experience and civilian licensure requirements. To learn more about the VALLO program, contact Max Morley at mmorley@csg.org.

they tweeted it

THEY T WEETED IT Jim Munson @SenatorMunson • Dec 4, 2019 Parity not Charity—a catch phrase at this U.S. session of #CSG2019 in Puerto Rico. Imagine a world where autonomous vehicles take you to work. This is a huge prospect in the disability community—also apps are opening the doors to jobs - #AccessibleCanada #C81 @CQualtro Joan Ballweg @RepBallweg • Dec 7, 2019 This morning I helped @CSGovts fill 41,000 packets of food for people struggling with hunger in Puerto Rico as part of the Campaign Against Hunger.

It was a rewarding experience to come together with colleagues in this act of service. #CSG2019 #campaignagainsthunger

John Tilley @TilleyKY • Nov 22, 2019 Congrats to @GovernorDeal on receiving the @CSGJC inaugural Leadership in Justice Award! Much deserved! Gov. Deal has done, and continues to do, incredible work in this mission field.

It’s been an honor to get to know him through @CSGovts & @CouncilonCJ. #Georgia #cjreformengaged and

motivated audiences.

Erin Hennessey @RepHennessey • Dec 7, 2019 Practicing for Toll Fellow Graduation with @repdonna @chas_eby @TizzyLockmanDE @CMcCarthyVahey @Matt_Pouliot @CSGovts #CSG2019 Park Cannon @Cannonfor58 • Nov 19, 2019 Proud alumna of @CSGovts in both Kentucky and Arkansas leadership programs! #CALS #HenryToll #Fellow @State_Rep_Kim @GeorgiaDemocrat @GAHouseDems @MActionProject

Melissa Sargent @rep_melissa • Dec 4, 2019 @CSGovts #csg2019 states are the laboratories of democracy—so glad to be here with my colleagues from across the nation

Tim Butler @RepTimButler • Nov 19, 2019 Last month @staterepmoeller & I attended a @GLLCaucus @CSGovts conference on nutrient management in the Great Lakes Basin. Solving water quality & soil health issues, w/ all stakeholders at the table, is vital for Illinois.

ISSUE 1 2020 | CAPITOL IDEAS

Ellen Spiegel @EllenBSpiegel • Dec 4, 2019 Glad that @CSGovts #csg2019 is covering policy considerations related to disability employment and delighted to be learning alongside Marsheilah Lyons, one of the stars of #nvleg Legislative Counsel Bureau.

5

all about csg

DEAR READERS, My mom, who died a few months ago, was a big fan of “new beginnings.” Whenever I started a new job, she always sent me a cigar box filled with crayons and pencils and Post–it notes. She called them “new beginnings boxes.” In times of mindful reflection, I love the memory of her boxes. It meant she always believed in me and wanted to help me along life’s journey. She also had faith that the best was always yet to be. New beginnings give us a chance to pause and imagine the world not as it is, but as it will be. Together, we get to help shape the choices that will determine the future. That was true in 2019 and will continue to be true in this year ahead.

In 2019, CSG had its best year ever. Our regional offices delivered on their promise to convene a family of public servants and build an empowered community of people of purpose who made a difference in governing their states. The CSG Justice Center deepened its footprint and expanded its reach while maintaining its status as the “go to” national resource for data–driven, consensus–based public safety and criminal justice policy.

Our headquarters team brought together two new national task forces — The Future of Work and Healthy States — and staffed the work of eight subcommittees of a diverse cross section of state leaders. The CSG Center of Innovation grew from a concept into a robustly funded resource. This growth allowed us to recruit new, incredible talent to our team and significantly enhance our outreach in the states.

I am convinced that the hard work in 2019 was a harbinger of good things that are already in the works in 2020. Our founder, Henry Toll, often preached, “make no small plans.” We will continue to heed that advice.

ISSUE 1 2020 | CAPITOL IDEAS

2020 will be a year in which the public turns its attention to electing national and state leaders. We already know that the results of the election will likely mean one-quarter to one-third of all state legislative seats will be held by first time legislators in 2021. With their election, state government will reinvent itself again and CSG will need to renew our efforts to connect and meaningfully convene our members.

6

As you remain committed to your resolutions for the new year, I hope you will join me in redoubling our commitment to work with integrity, to create invigorating spaces for state officials to come together, to overcome the tribalism that is a cancer on the public square and to tirelessly advance the common good.

Cheers to you and to all you helped us achieve in 2019, and here’s to all that we will achieve together in the year ahead — a year full of possibilities and new beginnings.

DAVID ADKINS

Executive Director/CEO

on the road with csg

ON THE CSG provides convenings, technical assistance and learning opportunities in states across the nation each year. Here’s where you can find CSG in 2020.

The Midwestern Radioactive Materials Transportation Committee Spring Meeting Week of May 18 | Scottsdale, Arizona CSG National Task Force Meetings June 1–5 | Lexington, Kentucky Future of Work June 1–3 | Healthy States June 3–5 75th Annual Meeting of the Midwestern Legislative Conference July 19–22 | Detroit, Michigan CSG West 73rd Annual Meeting July 28–31 | Jackson Hole, Wyoming Legislative Council on River Governance (LCRG) Meeting Aug. 17–19 | Lewiston, Idaho CSG South/Southern Legislative Conference 74th Annual Meeting Aug. 1–5 | Winston–Salem, North Carolina CSG East/Eastern Regional Conference 60th Annual Meeting Aug. 23–26 | Manchester, New Hampshire Medicaid Leadership Policy Academy Sept. 23–25 | Washington, D.C. Border Legislative Conference (BLC) September | California Great Lakes–St. Lawrence Legislative Caucus Annual Meeting Sept. 18–19 | Detroit, Michigan

The Midwest Interstate Passenger Rail Commission Annual Meeting Nov. 9–11 | Detroit, Michigan

2020 CSG National Conference Dec. 2–5 | Santa Fe, New Mexico

STATE CAPITOL VISITS CSG EAST/EASTERN REGIONAL CONFERENCE Maine New Hampshire Vermont Maryland Rhode Island Connecticut Delaware New Jersey

Jan. 27–28 Jan. 28–30 Jan. 30–31 Feb. 12–13 Feb. 25–27 March 10–12 March 24–25 March 26

CSG MIDWEST/MIDWESTERN LEGISLATIVE CONFERENCE Nebraska South Dakota Indiana Kansas Iowa Ohio Wisconsin Michigan Minnesota Illinois North Dakota

Jan. 13–15 Jan. 14–16 Jan. 21–23 Jan. 26–28 Feb. 3–5 Feb. 11–13 Feb. 17–19 March 2–5 March 9–11 March 17–19 No session

CSG SOUTH/SOUTHERN LEGISLATIVE CONFERENCE West Virginia Florida Virginia Missouri Kentucky Arkansas Mississippi Tennessee Oklahoma South Carolina Alabama Louisiana North Carolina Georgia

CSG WEST

Washington New Mexico Utah Oregon Wyoming Colorado Montana

Jan. 14–15 Jan. 22–23 Jan. 28–29 Feb. 4–5 Feb. 11–12 Feb. 19–20 Feb. 25–26 March 3–4 March 24–25 March 31–April 1 April 14–15 April 28–29 May 19–20 As schedule allows

Jan. 21–23 Jan. 28–30 Feb. 5–6 Feb. 10–12 Feb. 27–28 March 18–19 March 23–24

ISSUE 1 2020 | CAPITOL IDEAS

The Midwestern Legislative Service Agency/Research Directors Group Meeting Oct. 30–31 | Chicago, Illinois

WITH CSG

7

all about csg

COME TOGETHER WITH CSG

ISSUE 1 2020 | CAPITOL IDEAS

Throughout the year, CSG convenes state leaders from across the United States, U.S. territories and Canada to discuss policy issues and other topics that impact multiple states.

This is done in a nonpartisan environment offering opportunities to network, develop leaders, collaborate and create problemsolving partnerships. Hear from CSG members across the country on what they find most valuable about these annual CSG meetings.

8

I’m looking forward to bringing not only some of the takeaways from states that have implemented cannabis-related policies, but also recycling technologies and some of the different HIV transmission prevention strategies that have successfully been implemented in other states so that we can see how they can work in Florida.”

Rep. Carlos G. Smith, Florida

We have encouraged our students to go to college for years, and that is great, but there are a number of kids who don’t feel college is their pathway forward to a successful career. I’m hoping I gain some information to help me with legislation to not necessarily totally change the narrative, but to bridge that gap between the kids that have gone to college and those who do not plan to go to college to make sure that all of the kids in my community have a pathway to a career.”

Assemblywoman Daniele Monroe-Moreno, assistant majority leader, Nevada

value of csg

I’ve been able to talk to real, experienced legislators about some of the things going on. It is always easy and great to look at data and talk to experts, but it has been interesting to get the feedback from people who have been working on these policies and to get that background in the different dynamics of the states that have been successful and the different paths they’ve been able to be successful.”

The reporting back from the task forces are the most valuable. I’ve been fortunate enough to serve on the subcommittees of some of the CSG National Task Forces, and it is always great to meet folks and hear what they are doing in their states.”

If you want to be up to date with what is happening in state government, CSG is your best resource. It provides legislators with the opportunity to get to know and work with leaders in their region and across the country.”

Sen. Becky Massey, Tennessee

Sen. Sam Hunt, Washington

Sen. Adam Hollier, Michigan

ISSUE 1 2020 | CAPITOL IDEAS

9

all about csg

ISSUE 1 2020 | CAPITOL IDEAS

A “family of state officials,” CSG champions excellence in state governments to advance the common good

10

Encompassing four regions, 50 states, all three branches of state government and nearly 15,000 members, The Council of State Governments can be described many ways. It’s a convening organization that brings state leaders together to discuss issues of mutual importance. It’s a depository for research on policy topics including education, health care and criminal justice. It’s a mechanism for interstate partnerships and collaborative relationships.

by Joel Sams

But while the impact of CSG is complex and far-reaching, its mission is simple. Through idea sharing, collaboration and problem-solving partnerships, CSG champions excellence in state governments to advance the common good.

csg champions excellence

CSG creates multiple platforms to engage state government officials from three branches of government to share ideas, vet those ideas and improve upon those ideas."

DONNA BULLOCK

P E N N S Y LVA N I A S TAT E R E P R E S E N TAT I V E

IDEA SHARING

Sharing ideas across all three branches of state government is central to the mission of CSG. Through national and regional conferences and policy academies, CSG convenes state leaders to discuss issues, share best practices and build relationships that span geographical and political lines.

In 2019, attendees of the CSG National Conference in San Juan, Puerto Rico, enjoyed robust discussion on a broad range of topics.

Members of the CSG National Task Forces — The Future of Work and Healthy States (pp. 28-31) — gathered to survey emerging trends and best practices. With four subcommittees each, the task forces explore topics like telemedicine, electronic health records, social determinants of health, the gig economy, equity and inclusion, artificial intelligence and much more.

In addition to convening state leaders for events, CSG shares extensive policy research resources.

Pennsylvania state Rep. Donna Bullock says CSG initiatives like the Henry Toll Fellowship (p. 22) and the Future of Work National Task Force have made her a better legislator.

Interacting with colleagues from a variety of political backgrounds in a safe environment honed her communication skills and opened new avenues to share ideas.

“CSG understands the value in idea sharing,” Bullock said. “CSG creates multiple platforms to engage state government officials from three branches of government to share ideas, vet those ideas, and improve upon those

how to get involved

ideas. In the Toll Fellowship, legislators and other state government officials create a culture of trust and organic idea sharing. Toll Fellows learn that good policy and legislative ideas can come from anyone — a staffer, a legislator from another state, someone from another side of the aisle. CSG participants bring these ideas back to their states and everyone benefits from the diversity and experience that CSG brings together.

“Through CSG initiatives, I found a safe place to be heard, to listen and to take deep, deep dives into very sensitive conversations. This has tremendous value. I learned that sometimes a good idea doesn't mean anything if you approach it wrong, if your colleagues don't hear you and you can't get the votes. It's not just about the idea; the process and how you include others matter too.”

Email membership@csg.org Visit csg.org

ISSUE 1 2020 | CAPITOL IDEAS

Throughout the year and during the national conference, CSG Policy Academies offer indepth perspectives on critical policy topics facing the states. In 2019, CSG policy academies included Medicaid 101, Growing Green: Marijuana Policy in the States, Privacy and Cybersecurity, and The Energy Landscape, each sharing ideas of critical importance throughout the states. (For a preview of 2020 policy academies, see p. 24.)

The CSG Justice Center shares extensive research on issues including recidivism reduction, mental health, reentry and employment following incarceration and much more. CSG Justice Center publications are available at: csgjusticecenter.org/jc/publications.

11

all about csg

Since our founding, CSG has always been involved with creating interstate compacts. These are powerful adaptive tools for states to come together and offer win-win solutions that are state-driven.”

states to jointly problem-solve, often avoiding federal intervention.

NCIC serves as an information clearinghouse, a provider of training and technical assistance and a primary facilitator in assisting states in the review, revision and creation of new interstate compacts to solve multi-state problems, including issues surrounding occupational licensure.

D A N LO G S D O N | N C I C D I R E C TO R

COLLABORATION In addition to sharing ideas, CSG helps states take action by fostering collaboration on a host of issues.

The CSG National Center for Interstate Compacts (NCIC) offers one example of collaboration. NCIC is a policy program developed by CSG to assist states in developing interstate compacts, which are contracts between states.

State governments often prefer to direct themselves collaboratively when addressing problems that span boundaries, and compacts have proved to be an effective mechanism for

ISSUE 1 2020 | CAPITOL IDEAS

CSG founded

by Toll.

12

Henry Wolcott Toll, a Colorado state senator, created the American Legislators' Association

1925

1933

Over the past 60 years, the number of jobs requiring an occupational license, or government approval to practice a profession, has grown from about 1 in 20 to nearly 1 in 4. Because licensing requirements are often significantly varied from state to state, workers can face barriers when moving across state lines. CSG has encouraged collaboration in this area by helping form interstate compacts, which create reciprocal professional licensing practices between states while ensuring the quality and safety of services and safeguarding state sovereignty.

collaborate on policy ideas. Launched in 1941 as Suggested State Legislation, today’s SSL is both a member-driven process and an annual publication detailing topics of current importance to the states. The CSG SSL Committee, comprised exclusively of state officials, meets annually to review legislation adopted in the states. The committee then selects legislation to be included in the annual SSL volume. These volumes are published online for dissemination to state leaders and staff.

“SSL is a direct example of how CSG helps states work together,” said CSG Policy Analyst Sierra Hatfield. “The committee is comprised of members from all 50 states in each section of the legislature, so it’s very representative of the people on the ground dealing with these issues.”

“CSG is the only national organization with demonstrated expertise in this area,” said NCIC Director Dan Logsdon. “Since our founding, CSG has always been involved with creating interstate compacts. These are powerful adaptive tools for states to come together and offer win-win solutions that are state-driven.”

how to get involved To learn more about interstate compacts, visit: csg.org/NCIC. To learn more about SSL, visit: csg.org/SSL.

Shared State Legislation, or SSL, is another effort by which CSG brings states together to

Midwestern Legislative Conference (MLC) established.

Illinois state Sen. T.V. Smith III becomes first CSG national chair.

Washington, D.C., office opened.

The Book of the States first published.

Eastern Regional Conference (ERC) established.

1935

1937

CSG Suggested State Legislation (now Shared State Legislation) program launched.

1938

1940

State Government News (now Capitol Ideas) first published.

New CSG Headquarters building in Lexington, Kentucky, dedicated.

Southern Legislative Conference (SLC) and CSG West established.

1945

1947

1958

1969

csg champions excellence

PARTNERSHIPS

Through affiliation with CSG, 10 national organizations of state officials share ideas and combine efforts to accomplish mutual goals. Affiliates contribute specialized expertise, information and resources to the overall mission of CSG. In turn, affiliates can tap into CSG's products and services and utilize a forum for bringing issues to a broader, collective state audience.

“Being part of the CSG family is an invaluable partnership,” said Cherise Imai, executive director of the Military Interstate Children’s Compact Commission (MIC3). “It allows us to shift some of the administrative tasks so our small organization can operate effectively and efficiently. It also allows us to tap into the extensive resources at CSG’s disposal and to get issues in front of a nationwide audience of state leaders.”

Together, these organizations advocate for state and local governments at the federal level, speaking with a collective voice to strengthen the critical role of states and municipalities in our federalist system of governance and to advance solutions to the challenges we share.

to help craft solutions that work. Our goal is to deliver value to the states by empowering and inspiring state officials to find creative, innovative and cost-effective ways to craft public policy that will make an impact. I encourage every appointed and elected state government official to engage with us and find out the difference CSG can make for them and their state.”

CSG is also a proud member of a network of nonpartisan, nonprofit organizations that represent state and local governments, known as the Big 7. In addition to CSG, the group is comprised of the following organizations: INTERNATIONAL CITY-COUNTY MANAGEMENT ASSOCIATION NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF COUNTIES

1986

1987

Control Agencies

»M ilitary Interstate Children’s Compact Commission

» N ational Association of State Facilities Administrators Personnel Executives

NATIONAL CONFERENCE OF STATE LEGISLATURES

» N ational Emergency Management

NATIONAL GOVERNORS ASSOCIATION

» N ational Hispanic Caucus of State

Technology Directors

U.S. CONFERENCE OF MAYORS

Legislators

» S tate International Development Organizations

»W omen In Government

ERC's Robert J. Thompson Eastern Leadership Academy established.

CSG West's Western Legislative Academy established.

1995

Association

CSG's National Center for Interstate Compacts established.

2000

2004

CSG Justice Center becomes a national resource.

SLC's Center for the Advancement of Leadership Skills established.

2005

2006

CSG Center of Innovation established.

CSG national headquarters rededicated and a new address adopted: 1776 Avenue of the States.

2015

2018

ISSUE 1 2020 | CAPITOL IDEAS

1984

» A ssociation of Air Pollution

» N ational Association of State

MLC Bowhay Institute for Legislative Leadership Development established.

Alumni: 1,326

Association

NATIONAL LEAGUE OF CITIES

American Probation and Parole Association affiliates with CSG. CSG Henry Toll Fellowship established.

» A merican Probation and Parole

» N ational Association of State

“Being a public servant has always been challenging but the complexity of today’s issues makes it even more so,” said CSG Executive Director/CEO David Adkins. “CSG brings state officials together to learn from each other and

CSG Associates Program established.

CSG AFFILIATES INCLUDE:

13

all about csg

M E E T YO U R C S G N AT I O N A L C H A I R

W I S CO N S I N R E P R E S E N TAT I V E

What inspired you to run for public office?

I was initially involved with my local chamber of commerce. My husband and I own a John Deere implement dealership in a small community. Anyone from small, rural areas knows you get involved in everything. I first ran for local municipal office and served on the city council to encourage investment in our downtown infrastructure project. After four years, I ran for mayor on a platform of establishing more comprehensive planning across all areas of city government.

After 10 years of city government service, I thought I had fulfilled my civic duty, but six years later, the local state Assembly seat opened up, and I was encouraged to run. I realized it was a great opportunity to continue to serve my neighbors and use my experience at the local level to be their voice in Madison. I thought state government should do a better job of understanding local needs and communicating with their partners at the local level. I take pride in my commitment to visit all my local municipalities at least once each session.

hat policy areas are you most passionate W about?

ISSUE 1 2020 | CAPITOL IDEAS

Early childhood education and the importance of supporting children and their families is a policy area I’m particularly passionate about. I co-founded and continue to serve as a co-chair of the bipartisan Wisconsin Legislative Children’s Caucus. The purpose of the caucus is to cultivate a legislature dedicated to advancing promising, evidence-informed public policy that improves the life of every Wisconsin child. We also work to provide education to members on trauma informed care and adverse childhood experiences each session.

14

I have worked hard to raise awareness for organ donation because of a personal experience my family had. Each year, I introduce a resolution to recognize April as Donate Life Month. In the past, I have also sponsored legislation that created the organ donation check-off on our driver's license renewal forms, as well as crafted legislation to create the Donate Life license plate in Wisconsin.

Also, in my 16 years in the Wisconsin Legislature, I have developed an appreciation of the role regulation plays. As co-chair of the Joint Committee for Review of Administrative Rules, I have seen the important role rules play, even more so than new laws, in our lives, businesses and local governments. The Wisconsin Legislature has a robust oversight process and I have used that position to improve the interaction with the public and state agencies.

q&a

You are serving as the 2020 CSG National Chair. Can you share the value of being a part of CSG and how it helps you as a representative in your state?

I believe the leadership development and networking opportunities are very important, not only for me but for my colleagues as well. My original connection with CSG was through CSG Midwest’s leadership program, the Bowhay Institute for Legislative Leadership Development (BILLD). Through that connection, I’ve had regular attendance at the regional and national conferences and have been able to share current issues and policy options with legislators from across the country. I’ve also been part of selection committees and have seen so many colleagues grow into leaders after their involvement.

I’ve been able to learn so much from my involvement in committees like the Midwest-Canada Relations Committee and the Great Lakes Legislative Caucus. CSG has provided me with the great opportunity to participate in travel delegations to Germany, Canada and Israel as members of these committees, exposing me to experts, fresh perspectives and new friends.

2020 celebrates the 100th anniversary of the 19th Amendment, which granted women the right to vote.

There have been many influential women in state government in the past 100 years. Why should women get involved and stay involved in the political system?

Wisconsin is a civically engaged state and values being involved in our communities and local projects. I believe it is important to see women in politics because half of the electorate is women. In the past few years, it has been encouraging to see more women join me and have a voice at the state level. Wisconsin ranks in the middle in terms of percentages of women in our state legislature but we’re very proud to have a majority of women serving on our state’s highest court. In fact, Wisconsin has the highest percentage of women on our supreme court of any state other than Oregon (we share that distinction with them). As we celebrate these achievements, I think it’s important that we look back and thank the women who fought for our right to vote and our right to have a seat at the table.

Moving forward, as we get closer to gender parity in politics, I think it is important to get everyone involved, regardless of sex. When we bring differing perspectives and experiences to the table to determine public policy, we use each individual’s strengths and insights to create laws that can have the greatest effect on society. Our form of democracy is designed with the understanding that every person is both unique and equal, making our republic stronger through its diversity of thought, culture, histories and experiences.

1

What’s something you keep in your office and why?

Most importantly, family pictures, especially the photos of my three grandchildren. I also have a University of Wisconsin football helmet and mementoes of my foreign travels. I’m always ready to go on a trip anywhere and look forward to going to each of the regional conferences for CSG and meeting state and regional leaders.

2

What is Wisconsin’s best kept secret?

Ripon, Wisconsin, which is in my Assembly District, is home to the birthplace of two important groups still involved in modern politics. The Republican Party was founded in Ripon after a meeting in a little school house on March 20, 1854 was convened to voice residents' opposition to the Kansas-Nebraska Act. Additionally, Carrie Chapman Catt, a woman influential in the national woman suffrage movement, lived in Ripon and founded the League of Women Voters.

3

As a former first grade teacher, what do you think is the most important thing we should teach our children?

Patience, resilience and perseverance. The math and reading will happen, but success in life, I believe, comes from setting goals, seeing set-backs as opportunities and sometimes rolling with the punches.

4

What is something that you like to do with your grandchildren?

Anything — my grandchildren all live overseas, so I don’t get to be with them much. When I do, it’s nice to have some quiet time, sit and read with them or listen to them tell me their stories and recount their activities. Their company just makes me smile.

ISSUE 1 2020 | CAPITOL IDEAS

Even with those strides, as a former female mayor, I know there is still more to be done to embolden women to get involved. It’s still uncommon to see women in executive roles, which is why I am happy to be serving my term as national chair alongside Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly.

&

Asked Answered

15

all about csg

Meet your CSG Leaders Laura Kelly, the 48th governor of Kansas, will serve as The Council of State Governments national president in 2020.

“It truly is an honor to serve as National President of The Council of State Governments,” Kelly said. “CSG offers outstanding opportunities for state officials nationwide. By working with and learning from others across the country, we are better positioned to create innovative strategies and chart a healthier path forward in Kansas.”

Kelly served in the Kansas Senate for four terms — from 2005 to 2019 — representing the 18th district where she served as the Ranking Minority member of the Ways and Means Committee and as the Senate Assistant Minority Leader.

“I had the privilege of participating in the Henry Toll Fellowship Program through CSG.… ...[It] was a tremendous opportunity for personal growth and networking with state officials from diverse backgrounds.

A decade later, I continue to draw on my experience as a Toll Fellow.”

During her time in the Senate, Kelly advocated for fiscally responsible, balanced budgets that reflected Kansas community priorities including schools, health care, roads and public safety.

“The priorities of my administration align with the values of the CSG as we work to pursue policy that advances the common good through bipartisanship and inclusivity.”

CSG National President ISSUE 1 2020 | CAPITOL IDEAS

KANSAS GOVERNOR LAURA KELLY

16

DID YOU KNOW?

Prior to her time in state government, Kelly worked in the health care field with an emphasis in mental health. She was also the long-time leader of the Kansas Recreation and Park Association. Laura and her husband live in Topeka and have been married for 37 years. They have two grown daughters, Kathleen and Molly.

KELLY WA S B O RN I N N EW YO RK CI TY. Kelly has two daughters, Kathleen and Molly. KEL LY I S TH E 4 8 TH G OVER N O R O F KA NS A S AND THE STATE’S TH I RD FEM AL E G OVERN O R. She has degrees in

psychology and therapeutic recreation.

meet your csg leaders

Washington state Sen. Sam Hunt continues his important role in CSG’s national leadership as the chair-elect in 2020. Hunt was elected to represent the 22nd District of the Washington Senate in 2016 after serving 16 years in its House of Representatives.

Hunt has been an active member of CSG for many years and serves on the Smart Government Subcommittee of the CSG Future of Work National Task Force. The task force is surveying emerging trends and best practices in workforce issues. During the 2020 CSG National Conference in Santa Fe, New Mexico, the task force will release its final report, which will serve as a resource for the states.

“If you want to be up to date with what is happening in state government, CSG is your best resource. It provides legislators with the opportunity to get to know and work with leaders in their region and across the country.”

In his home state, Hunt is the chair of the State Government, Tribal Relations and Elections Committee and is also a member of the Ways and Means and Early Learning & K-12 Education committees. In addition, he chairs the Legislative Oral History Advisory Committee and serves on the Capitol Campus Design Advisory Committee and the Washington-Hyogo Friendship Council. A former member of the Washington State Historical Society Board of Trustees, Hunt volunteers with the National Institute for Civil Discourse, working to promote and improve civility among members of state legislatures. In 2017, Hunt chaired CSG West before being appointed to the CSG national leadership team in 2018.

CSG National Chair-Elect WASHINGTON STATE SENATOR SAM HUNT

Hunt taught school in Pasco and Montesano before running for public office.

H E SERVED AS T HE EDUCAT I O N A DVI S O R TO G OV. B O OTH GARD N E R. The 22nd District of Washington includes the cities of Lacey, Olympia and

Turnwater and the unincorporated Thurston County, including Cooper Point, Boston Harbor, Johnson Point and part of the Nisqually Delta. H U N T, H I S W I FE A N D TH EI R TWO CHI LDREN AND THE I R FAM I L I ES L I VE I N O LY M PI A .

DID YOU KNOW?

ISSUE 1 2020 | CAPITOL IDEAS

A graduate of Washington State University, Hunt was a schoolteacher before beginning his public service work. He lives in Olympia with his family.

17

all about csg

Meet your CSG Leaders North Carolina state Rep. Julia Howard will serve as CSG national vice-chair in 2020.

Howard represents District 77, which includes Forsythe County and her current home, Davie County. In 2018, she was elected to her 16th two-year term in the state’s House of Representatives. Before representing District 77, Howard served constituents in North Carolina’s District 79 for 30 years.

Howard is passionate about policies that impact families and has chaired several legislative committees, including the House Ethics Committee, the House Committee on Banking and the Joint Legislative Oversight Committee on Unemployment Insurance.

During her time in the North Carolina House of Representatives, Howard has dedicated herself to issues including welfare reform, overhauling the state’s unemployment insurance system, small business issues and child protection laws.

During the Great Recession of 2008, North Carolina quickly exhausted its unemployment trust fund and amassed debt to the federal government in excess of $2.7 billion.

To avoid substantial and damaging federal unemployment tax increases on small businesses, Howard authored and successfully led to passage legislation restructuring North Carolina’s unemployment system for both employees and employers.

She also worked to pass Jessica’s Law, legislation that provides children with new protections against sex offenders.

Howard is a graduate of Salem College.

CSG National Vice-Chair ISSUE 1 2020 | CAPITOL IDEAS

NORTH CAROLINA STATE REPRESENTATIVE JULIA HOWARD

18

DID YOU KNOW?

Howard is a licensed real estate broker and appraiser and owns and operates Howard Realty in Davie County. SHE HAS TWO CHILDREN AND SIX GRANDCHILDREN. Howard is serving her 16th two-year term in the North Carolina House of Representatives.

SHE IS A NATIVE OF ROWAN COUNTY,NORTH CAROLINA.

She is a strong advocate for family policy issues.

csg center of innovation

TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE IN YOUR STATE CSG Center of Innovation provides hands-on expertise in workforce, health and elections policies

W

hy do some families fail to utilize nutrition benefits that they already qualify for? How can states reduce unnecessary barriers to the labor market?

How can election officials improve the voting process for uniformed and overseas voters?

These are just a few of the practical questions on which The Council of State Governments can offer expertise. Through its Center of Innovation (COI), CSG provides technical assistance to the states by means of a variety of grant partnerships. With a growing number of grants, the Center of Innovation draws on CSG’s extensive resources, applying them to issues of shared importance among the states.

ISSUE 1 2020 | CAPITOL IDEAS

Workforce policy, health and human services policy and elections policy are just three of the critical areas in which CSG provides technical assistance, offering state leaders valuable opportunities to learn more and to take advantage of CSG resources.

19

all about csg

WORKFORCE POLICY YOUTH EMPLOYMENT POLICY CENTER Through a grant awarded by the U.S. Department of Labor Office of Disability Employment Policy, CSG is establishing an innovative center to help develop and disseminate resources to offer solutions to challenges facing youth and youth with disabilities who are seeking employment. This center will work to increase the number and quality of employment opportunities for youth with disabilities. The project is in partnership with the Yang-Tan Institute on Employment and Disability at Cornell University and the Transition to Adulthood Center for Research at the University of Massachusetts Medical School.

This policy development center will work with states to identify the needs of workforce systems, to conduct research and policy analysis to address these needs, to provide state level partners with technical assistance and to develop and disseminate resources to policymakers and partners, offering solutions to challenges in finding employment for youth and youth with disabilities. The center will also focus on three primary subject areas: strategic partnerships and systems coordination, career pathways and work-based learning, and professional development.

How to get involved This national center seeks to improve employment outcomes for youth and young adults with disabilities by helping states build capacity in their youth service delivery and workforce systems. For information, training or technical assistance contact CSG Policy Analyst Sydney Geiger at sgeiger@csg.org.

ISSUE 1 2020 | CAPITOL IDEAS

STATE EXCHANGE ON EMPLOYMENT AND DISABILITY (SEED)

20

As states strive to promote workforce inclusion, people with disabilities — including veterans with service-connected disabilities — are a key part of the solution. Recognizing this, the U.S. Department of Labor Office of Disability Employment Policy launched the State Exchange on Employment and Disability (SEED). SEED is a collaborative effort of state intermediary organizations, including the National Conference of State Legislatures, The Council of State Governments and Women in Government, to help state legislators effectively address policy barriers that may hinder the employment of people with disabilities. Through these partnerships, the SEED collaborative is dedicated to ensuring that state policymakers have the tools and resources they need to develop and disseminate meaningful policies related to disability-inclusive workforce development.

Through SEED funding, CSG convened The National Future of the Workforce Task Force in 2019 to explore an urgent intersection of issues in disability employment. Over the course of its discussions, the task force found that in the years ahead, state policymakers have the opportunity to leverage social and technological innovations to vastly improve the lives of their constituents. Whether increasing access

to employment services through universally designed programming, working with the technology industry to promote accessibility in product development or ensuring that workforce policy protects the most vulnerable populations, states are the natural place to test a wide range of ideas that can serve as models for potential replication.

How to get involved To request information on disability employment within your state or to access any of the services the SEED team can provide, contact CSG Program Manager Dina Klimkina at dklimlkina@csg.org.

OCCUPATIONAL LICENSURE The Occupational Licensure team at The Council of State Governments, with support from the U.S. Department of Labor, provides states with both planned and on-demand technical assistance. The Occupational Licensure associates assist states by improving their understanding of occupational licensure issues, identifying best practices across the country, highlighting and discussing existing licensing policies in their states and identifying current policies that create unnecessary barriers to labor market entry or impede licensure portability and reciprocity.

Occupational Licensure associates provide technical assistance remotely and on the ground for the states included in our consortium and any state in the U.S. seeking to review and remodel their occupational licensing frameworks. They can assist in reviewing the existing licensing frameworks and comparing select occupations with other states using our database. The team members can identify potential areas for reform and policy solutions, sometimes through new or existing interstate compacts. They also facilitate discussions between licensing stakeholders to encourage interbranch and inter-departmental coordination.

Finally, the Occupational Licensure team connects peer states and subject matter experts to enhance coordination and collaboration.

There are many specific services available to assist states. Associates can provide legislative testimony to support lawmakers in session. They organize in-state stakeholder convenings to present Occupational Licensure policy considerations, including compacts, and to facilitate conversations and action planning between stakeholders. Occupational Licensure associates organize quarterly webinars to share important developments with stakeholders and connect people who may not be able to join us at in-person convenings. Finally, the Occupational Licensure team is available for any specific research or technical assistance requested by states.

CSG will provide these services until the grant ends on June 30, 2021.

How to get involved The Occupational Licensure team has planned for 20 state visits through June 30, 2021. The team can visit any state interested in assistance with interstate compacts or any of the other services offered. For more information, contact CSG Policy Analyst Carl Sims at csims@csg.org.

csg center of innovation

HEALTH & HUMAN SERVICES POLICY Through a cooperative agreement with the U.S. Department of Agriculture, The Council of State Governments will be granting $6 million in funding to state and local agencies administering the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC).

The grant funds innovative projects to enhance program eligibility and certification.

CSG will provide targeted technical assistance to state agencies interested in applying for the subgrant funding. Technical assistance will be delivered through a combination of research, resource development and dissemination. This will include ongoing communication between engaged agencies (with offerings such as video conferences, blogs and webinars), an online policy clearinghouse, development of action plans for subgrant projects, and evaluations, site visits and multiple stakeholder convenings.

By leveraging the existing networks of Innovation Grant partners, program staff will form an advisory group comprised of experienced practitioners from WIC and other family support systems, policymakers who are spearheading innovative legislation and external experts.

The advisory group will build partnerships, facilitate peer-to-peer learning and exchange of best practices and empower grantees to create unique and innovative solutions to the challenges facing their community.

How to get involved Funding for innovative WIC certification projects is expected to be available this summer. CSG can provide technical assistance for proposal development to any interested state WIC agency. For more information, contact CSG Program Manager Matthew Shafer at matthew.shafer@csg.org.

ELECTIONS POLICY

OVI was originally formed in 2013, embarking on a four-year collaboration to improve the return rate of overseas absentee ballots from service members and U.S. citizens living abroad. OVI made significant progress in this effort, which is detailed in research reports.

However, additional priorities for research were identified and are being addressed through a second cooperative agreement which began in 2018.

Specific areas of focus in 2020 include improvement of the Election Administration and Voting Survey Section B data standard. Additionally, OVI will be working with some states to improve the data produced in this standard through process modeling and ongoing technical assistance with states. The goal of the data standard is to ease the states’ burden of completing the Election Administration and Voting Survey. It will also produce an update on advances in the development of methods for unreadable or damaged ballots since CSG last researched this topic in 2016, as well as guidance for procurement of election technology solutions designed for military and overseas voting.

how to get involved For more information, please visit: ovi.csg.org or contact CSG Program Manager Taylor Lansdale at tlansdale@csg.org.

ISSUE 1 2020 | CAPITOL IDEAS

The Overseas Voting Initiative (OVI) is a collaboration between The Council of State Governments and the U.S. Department of Defense through its Federal Voting Assistance Program. OVI helps state policymakers, election officials and other election community stakeholders understand the unique voting challenges faced by uniformed services personnel and other U.S. citizens overseas and helps those stakeholders develop methods for improving the voting process for these individuals.

21

all about csg

Learning to LEAD With CSG STATE LE AD ERS DEMONST RATE EXTRAORDINARY DEDICATION TO THEIR COMMUNITIES, STATES AN D T HE NAT I ON One of the most important parts of the CSG MISSION is to support state leaders in their service by offering national and regional leadership development opportunities.

While leadership is an innate trait for many public servants, it is also a skill that must be continually practiced and honed. That is why CSG offers many training programs for ISSUE 1 2020 | CAPITOL IDEAS

elected and appointed state officials

22

across the nation. WE ARE PROUD to partner with state leaders in their dedication to continual learning.

Featured Here: CHAS EBY, deputy executive director, Emergency Management Agency Maryland 2019 CSG HENRY TOLL FELLOW

HENRY

TOLL

FELLOWSHIP Aug. 21–25 | Lexington, Kentucky APPLICATION DEADLINE: May 8, 2020

Each year, the CSG Henry Toll Fellowship, named in honor of CSG founder Henry Wolcott Toll, brings together a group of rising state leaders to Lexington, Kentucky, for an intense week of leadership training. Participants are encouraged to both evaluate and adapt the way they interact with each other and the world around them— setting aside titles, politics and party lines. Designed to help state officials from all three branches take an introspective look at how they view themselves as public servants, colleagues and community members, the program provides a unique experience unlike any other in the nation. The Toll Fellowship is designed as a “graduate” level program complementing leadership development programs offered by CSG’s regional offices. It is therefore suggested, but not required, that applicants first complete their respective regional program. Elected, appointed and merit officials may all apply. The list of Toll Fellow alumni is long and distinguished. Past Toll Fellows have achieved great success including serving as governors, secretaries of state, chief justices, speakers and U.S. Congress members.

For more information and to apply: contact tolls@csg.org or visit csg.org/tolls

csg leadership opportunities

CSG REGIONAL

LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT CSG SOUTH/SOUTHERN LEGISLATIVE CONFERENCE

Bowhay Institute for Legislative Leadership Development

Center for the Advancement of Leadership Skills

Aug. 7–11 | Minneapolis, Minnesota

Oct. 3–7 | Little Rock, Arkansas

APPLICATION DEADLINE: April 8, 2020

APPLICATION DEADLINE: June 30, 2020

Each summer, 37 lawmakers from the 11 member states of CSG Midwest and its affiliate members gather for a unique five-day educational experience, the Bowhay Institute for Legislative Leadership Development, or BILLD. Named in honor of the first director of CSG Midwest, the late James Bowhay, the Bowhay Institute is the only leadership training designed exclusively for Midwestern legislators. BILLD helps newer legislators develop the skills necessary to become effective leaders, informed decision-makers and astute policy analysts. The BILLD program is conducted by CSG Midwest in cooperation with The Center for the Study of Politics and Governance at the University of Minnesota’s Humphrey School of Public Affairs.

The Center for the Advancement of Leadership Skills (CALS) seeks to create skilled, educated and confident state leaders by developing and enhancing core competencies that play a vital role in the service of public officials, in both professional and personal arenas. CALS prepares emerging and mid-career legislative, executive and judicial branch state leaders for their roles in state government. Through activities and instruction focusing on the leadership program’s four central components — communication, conflict resolution, consensus building and critical decision­ making — CALS scholars have an opportunity to reinforce and refine these crucial skills.

For more information and to apply, please visit: csgmidwest.org/BILLD/default.aspx

For more information and to apply, please visit: slcatlanta.org/CALS

CSG EAST/EASTERN REGIONAL CONFERENCE

CSG WEST

Eastern Leadership Academy

Western Legislative Academy

Aug. 30–Sept. 3 | Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Dec. 9–12 | Colorado Springs, Colorado

APPLICATION DEADLINE: May 15, 2020

APPLICATION DEADLINE: April 17, 2020

Named for Pennsylvania state Sen. Robert J. Thompson — a beloved state and local government leader whose 30-year career was a model of personal and professional integrity, fairness, optimism and humility — the Robert J. Thompson Eastern Leadership Academy ( ELA) annually brings together as many as 30 state and provincial officials from the 18 Eastern region member jurisdictions. This select group of state officials, from all three branches of government, receives training to enhance officials’ leadership and communication skills from a variety of experts in media, education and government. Held in partnership with the Fels Institute of Government, ELA is a unique opportunity to learn with the best and the brightest from across the region. The ELA is designed for legislators, as well as legislative staff, executive branch and judicial branch officials, primarily in the early to middle stages of their government careers.

Each year, CSG West brings together a distinguished national faculty to offer the West’s premier training experience for Western state legislators in their first four years of service. The goals of the Western Legislative Academy (WLA) are to help newer legislators to become more effective and to build stronger state legislative institutions. To that end, a faculty of outstanding academics, corporate, military and public trainers work with a small class of lawmakers who come from each of our 13 Western states. Members of the academy are selected on the basis of their dedication to public service, desire to improve personal legislative effectiveness and commitment to the institution of the legislature. The WLA reinforces CSG West’s mission to provide opportunities for Western state legislators to share good ideas across state borders.

For more information and to apply, please visit: csg-erc.org/leadership-academy

For more information and to apply, please visit: csgwest.org/legislativeacademy/WesternLegislativeAcademy.aspx

ISSUE 1 2020 | CAPITOL IDEAS

CSG MIDWEST/MIDWESTERN LEGISLATIVE CONFERENCE

23

all about csg

Nonpartisan Public Policy Solutions 2020 Policy Academy roster includes deep dives into Medicaid, cybersecurity and sustainability

The CSG Policy Academy Series provides customized training and a “deeper dig” on critical policy topics facing the states. Rather than exploring a topic for several hours only, a policy academy allows state leaders to unpack the complexities of an issue during a day-long or multi-day event.

During the year, policy academies are typically invitation-only, serving members whose work is directly impacted by the issues at hand.

Policy academies convened during the CSG National Conference, however, are open to all conference attendees, providing an outstanding opportunity for state leaders to broaden their knowledge of shared issues.

ISSUE 1 2020 | CAPITOL IDEAS

“The CSG Policy Academy Series is leadership development through issue analysis,” said CSG Chief Advancement Officer Maggie Mick.

“Through the policy academy series, CSG creates a safe space for state officials to learn from each other and among peers. We encourage policymakers to leave any partisan hats at the door and to feel comfortable asking challenging questions in a non-partisan environment.

24

“While attending conferences featuring twohour overviews on a public policy issue remains a need and helpful to state policymakers, CSG policy academies are a full-day program or multi-day event on a single issue or focus areas in order to explore the layers of complex policy implications. Through this thorough examination, state policymakers can assess the issue and, in turn, are better equipped to return to their states and offer meaningful public policy solutions.”

Past policy academy topics have included transportation, privacy and cybersecurity, Medicaid leadership, energy and environment and more. For state leaders, these opportunities provide not only in-depth information, but also a chance to share ideas with leaders from other states and to build professional networks.

To learn more about participating in a CSG Policy Academy, please contact registration@ csg.org or (800) 800-1910.

In 2020, CSG will offer three policy academies in addition to the Healthy States and The Future of Work national task force meetings. With the exception of the Medicaid Leadership Academy, all policy academies in 2020 will be held during the 2020 CSG National Conference in Santa Fe, New Mexico, and are open to all conference attendees. Register now at: web.csg.org/2020.

policy academy previews

2020 Policy Academy Line Up As citizen legislators, we are always looking for more information and training that will enable us to make well-informed decisions in our legislative duties. CSG has been a great resource for me in that respect and I have encouraged my fellow legislators to access the resources CSG provides.

They are a tremendous benefit not only to us as legislators, but also to the states we serve.”

SEPT. 23–25 | WASHINGTON, D.C. CSG will convene its Medicaid Leadership Academy for state legislators who serve in leadership positions on health-related committees.

The program is designed for legislators who are familiar with the basics of Medicaid policy and who are interested in examining more complex issues.

Attendees will have opportunities to interact with peers from around the country as well as presenters from state Medicaid agencies, federal Medicaid offices, public policy think tanks and health care provider communities about top-of-the-mind topics such as integration of physical and behavioral health; community-based, long-term support and services; dental services; substance use disorder treatment; and reducing emergency room usage. Attendees will learn about successful state Medicaid policies and practices to reduce costs, to increase access to care and to improve health outcomes.

Issues of importance this year will include new developments regarding 1332 and 1115 waivers. In November 2019, Tennessee submitted a block grant proposal which significantly reshapes TennCare, its state Medicaid program.

During the policy academy, state leaders will have the opportunity to discuss new developments, interact with leaders from other states and share ideas.

“The thing I look forward to most in these policy academies is having the members come in and develop those strong bonds,” said CSG Policy Analyst Brandy Whisman. “People are having difficult conversations in a safe environment. People are asking hard questions. I love seeing people from very different sides of the aisle have these conversations and start talking about solutions. People can usually agree on the problem; we tend to disagree about how we got here and what we are going to do about it. That’s where these conversations are most productive.”

ISSUE 1 2020 | CAPITOL IDEAS

— A R I ZO N A STAT E S E N . R I CK GR AY (attended CSG’s 2020 Forecast for Legislative Leaders)

MEDICAID LEADERSHIP ACADEMY

25

all about csg

PRIVACY AND CYBERSECURITY CSG NATIONAL CONFERENCE DEC. 2–5 | SANTA FE, NEW MEXICO State governments handle billions of pieces of personal data every day; securing that information is both increasingly important and difficult.

Security breaches can result from something as simple as a lost laptop or as complex as a sophisticated, intentional attack from cybercriminals. Cyberattacks can lead to personal identity theft and create major disruptions in the ability of states to deliver crucial services to residents.

While cybersecurity is an issue of increasing importance, states are often unprepared. This policy academy will explore state solutions to cybersecurity and privacy concerns. Faculty will consist of state chief information officers as well as experts from industry and academia.

Some states are investing heavily in cybersecurity in 2020 — for instance, California Gov. Gavin Newsom’s proposed budget for 2020-21 would invest $38.8 million and create 85 new positions “to strengthen the state’s information technology security operations.” Many states, however, are faced with increasing security on a small budget. In 2020, the Privacy and Cybersecurity Policy Academy will look at low-cost options for states, as well as emerging trends and issues.

ISSUE 1 2020 | CAPITOL IDEAS

Privacy is a topic of growing importance in the news. In January, Apple returned to the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas following a 28-year gap, not to talk about products, but

26

to discuss privacy. According to CNBC, Apple Chief Privacy Officer Jane Horvath spoke on a consumer privacy panel, defending the company’s use of encryption.

“Our phones are relatively small and they get lost and stolen,” Horvath said. “If we’re going to be able to rely on our health data and finance data on our devices, we need to make sure that if you misplace that device, you’re not losing your sensitive data.”

Other hot topics in 2020 include facial recognition, cloud computing and edge computing, 5G network security, securing networks of connected devices known as “The Internet of Things,” deep fakes, disinformation campaigns and election security.

“There are so many opportunities right now, because the threats continue to increase in number and scale,” said CSG Policy Analyst Vanessa Grossl. “I’m excited to hear from experts in the room, as well as well as state leaders who are really able to implement changes in their states.”

policy academy previews

The Alzheimer’s Association has partnered with CSG to support numerous Medicaid policy academies over the years. CSG’s policy academies convene executive and legislative branch officials who provide oversight on select policy issues. They give state leaders an opportunity to dig into the details on a specific public policy area and engage with issue experts.

Representing a nonprofit, my funds are limited and CSG’s policy academies have proven to be worthy of our additional investment.”

CSG NATIONAL CONFERENCE DEC. 2–5 | SANTA FE, NEW MEXICO According to Forbes, many organizations are discovering that environmental sustainability efforts make good business sense. Sustainability and environmentally friendly operations can be more cost-efficient and help reduce waste. As states continue to assess their role in appropriating, regulating and containing waste impacting the climate, state leaders are seeking collaboration with industries leading on sustainability efforts.

Issues of sustainability have been cropping up in both of the CSG National Task Forces (Healthy States and The Future of Work). This year, CSG will offer a policy academy specifically addressing sustainability issues in health care and the workforce, as well as public-private

partnerships that can connect the dots between sustainability and business operations.

Possible topics include smart government analytics regarding pollution and waste management, the use of smart data in recycling programs, the use of technology to mitigate natural hazards, sustainability engagement in the public workforce and more.

“I’m looking forward to hearing state leaders talk about what the states’ role can be in collaborating with companies that have a sustainable outlook,” said CSG Policy Analyst Sierra Hatfield.

“I’m excited to have conversations about sustainability as something that can boost the economy.”

ISSUE 1 2020 | CAPITOL IDEAS

— J E NN I F E R RO S E N The Alzheimer’s Association

THE TURN TOWARD SUSTAINABILITY

27

all about csg

MAXIMIZING OUR RETURN ON INVESTMENT

Healthy States National Task Force subcommittee examines social determinants to shape the future of health care

ISSUE 1 2020 | CAPITOL IDEAS

The Impact of D iffe ren

tF

ac t

or s

o

This story is one of a series that will summarize the hard work being done by the subcommittees of the CSG Healthy States National Task Force and the CSG The Future of Work National Task Force. The members of these subcommittees will work with CSG policy analysts to issue the findings of these task forces in a report following the conclusion of their work at the close of 2020.

28

n

th al e H

d an

d the Risk of eing an Pr e ll B ma e W t

ur e

De at

Medicare, Medicaid and private insurance have often taken center stage in policy aimed at lowering health care costs and improving population health. However, the body of research shows that social and economic factors — such as education, socioeconomic status and access to affordable housing and food — have a large influence on health care costs.

In light of this research, many states have expanded the focus of their health policy.

In 2017, 19 states required Medicaid managed care plans to screen for and/or provide referrals for social needs, and a recent survey of Medicaid managed care plans found that 91% of responding plans reported addressing social determinants of health, according to the Kaiser Family Foundation.

h

“Socioeconomic factors play a huge role in social determinants of health,” said CSG Policy Analyst Brandy Whisman. “Access to health care is often dependent on where you live and how much money you make. Economic factors have a direct effect on health outcomes. One of the potential avenues that states can look at for addressing social determinants of health is identifying and analyzing policies in traditionally non-health areas like education, transportation and housing.”

Whisman staffs the State Health Systems Return on Investment Subcommittee, a part of the CSG

Graph Source: Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation, https://www.kff.org/disparities-policy/issue-brief/ beyond-health-care-the-role-of-social-determinants-in-promoting-health-and-health-equity/. Schroeder, SA (2007), We Can Do Better—Improving the Health of the American People, NEJM, 357:1221–8.

healthy states subcommittee Healthy States National Task Force. The subcommittee is identifying state policies, public-private partnerships and other programs that address population health and care delivery and deliver a return on investment to states. The group defined return on investment as “the money spent with expected results in measurements of dollars, changed behaviors and/or outcomes.”

One program the subcommittee has explored is the Texas Health and Human Services’ Blueprint for a Healthy Texas. The blueprint serves as a business plan for Texas Health and Human Services (HHS) for fiscal year 2020, with specific deliverables and measurable results. In addition to systemwide reviews, the blueprint requires each HHS division to conduct internal plan reviews to measure progress, identify and address emerging challenges and ensure the programs are operating using the most current data.

“Our business plan identifies key areas of focus that will guide our work over the next year,” said Texas HHS Executive Commissioner Courtney N. Phillips. “The 12 initiatives, 72 goals and 337 deliverables in the plan detail what we need to accomplish for carrying out those initiatives and how our progress will be measured.”

SOCIAL DETERMINANTS

OF HEALTH ARE THE CONDITIONS IN THE PLACES WHERE PEOPLE LIVE, LEARN, WORK AND PLAY THAT AFFECT A WIDE RANGE OF HEALTH RISKS AND OUTCOMES. Socioeconomic status

One of the initiatives outlined in the blueprint, a pilot program to reduce the impact of situational and generational poverty, could help address economic disparities in health outcomes. Texas HHS is partnering with the U.S. Department of Agriculture Food and Nutrition Service and Goodwill Industries of Houston to facilitate education, training, employment opportunities, case management supports and social interventions for high school seniors and able-bodied adults in an impoverished area of Harris County.

Access to health care and quality of care

Texas HHS and its partners will establish baselines and review pilot outcomes for these four measures:

Education

•

Obtain or sustain stable housing

•

Achieve educational or training goals

•

Attain new or improved employment opportunities, which may include an increase in earnings or benefits or an improved work-life balance

•

Increase financial self-reliance

Racial and socioeconomic health disparities have a big fiscal impact, according to research outlined in “Evaluating Strategies For Reducing Health Disparities By Addressing The Social Determinants Of Health,” a 2016 study published in Health Affairs. Eliminating disparities in morbidity and mortality for people with less than a college education would have an estimated economic value of $1 trillion, while eliminating racial and ethnic disparities would reduce medical care costs by $230 billion and indirect costs of excess morbidity and mortality by more than $1 trillion over four years.

Access to healthy food Neighborhood safety

Social support systems Discrimination

“Research shows that health outcomes are driven by an array of factors, including underlying genetics, health behaviors, social and environmental factors and health care. While there is currently no consensus in the research on the magnitude of the relative contributions of each of these factors to health, studies suggest that health behaviors, such as smoking, diet and exercise, and social and economic factors are the primary drivers of health outcomes, and social and economic factors can shape individuals’ health behaviors.”

Check out the Texas Health and Human Services’ Blueprint for a Healthy Texas at hhs.texas.gov/ about-hhs/2020-inaugural-business-plan

ISSUE 1 2020 | CAPITOL IDEAS

— Beyond Health Care: The Role of Social Determinants in Promoting Health and Health Equity, Kaiser Family Foundation

29

all about csg

PREPARING THE WORKFORCE OF TOMORROW The Future of Work National Task Force subcommittee helps plan for AI in the workplace This story is one of a series that will summarize the hard work being done by the subcommittees of the CSG Healthy States National Task Force and the CSG The Future of Work National Task Force. The members of these subcommittees will work with CSG policy analysts to issue the findings of these task forces in a report following the conclusion of their work at the close of 2020.

Globally, 75 million jobs are expected to be lost to artificial intelligence (AI) by 2022, according to the World Economic Forum.

The good news? 133 million new jobs will be created, and the productivity of existing jobs will be vastly improved. Implicit in this reality is a challenge to educators, students and state leaders: how can we prepare today’s students for success in the workforce of tomorrow?

Members of the The Workforce of Tomorrow Subcommittee — part of the CSG The Future of Work National Task Force — are exploring this question, focusing specifically on how states can re-evaluate the links between education and careers to meet the demands of the future workforce.

Comprised of four subcommittees (the other three are Smart Government, What’s Next? Embracing the Future, and Equity and Inclusion), The Future of Work National Task Force is surveying best practices and innovative state initiatives throughout the 2019-2020 biennium. At the conclusion of their work, task force members will produce a report serving as a national framework with best practices and policy recommendations for all states on workforce issues. The report will be released during the 2020 CSG National Conference in Santa Fe, New Mexico, in early December.

ISSUE 1 2020 | CAPITOL IDEAS

In the face of rapid change driven by automation, artificial intelligence, communication technology and more, the workforce of tomorrow will need to be differently prepared, subcommittee members say. To flourish in

30

Graph Source: Dispatches From the New Economy: The On Demand Workforce, Intuit, February 2017.

future of work subcommittee the new economy, today’s students need to become lifelong learners who can flex with changing market needs. They need soft skills like creativity, communication and collaboration to thrive in the workplace.

And crucially, today’s students need better integration between schools and the business community, ensuring they possess the skills needed to succeed.

In order to deliver best practices and policy recommendations for the Future of Work report, the subcommittee has narrowed its focus to two areas: 1. Fostering lifelong learning opportunities with nontraditional partnerships, and 2. Redefining measurements of success for lifelong career readiness.

Maine state Rep. Lisa Keim, who co-chairs The Workforce of Tomorrow Subcommittee along with New York state Assemblyman Walter Mosley, says lifelong learning and nontraditional partnerships are increasingly important, and that the traditional education sequence, “taking place in predetermined formats within fixed time allotments,” is unrealistic and inadequate in today’s rapidly changing economy.

“The reality is that people, at almost every stage of their careers, will also need to be students, updating their knowledge and skills as their occupation evolves,” Keim said. “A learner and a worker need not be distinctly separate times of a person’s life, whether that person is in the traditional K-12 setting or in a high-rise office. Meeting the demands of future work will require more fluidity than a traditional education setting can provide, and therefore states must look to convene other partnerships to enhance the process of education.”

The subcommittee’s second focus area, “Redefining measurements of success for lifelong career readiness,” explores alternative ways to evaluate how well educational institutions are preparing students to succeed.

Because state leaders make funding and program development decisions based on measurable benchmarks, it’s crucial to make sure the right criteria are being measured.

“Through our conversations with national experts, we have begun to see that we need broader measurements and a new look at what characteristics determine a learner’s future career success,” Keim said.

Through May, CSG will be hosting a series of online Q&As and other resources to drill down on a variety of topics within these policy areas.

As subcommittee members continue to share ideas and explore innovative legislation and best practices, they are excited to be collaborating on a report that will offer value to the states.

“There is a determination among the committee members to craft workable solutions, with an eye toward the fact that our states face similar structural conditions that tend to block change,” Keim said. “I believe what excites committee members is the idea that we will gather practical solutions that will work in the real-world constraints of our individual states. States are currently looking for ideas and solutions, so the timing of our work is well-positioned to complement current conversations.”

WORKFORCE OF TOMORROW SUBCOMMITTEE

HAS IDENTIFIED MULITPLE AREAS IN WHICH TOMORROW’S WORKERS WILL NEED TO BE BETTER PREPARED TO THRIVE IN THE NEW ECONOMY. JUST A FEW OF THESE AREAS INCLUDE: Lifelong learning Flexibility Creativity Communication Collaboration Skills-based training Integrated learning systems

On many fronts, the states can be leaders in driving innovation to better prepare tomorrow’s workforce. During the initial meeting of The Workforce of Tomorrow Subcommittee, Tom Kochan, professor of Work and Employment Research and Engineering Systems at MIT, emphasized the importance of state initiatives for workforce training.

“You are on the front lines of preparing the workforce for the future of work,” Kochan told subcommittee members. “So developing a state-level action plan or a framework for states is exactly what’s called for right now, especially given that most innovations at the national level in the United States on economic policy, labor policy, social policy and workforce issues all were first developed and tested at the state level.”

ISSUE 1 2020 | CAPITOL IDEAS

Check out the National Skills Coalition for reports like “WorkBased Learning Policy 50-State Scan” and “Broadening the Apprenticeship Pipeline.” For more information, visit nationalskillscoalition.org.

THE

31

2020 CO - C H A I R S

2020 E V EN T S

Customized legislative development training delivered in your state capitol

EASTRAIN

Sen. Sharon Carson

House Speaker Lucy Weber

NEW HAMPSHIRE

NEW HAMPSHIRE

New Hampshire state Sen. Sharon Carson and state Rep. Lucy Weber will serve as the 2020 CSG Eastern Regional Conference co-chairs. Together, they bring many years of public service and extensive policy knowledge to CSG East.

Carson was elected to the New Hampshire House in 2000 and served for eight years. She was elected to the state Senate in 2009 and is still serving. Currently chair of the Executive Departments and Administration and Judiciary committees, Carson is an advocate for business, community and the environment.

The CSG East EASTrain program brings seasoned experts to state legislatures throughout the region for hands-on professional development training designed to improve leadership skills. Many of the presenters include professional development trainers affiliated with the Eastern Leadership Academy. The programs are developed at the request of legislative leadership and customized to meet the needs of members. For more information, please contact Veronique Cavaillier, director of Leadership Training Programs, at vcavaillier@csg.org.

Seminar—Untangled: Removing Barriers to Natural Hair Braiding Legislation Harrisburg, Pennsylvania | May 11

“My legislative priorities are focused on ensuring that New Hampshire has the best environment that will allow families to thrive and businesses to grow,” Carson said. “We must protect our state’s most vulnerable citizens and preserve our state’s natural resources.”

Carson is a retired Sergeant First Class in the U.S. Army Reserve. Carson also previously worked as an adjunct professor of history and political science at Nashua Community College.

Carson is looking forward to this leadership role with CSG East and to helping her fellow legislators get involved. “As a recent participant in the National CSG Toll Fellows Program, I found the skills I acquired during the training to be invaluable in helping me be a more effective legislator.”

ISSUE 1 2020 | CAPITOL IDEAS

Weber was elected to the New Hampshire House of Representatives in 2006 and has served continuously since. During her time in the House, she has served on the Judiciary, the Children and Family Law and the Rules committees and has chaired the Legislative Administration and the Executive Departments and Administration committees. Weber currently serves as the chair of the Human Services and Elderly Affairs Committee and is the Speaker Pro Tempore of the House.

32

“My legislative priorities fall into four broad categories: meaningful health care access for everyone; mental health, addiction and recovery; development of an adequate mental and physical health care workforce; and environmentally caused health issues,” Weber said.

“In addition, this term, we will be looking at ways to address the high cost of prescription drugs and will continue work on a protective order for vulnerable adults.”

Weber grew up in New York City and is a graduate of Friends Seminary, Tufts University and Vermont Law School. She previously taught early elementary school in Lebanon, New Hampshire, and practiced law in Brattleboro, Vermont.

“I decided to run for public office when it dawned on me that if I was going to go on complaining about the things I thought were wrong in the world, I had an obligation to do whatever I could to change them,” Weber said.

2020 CSG East Annual Meeting & Regional Policy Forum Manchester, New Hampshire | Aug. 23–26 CSG East’s 60th Annual Meeting & Regional Policy Forum will be held at the DoubleTree Manchester Downtown Hotel in Manchester, New Hampshire.

CSG East’s incoming co-chairs in 2020 will be Senator Sharon Carson and Speaker Pro Tempore Lucy Weber, both from New Hampshire. The theme of this year’s meeting is “Entrepreneurial States,” and Manchester itself has a great economic development story to tell. It is a hub of technological and business innovation and reinvention, having transformed its local economy to change with the times and global business needs. Located in the heart of New England, Manchester is also the largest convention, sports, entertainment and arts and cultural destination in New Hampshire. Join us for three days of discussions with your peers for the largest gathering of state officials in the East.

regional roundup | east C T • D E • M A • M D • M E • N H • N J • N Y • PA • R I • V T • N B • N S • O N • P E • P R • Q C • V I

Robert J. Thompson Eastern Leadership Academy Philadelphia, Pennsylvania | Aug. 30–Sept. 3 Each year, the Eastern Leadership Academy (ELA) brings together a class of 30 selected state officials for five days of intensive training with experts in communications, government and policy development. Created in coordination with the Fels Institute of Government at the University of Pennsylvania, the program includes lectures with award-winning Penn faculty and hands-on workshops in media relations, negotiating skills, time management and public speaking. The program is carefully tailored to help each class of state officials take their leadership abilities to the next level.

The University of Pennsylvania’s Fels Institute of Government offers an annual scholarship to ELA alumni interested in pursuing an executive master’s degree in public administration.

PU B L I C AT I O N S / R E S O U R C E S

Perspectives

I N I T I AT I V E S

K E Y S TA FF

Eastern Trade Council (ETC) strengthens

Executive Leadership

state trade programs and increases regional exports by sharing trade development data and best practices, jointly promoting regional products and services and collectively advocating for federal trade promotion programs and policies that benefit the region. For more information about ETC, please contact Veronique Cavaillier, director of the Eastern Trade Council, at vcavaillier@csg.org.

CSG East Council on Communities of Color, consisting of African American, Asian,

Hispanic and Native American legislators from CSG East’s member states and provinces, sponsors programs for state officials on public policy issues of particular concern to communities of color.

The Council seeks to engage all ERC members in a dialogue on issues involving race, diversity and inclusiveness in our states, communities and in the workplace. Communities of color face difficult, and often unique, economic, environmental and social challenges; the Council on Communities of Color seeks to focus attention on these issues and promote the conversations necessary to produce public policy solutions, not only to improve the quality of life in these communities, but also to improve the productive capacity of our states and the region. For more information, please contact Debbie-Ann Paige, senior policy analyst for the Council on Communities of Color, at dpaige@csg.org.

Each month, the ERC Transportation Policy Newsletter outlines important topics and key news regarding transportation in CSG’s Eastern region. To sign up for alerts, please contact Steve Hewitt or Don Hannon at Transportation-East@csg.org.

Green Matters Newsletter This monthly newsletter highlights Energy and Environment issues in CSG’s Eastern region. For more information, please contact Rona Cohen, senior policy analyst, for the CSG East Energy & Environment Program, at rcohen@csg.org.

CSG/ERC Canada-U.S. News

David Biette............... dbiette@csg.org Deputy Director, CSG East/ERC

Departmental Specialists Jack Aitken.................................jaitken@csg.org Research Associate

A.R. Braver...............................abraver@csg.org Program Manager

Veronique M. Cavaillier ...............................................vcavaillier@csg.org Director, Eastern Trade Council Director, Leadership Training Programs

Rona Cohen.............................. rcohen@csg.org Program Manager, Energy & Environment Program Editor, Print & Multimedia Projects

Debbie-Ann Paige................... dpaige@csg.org

Council on Communities of Color Territorial Relations (Puerto Rico/U.S. Virgin Islands)

The Northeast High-Level Radioactive Waste Transportation Project works with

state officials from CSG’s Eastern Region to facilitate communication with the federal government about planning national nuclear waste shipment campaigns that operate within the region. The project staffs the Northeast High-Level Radioactive Waste Transportation Task Force, composed of representatives from various levels of state government. The task force identifies and analyzes regional concerns about the transportation of high-level radioactive wastes. The project and task force work with federal agencies to co-sponsor public forums, develop educational materials and coordinate training for state officials and local emergency responders. The process is funded through cooperative agreement grants from the U.S. Department of Energy.

Uldis Vanags...........................uvanags@csg.org Director, Northeast High-Level Radioactive Waste Transportation Project

Agnes Wilk....................................awilk@csg.org Administrative Assistant

CSG/ERC Policy Consultants Don Hannon.......Transportation-East@csg.org Transportation Policy

Steve Hewitt.......Transportation-East@csg.org Transportation Policy

Fran Boyd................. Agriculture-East@csg.org Policy Consultant and Washington Advisor

Tara Sad.................... Agriculture-East@csg.org Agriculture and Rural Affairs

C SG E A S T/E A S T E R N R EG I O N A L CO N FE R E N C E 22 CORTLANDT STREET, FLOOR 22, NEW YORK, NY 10007 212.482.2320 | csg-erc.org | @CSG_ERC

Bob Haefner............. Agriculture-East@csg.org Agriculture and Rural Affairs

Max Morley............................mmorley@csg.org Education Policy

ISSUE 1 2020 | CAPITOL IDEAS

For more information, please contact David Biette, Deputy Director of CSG East/ERC, at dbiette@csg.org.

Director, CSG East/ERC

Senior Policy Analyst, Military & Veterans Affairs Committee

This annual report outlines yearly activities and provides initiatives planned for the year ahead.

ERC Transportation Policy Newsletter

Wendell Hannaford .............................whannaford@csg.org

33

2020 C H A I R

2020 E V EN T S

SENATOR

Ken Horn MICHIGAN

Midwestern Legislative Conference Annual Meeting July 19–22 | Detroit, Michigan Four days of learning and networking opportunities for legislative colleagues from the Midwest Region will feature expert-led policy sessions, renowned speakers, professional development workshops and special events for attendees and their guests. The event is family friendly. The deadline to register and reserve hotel accommodations is June 15.

Visit csgmidwest.org/MLC/AnnualMeeting.aspx or contact Cindy Andrews to learn more: candrews@csg.org.

With 14 years of legislative experience and several leadership accolades, Michigan state Sen. Ken Horn will lead CSG Midwest as the chair of the Midwestern Legislative Conference in 2020.

ISSUE 1 2020 | CAPITOL IDEAS

Horn was elected in 2006 to serve the 94th District in the Michigan House of Representatives. From 2007-12 he represented the cities of Birch Run, Chesaning, Frankenmuth and St. Charles in addition to 12 townships in Saginaw County.

He also chaired the House Energy and Technology Committee.

34

Now in his second term in the Michigan Senate, Horn chairs the Senate Economic and Small Business Development Committee, along with two Senate Appropriations Subcommittees: Capital Outlay and Talent and Economic Development/MEDC. He also serves as vice-chairman of the Energy and Technology and Education and Career Readiness committees, as well as the Appropriations Subcommittee on Universities and Community Colleges.

Horn has completed Michigan State University’s Michigan Political Leadership Program, the Leadership Saginaw County program and the 1,000 Leaders Initiative established by Saginaw County Vision 2020. He is also a graduate of CSG Midwest’s Bowhay Institute for Legislative Leadership Development (BILLD) and CSG’s Henry Toll Fellowship.

Horn is a first-generation American from Detroit and lives in Frankenmuth with his wife, Veronica, where he has resided for more than 40 years. He has two children, Kevin and Andrea, and three grandchildren. He is a graduate of Concordia University.

Bowhay Institute for Legislative Leadership Development (BILLD) Aug. 7–11 | Minneapolis, Minnesota Each summer, lawmakers from the Midwestern Legislative Conference’s 11 member states and the Canadian province of Saskatchewan, along with the MLC provincial affiliate members, gather in Minneapolis, Minnesota for a unique five-day educational experience. In addition to its focus on leadership training, such as conflict resolution and negotiation, BILLD includes policy sessions on issues such as education, corrections, health care and economic development, as well as seminars on media relations, priority management and consensus building.

Visit csgmidwest.org/BILLD/default.aspx or contact Laura Tomaka to learn more: ltomaka@csg.org.

Great Lakes-St. Lawrence Legislative Caucus Annual Meeting Sept. 18–19 | Detroit, Michigan Contact Lisa Janairo, ljanairo@csg.org to learn more.

regional roundup | midwest IA • I L • I N • K S • M I • M N • N D • N E • O H • S D • W I • A B • M B • O N • S K

PU B L I C AT I O N S / R E S O U R C E S

K E Y S TA FF

Executive Leadership Michael H. McCabe .................................mmccabe@csg.org

J A N U A R Y / F E B R U A R Y 2 0 1 9 | V O L U M E 2 9 , N O. 1 T H E C O U N C I L O F S TAT E G O V E R N M E N T S | M I D W E S T E R N O F F I C E

help for homeless students This school population is at much greater risk of falling behind and not graduating; advocates say states can help with a mix of prevention and intervention strategies

by Tim Anderson (tanderson@csg.org)

S

ix years ago, with a $2 million legislative appropriation, Minnesota launched a pilot program to help some of that state’s most at-risk students — young learners who lack stable or adequate housing.

The state began partnering with schools and local organizations to provide vulnerable families with subsidies that helped pay their rent over two school years. The goals: Stabilize housing and prevent homelessness, thus improving school attendance and, over the long term, academic performance among these students.

The early results, says Eric

Grumdahl, were a “powerful signal” that this kind of intervention worked.

Ninety percent of the pilot program’s students with a known housing status were stably housed.

(All of them had entered the program experiencing housing instability or school changes.)

Further, these young people were more likely to be attending school on a regular basis than their homeless peers.

“That encouraged us to take this to a larger scale,” adds Grumdahl, who works for Minnesota’s Interagency Council on Homelessness and the Department of Education.

That “larger-scale,” permanent

Director

homeless children/youths enrolled in public school*

program is now called Homework Starts with Home, and the Legislature appropriated $3.5 million for it this biennium as part of Minnesota Housing’s base budget.

The hope among legislators is to reach more young people, and to stop what can be a destructive cycle — homeless students are much more likely to fall behind and drop out of school; individuals who don’t complete high school are at a much higher risk of homelessness as young adults.

“The more children have to change schools [because of housing instability], the further they fall behind,” notes Barbara Duffield, executive director of the nonprofit SchoolHouse Connection, which advocates for policies that help these students.

“They’re losing time and they’re losing coursework. At the same time, they’re also losing attachments to friends and teachers, and all of those emotional pieces of stability.”

State

# of homeless students (2016-’17)

% of all students who are homeless

Illinois

51,617

2.6%

Indiana

18,431

1.8%

6,789

1.3%

Iowa Kansas

9,297

1.9%

Michigan

36,811

2.4%

Minnesota

17,750

2.0%

Nebraska

3,592

1.1%

North Dakota

2,153

2.0%

Ohio

30,385

1.8%

South Dakota

2,018

1.5%

Wisconsin

19,264

2.2%

United States

1,351,120

2.7%

Publications Manager

Cindy Calo Andrews.......... candrews@csg.org Assistant Director

Primary nighttime residence of U.S. students identified as homeless Unsheltered Shelters2 Hotels/motels

Jon Davis..................................... jdavis@csg.org

3.7%

13.8%

6.7%

Policy Analyst and Assistant Editor

75.7%

Doubled up or shared housing1

Ilene K. Grossman.............. igrossman@csg.org

1 Temporarily sharing housing with others due to loss of housing, economic hardship or other reasons (such as domestic violence) 2

COVER STORY CONTINUED ON PAGE 7

Tim Anderson..................... tanderson@csg.org

* Under federal law, homeless students are defined as children/youths who lack a fixed, regular and adequate nighttime residence.

BARRIERS TO SUCCESS Not surprisingly, then, the achievement gaps between homeless students and their peers are wide. Nationwide, for example, less than two-thirds of homeless

Departmental Specialists

Shelters, transitional housing or awaiting foster care placement

Assistant Director

Source for graphics: National Center for Education Statistics

Inside this issue CSG Midwest Issue Briefs

2-3

Question of the Month

5

• Health & Human Services: State laws vary on how to address substance abuse by expectant mothers

• What types of financial assistance do states in the Midwest offer military veterans?

• Economic Development: Iowa trying to remove barriers to rural growth, including lack of housing and broadband

Capitol Clips

• Agriculture & Natural Resources: States taking first steps to cultivating hemp industry, but growing pains are likely

• Michigan becomes fourth state in Midwest to legalize sports betting

• Criminal Justice: Midwest states at center of debate over laws on ‘riot boosting,’ protecting energy infrastructure

• Wisconsin law ensures children’s lemonade stands won’t be squeezed out of business

Around the Region

4

• Five key population trends for the Midwest as “Census Day” nears, and redistricting and reapportionment loom

Capital Closeup

5

• A look at how differing state rules and constitutional language shape the powers of gubernatorial clemency

6

• Rainy day funds are at all-time high thanks to rising state revenue, policy decision to save • Saskatchewan’s goals for the decade: Grow exports by 50 percent, population by 20 percent • Pair of ballot proposals this fall will determine future of marijuana policy in South Dakota

Capitol Insights

Lisa R. Janairo.......................... ljanairo@csg.org

8-9

• Profile: Wisconsin Senate Assistant Minority Leader Janet Bewley

Program Director

• FirstPerson article: Michigan Sen. Jon Bumstead on a plan to add flexibility to state graduation requirements

CSG Midwest News

10

• Four veteran state lawmakers leading Midwestern Legislative Conference in 2020

BILLD Alumni Notes

11

• Four alumni take on new legislative leadership roles • Applications for 2020 program now available

Stateline Midwest Published 11 times each year, Stateline Midwest keeps members of CSG Midwest/Midwestern Legislative Conference up to date on policy issues that impact their states, actions being taken by the region’s state and provincial legislatures and work being done by the MLC and The Council of State Governments.

Midwestern State Profiles and Data 2019 This annual document provides important data on states, provinces and their governments.

Learn more at csgmidwest.org/MLC/documents/ State-Profiles-July-2019.pdf.

Gail Meyer................................ gmeyer@csg.org Office Manager

Laura A. Tomaka.................... ltomaka@csg.org

I N I T I AT I V E S

Kathy Treland..........................ktreland@csg.org Administrative Coordinator and Meeting Planner

Mitch Arvidson...................marvidson@csg.org Policy Analyst

BRINGING RESOURCES & IDEAS TO YOUR CAPITOL Under the Dome This training initiative provides customized policy briefings and professional development workshops on select topics to lawmakers in their own capitols.

Learn more at csgmidwest.org/MLC/CSGMidwestsUndertheDomeInitiative.aspx.

CSG MIDWEST/ MIDWESTERN LEGISLATIVE CONFERENCE 701 E. 22ND STREET, SUITE 110, LOMBARD, IL 60148 603.925.1922 | csgmidwest.org | @CSG_Midwest

ISSUE 1 2020 | CAPITOL IDEAS

This guide serves as a reference for how shippers of radioactive materials should conduct shipments in Midwestern states.

Senior Policy Analyst

Senior Program Manager

To learn more, visit csgmidwest.org/publications/ statelinemidwest.aspx.

Planning Guide for Shipments of Radioactive Material through the Midwestern States

Laura Kliewer...........................lkliewer@csg.org

35

2019 –2020 C H A I R

2020 E V EN T S

SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE

Tim Moore NORTH CAROLINA

First elected to the General Assembly in 2002, Speaker Tim Moore is currently serving his third term as the presiding officer of the North Carolina House of Representatives. Moore represents Cleveland County.

ISSUE 1 2020 | CAPITOL IDEAS

(CSG South) provides its members unique opportunities to engage with policymakers from across our region, bringing national experts on good governance together to address an array of topics critical to helping state legislators serve their constituents.”

36

“The Southern Legislative Conference provides its members unique opportunities to engage with policymakers from across our region, bringing national experts on good governance together to address an array of topics critical to helping state legislators serve their constituents,” Moore said.

“We are tremendously excited to host SLC in North Carolina to help lawmakers share their experiences, successes and challenges with their fellow public servants facing similar issues.”

A lifelong resident of Kings Mountain, North Carolina, Moore graduated from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 1992. He then attended law school at the Oklahoma City University School of Law and received his Juris Doctor in 1995. After passing the North Carolina Bar Exam, Moore returned to Cleveland County to practice law. Moore resides in Kings Mountain with his two sons, McRae and Wilson. He is a member of First Baptist Church of Kings Mountain.

74th Annual Meeting of the Southern Legislative Conference Winston-Salem, North Carolina | Aug. 1–5 The North Carolina Host State Committee cordially invites you to the 74th Annual Meeting of the Southern Legislative Conference in Winston-Salem, where you will have an “Outlandish” experience from our mountains to our coast. In the state’s official tartan, the European, African and indigenous American cultural influences create the tapestry of the Carolinas. Within the plaid, the region’s hills, mountains and sky are embodied in the different colors.

A Southern host promises good food, good drinks and good friends!

We will have it all in 2020—fresh seafood, Eastern and Western BBQ, peanuts, sweet potatoes, Krispy Kreme Doughnuts and Moravian cookies. North Carolina is famous for its vineyards and craft beer; and don’t forget our homegrown soft-drinks—Cheerwine, Sundrop and Pepsi-Cola! Everyone will have a good time dancing to beach music and experiencing Scottish, Cherokee, Moravian, Coastal and Farm cultures. We also will showcase our HBCU university talent and salute our military service men and women. You do not want to miss it!

Little Rock, Arkansas | Oct. 3–7 The Center for the Advancement of Leadership Skills (CALS) seeks to create skilled, educated and confident state leaders by developing and enhancing core competencies that play a vital role in the service of public officials, both in professional and personal arenas. Through activities and instruction focusing on the program’s four central components—communication, conflict resolution, consensus building and critical decision making—CALS scholars have an opportunity to reinforce and refine these crucial skills.

The program provides a unique opportunity for participants to engage in conversations and take part in sessions designed to explore individual boundaries and perceptions in a strictly nonpartisan environment. Class sizes are capped at a maximum of 25 participants per year to foster connections among classmates.

Applications for the CALS program are accepted from new and mid-­ career officials in the executive, legislative and judicial branches of CSG South’s 15 member states. Full scholarships are provided to those selected, covering all costs related to participation in the program.

regional roundup | south A L • A R • FL • G A • K Y • L A • M O • MS • N C • O K • SC • T N • T X • VA • W V

Staff Academy for Governmental Excellence (SAGE) Atlanta, Georgia | Nov. 11–14 CSG South’s newest program, the Staff Academy for Governmental Excellence (SAGE), is a professional leadership development program for Southern state legislative, judicial, executive and agency staff.

In addition to developing their professional and personal leadership skills, participants have the opportunity to build a network of peers from across the Southern region. By shaping staff leaders, SAGE ultimately aims to provide the public with more effective state governments for the future.

PU B L I C AT I O N S / R E S O U R C E S Prepared under the auspices of CSG South’s six standing committees, SLC Regional Resources provide a regional analysis on the background and current status of the most prevalent and unique state government policy issues facing Southern states. Focusing on policy issues, trends and developments particular to the South, these reports provide a point of reference that allows SLC members to view their state’s governmental policies in relation to their closest neighbors.

SLC Special Series Reports provide an in-

depth analysis of key policy issues facing Southern states. Addressing governmental issues with multiple layers and highly nuanced solutions, these reports provide an extensive analysis of national, economic and political trends, along with an additional focus on how these developments relate to the SLC member states and the region as a whole.

SLC Issue Alerts and SLC Issue Briefs

comprise concise reports that identify new and emerging issues that are time sensitive and often off the radar of policymakers. These briefs examine the impact and implications of recent state and national developments for the Southern states.

Comparative Data Reports (CDRs) are

K E Y S TA FF

CSG South Delegations— In order to better

Executive Leadership

facilitate information sharing between and among its member states, the U.S. federal government and foreign nations, CSG South arranges delegations comprising legislative leaders and committee chairs to domestic and international points of innovation to observe a particular program or service firsthand, communicate member states’ positions on federal legislation and regulations and enhance economic relations with countries of importance to the Southern region.

Through the State Transformation in Action Recognition (STAR) award, the Southern Office recognizes creative, impactful, transferable and effective state government solutions. Submissions for the recognition of innovative programs are accepted from a wide array of state agencies, departments and institutions operating within the executive, legislative and judicial governmental branches.

Legislative Staff Exchange Program, or LSEP, provides opportunities for legislative staff

in SLC member states to participate in peer-topeer briefings and exchanges to develop effective strategies, identify best practices and share innovative ideas across a broad spectrum of legislative processes. Tailored for the particular needs and schedules of participants, LSEPs are held in both formal and informal group settings, with funding provided by CSG South.

CSG South periodically arranges professional development programs in state capitols and conducts workshops on pre-selected topics for legislators and legislative staff. The topics and presenters are decided in close consultation with leadership and senior staff in the respective legislative offices. All costs related to the workshop are borne by CSG South.

CSG South also coordinates policy fly-ins for small groups of legislators and staff, providing a deep dive into specific issue areas through roundtable discussions with their counterparts in the region and presentations by highly qualified policy experts. These events serve as a bridge between annual meetings to keep members informed and briefed on critical and trending issues.

Colleen Cousineau Director

Policy & Program Contacts Mikko Lindberg..................mlindberg@csg.org Senior Communications and Research Specialist Contact for member services and outreach; SLC Annual Meeting; SLC website and publications; Continuing Legal Education (CLE)

Lily Schieber......................... lschieber@csg.org Programs and Marketing Manager Contact for SLC Annual Meeting; SLC Center for the Advancement of Leadership Skills (CALS); legislative staff training; social media

Anne Roberts Brody............. aroberts@csg.org Policy and Program Manager Contact for agriculture; energy; environment; rural development; legislative staff training

Roger Moore............................ rmoore@csg.org Policy Analyst Contact for cultural affairs; economic development; health and human services; corrections and public safety; transportation

Cody Allen.................................. callen@csg.org Policy Analyst Contact for education; fiscal affairs; government operations

Nick Bowman.......................nbowman@csg.org Publications and Research Associate Contact for state legislative service agencies; SLC Center for the Advancement of Leadership Skills (CALS); SLC State Transformation in Action Recognition (STAR)

Susan Lanter............................. slanter@csg.org Finance and Events Coordinator Contact for accounts payable and receivable; SLC Annual Meeting

Neil Johnson......................... njohnson@csg.org Operations Coordinator

SOUTHERN OFFICE OF THE COUNCIL OF STATE GOVERNMENTS P.O. BOX 98129, ATLANTA, GA 30359 404.633.1866 | slcatlanta.org | @SLCStates

Contact for general accounting; property management; SLC Annual Meeting

Gia Fore........................................ gfore@csg.org Administrative and Meeting Coordinator Contact for SLC Annual Meeting

ISSUE 1 2020 | CAPITOL IDEAS

prepared annually by select SLC states’ fiscal research departments. These reports track revenue sources, appropriations levels, performance measures and a multitude of other metrics in Southern states. A useful tool for legislators and legislative staff alike, CDRs are available for adult correctional systems, education, Medicaid and transportation.

I N I T I AT I V E S

37

2020 C H A I R

2020 E V EN T S

SENATOR

Michael Von Flatern W YOMING

As chair of CSG West, Sen. Michael Von Flatern hopes to create opportunities for legislators to share their experiences and provide insights allowing everyone to construct the most appropriate and effective policy solutions for their states.

“Western states pride themselves on their pioneering spirit and individuality, but I believe that our similarities can bring us together to address our collective challenges,” Sen. Von Flatern said. “Through these efforts we gain a better understanding of others and that our differences are not so great.”

Von Flatern has represented the 24th district in the Wyoming Senate since 2005. He is currently the chairman of the Transportation, Highways & Military Affairs committee and serves on several other committees including the Senate Judiciary, Air Transportation Liaison Committee and the State Workforce Investment Board.

“As a headwater state, Wyoming is facing challenges related to shared use and conservation,” Von Flatern said. “While our major focus is related to the Colorado River, other states in the region face similar challenges. With this in mind, I believe that water is perhaps one of the most key policy issues facing the Western Region.”

ISSUE 1 2020 | CAPITOL IDEAS

Von Flatern hopes to utilize his leadership position in CSG West to help the Western states work together to solve policy issues like this one.

38

“My experience with CSG and CSG West has helped me to understand the value of collective efforts in solving policy issues,” Von Flatern said. “While each state has different needs and thoughts on execution of solutions, the opportunity to learn from one another and refine solutions found to be effective in other states provides an opportunity for legislators to respond to constituent needs in their states more effectively and efficiently.”

A great first step for elected officials who are interested in getting involved with CSG is to get to know CSG West and what the region has to offer by attending a meeting in the region, Von Flatern said. “All of the programs offered have some bearing on regional issues and offer a chance to join a conversation that relates directly to their state.”

CSG West offers the Border Legislative Conference, the Legislative Council on River Governance and an annual regional meeting in addition to other leadership opportunities.

73rd CSG West Annual Meeting July 28–31 | Jackson, Wyoming The Wyoming state legislature invites attendees to touch down in the shade of the rugged mountains for the 73rd CSG West Annual Meeting, July 28–31, 2020. In the scenic beauty of Jackson, Wyoming, legislators, legislative staff and policy experts will explore opportunities, challenges and innovative solutions on a range of topics.

All CSG West policy committees and leadership convene during the meeting, providing a chance to engage in substantive discussion on regionally and nationally relevant topics. The Canada Relations Committee and North America Summit offer a chance for members to engage with one another on issues unique to the West as the only region to share borders with Canada and Mexico.

Additional forum sessions will host in-depth discussions on select topics throughout the meeting while leadership workshops invite attendees to sharpen their professional skills.

Legislative Council on River Governance Aug.17–19 | Lewiston, Idaho For more information on the LCRG, please contact Jacqueline Tinetti, policy committees & programs coordinator, at (916) 553-4423 or jtinetti@csg.org.

Legislative Service Agency and Research Directors Training Seminar Sept. 27–29 | Lake Tahoe, California For more information on the Legislative Service Agency/Research Directors (LSA/RD) Committee, or specific information on presentations, please contact Jennifer Schanze, director of operations, at (916) 553-4423 or jschanze@csg.org.

33rd Border Legislative Conference Fall 2020 | California Contact CSG West staff at (916) 553-4423 or email blc@csg.org with any questions.

regional roundup | west AK • A Z • C A • CO • HI • ID • MT • NM • NV • OR • UT • WA • W Y • AB • AS • BC • GU • MP

2020 Western Legislative Academy Dec. 9–12, 2020

PU B L I C AT I O N S / R E S O U R C E S

K E Y S TA FF

Biweekly e-newsletter Regional Roundup

Executive Leadership

CSG West publishes a biweekly email newsletter called Regional Roundup, which provides updates on CSG West activities and events, and stories on issues important to Western legislators and others who care about the West. To sign up for Regional Roundup, visit csgwest.org. Follow CSG West on Twitter @CSGWest.

Edgar E. Ruiz.................... eruiz@csg.org

I N I T I AT I V E S

COLORADO SPRINGS Apply online at w w w.c s gw e s t.o r g / w l a

Furthering State-Federal Cooperation

Applications due April 17, 2020

CSG West is part of a coalition of regional, multibranch and bipartisan associations working to promote a stronger state-federal relationship. This includes seeking meaningful state consultation.

“I was very inspired by colleagues from across the region.”

2 0 19 C L A S S M E M B E R

2 G OA L S Helping Legislators Become More Effective Building Stronger State Legislative Institutions

Western Legislative Academy Dec. 9–12 | Colorado Springs, Colorado APPLICATION DEADLINE: April 17, 2020 The Western Legislative Academy (WLA) offers selected legislators an opportunity to sharpen leadership skills and build regional relationships.

Working with faculty from academic, military and legislative backgrounds, class members participate in sessions focused on skills development in areas such as negotiation, time management, leadership styles, governing and ethics.

After WLA, class members return to their respective legislatures with knowledge, training and relationships designed to help them become more effective legislators and leaders.

The Western U.S. has the unique distinction of sharing international borders with both Canada and Mexico. As such, CSG West capitalizes on such geographic opportunities to promote binational and continental cooperation and foster understanding through several programs. This includes the Border Legislative Conference and the Border Legislative Academy, which promote cooperation and provide professional development to legislators of the U.S.-Mexico border region, and the Canada Relations Committee, which focuses on shared concerns among western U.S. states and Canadian provinces.

Departmental Specialists Katie Alexander........katie.alexander@csg.org Marketing & Events Coordinator

Adrian Alvarado..................aalvarado@csg.org Database & Administrative Meetings Coordinator

Martha Castañeda ...........................................mcastaneda@csg.org Director of Policy & International Programs

Kimberly Clark............................ kclark@csg.org Senior Meetings Coordinator

Addy Jimenez........................ajimenez@csg.org Policy Analyst

Rich Lindsey................ rlindsey@wyoming.com Policy Consultant

Erica Miller................................ emiller@csg.org Programs & Communications Manager

Anne Power.............................. apower@csg.org Development Assistant

Jennifer Schanze................... jschanze@csg.org Director of Operations

Jacqueline Tinetti..................... jtinetti@csg.org Policy Committees & Programs Coordinator

The Legislative Council on River Governance The Legislative Council on River Governance (LCRG) convenes lawmakers from the Columbia River Basin states of Idaho, Montana, Oregon and Washington to address issues of mutual concern and to share best practices.

Westrain The Westrain program provides in-state training for legislators and staff on a variety of professional development topics. These include communications, time management, negotiations, consensus building, conflict resolution and ethics. Capacity trainings are tailored to meet the specific needs of state legislatures.

My experience with CSG and CSG West has helped me to understand the value of collective efforts in solving policy issues. While each state has different needs and thoughts on execution of solutions, the opportunity to learn from one another and refine solutions found to be effective in other states provides an opportunity for legislators to respond to constituent

C SG W E S T 1107 9TH STREET, SUITE 730, SACRAMENTO, CA 95814 916.553.4423 | csgw@csgwest.com | @CSGWEST | csgwest.org

needs in their states more effectively and efficiently.”

S E N . M I C H A E L V O N F L AT E R N , W YO M I N G C SG WES T 2020 CHAIR

ISSUE 1 2020 | CAPITOL IDEAS

Western state legislators in their first four years of cumulative service are invited to apply. Class members are selected by the CSG West Executive Committee and evaluated based on their dedication to public service, desire to improve their legislative effectiveness and commitment to the institution of the legislature. Academy attendance is limited to a class size of 39 participants. Applications for the 2020 Western Legislative Academy class are now being accepted and will be available through the April 17 deadline. For questions related to the program or application process, please contact us at wla@csg.org.

Strengthening North American Engagement

Director

39

J U S T I C E C EN T ER Y E A R I N R E V I E W

2019 H I G H L I G H T S

A National Initiative to Reduce the Number of People with Mental Illnesses in Jails An estimated 2 million people with serious mental illnesses—almost three-quarters of whom also have substance use disorders—are booked into local jails each year. Federal and state policy and funding barriers, along with limited opportunities for law enforcement training and arrest alternatives in many communities, have made county and other local jails the de facto mental health hospitals for people who cannot access appropriate community-based mental health treatment and services. Counties recognize the need for systems-level change to help them better link people to treatment and services while improving public safety in fiscally responsible and effective ways. The publication Reducing the Number of People with Mental Illnesses in Jail: Six Questions County Leaders Need to Ask, which was released January 2017, provides a planning framework for counties to address these challenges and help reduce the number of people with mental illnesses who continue to cycle through the criminal justice system.

The National Initiative Recognizing the critical role local and state officials play in supporting systems change, the National Association of Counties (NACo), the American Psychiatric Association Foundation and The Council of State Governments Justice Center launched the Stepping Up initiative in May 2015. Stepping Up is a national movement to provide counties with the tools they need to develop cross-systems, data-driven strategies that can lead to measurable reductions in the number of people with mental illnesses and co-occurring disorders in jails.

More than 425 counties have passed a resolution or proclamation to partici-

COUNTY RESOLUTIONS RECEIVED AS OF MAY 1, 2018

pate in the initiative. With support from public and private entities, the initiative builds on the many innovative and proven practices being implemented across the country. Stepping Up engages a diverse group of organizations with expertise on these issues, including those representing sheriffs, jail administrators, judges, community

corrections

professionals,

treatment providers, people with mental illnesses and their families, mental health and substance use program directors and other stakeholders.

The initiative supports counties in developing and adopting a cross-systems action plan through strategies such as:

Advancing Safety and Second Chances in 2019 The past year was an eventful one. The CSG Justice Center continued to mobilize leaders in the criminal justice field with connections and research, from supporting successful legislative efforts in states such as Colorado, Oregon, Pennsylvania and

States with county resolutions

Counties with resolutions

No resolutions

• Providing a small number of counties with intensive technical assistance that includes onsite work to help use the planning framework, implement evidence-based practices and demonstrate strategies that result in measurable change • Providing counties with broad-based technical assistance for applying the planning framework through webinars, network calls and other information-sharing opportunities • Assisting states that support counties’ efforts to implement the Stepping Up framework statewide; and • Promoting federal policies that support counties’ efforts to reduce the prevalence of people with mental illnesses in jails.

The Stepping Up Initiative welcomed its 500th county.

The 500th county joined the Stepping Up initiative, a national movement headed by the CSG Justice Center to reduce the number of people with mental illnesses in jails. Across 43 states, counties have passed resolutions pledging to implement the Stepping Up approach by prioritizing committed leadership, accurate data collection and collaboration between local mental health and justice systems.

Wyoming, to releasing groundbreaking new research reports, to providing technical assistance that resulted in fewer people with mental illnesses in local jails and more in treatment.

ISSUE 1 2020 | CAPITOL IDEAS

Heading into 2020, as criminal justice continues to receive strong interest and support, the CSG Justice Center is gearing up for an even more active and impactful year that will involve expanding its work.

40

• In partnership with the National Crime Victim Law Institute, the CSG Justice Center is launching a new resource center designed to help states improve their ability to effectively order, collect, disburse and fulfill victim restitution.

• With the support of the Bureau of Justice Assistance, the CSG Justice Center is leading a training and technical assistance center to support law enforcement officials as they work to improve their responses to people with mental illnesses.

• The organization is developing new data initiatives that will help states better collect and analyze vital information about the performance of their criminal justice systems.

A groundbreaking report, titled “Confined and Costly,” uncovered the costs of probation and parole violations.

Probation and parole are designed to lower prison populations and help people succeed in the community, but a report published by the CSG Justice Center found that these programs are having the opposite effect. “Confined and Costly” revealed that 45% of state prison admissions nationwide are due to violations of probation or parole, costing states more than $9 billion annually. The study was the first to catalog the impact of violations on state prison admissions in all 50 states.

justice center roundup | dc H E A D Q UA R T E R S I N N E W YO R K C I T Y • A D D I T I O N A L O F F I C E S I N AU S T I N , S E AT T L E , B E T H E S DA & WA S H I N G TO N , D.C .

K E Y S TA FF

New research evaluated how well states are preparing youth in the juvenile justice system for employment.

Drawing on first-of-its-kind survey data collected from all 50 states, “On Track” establishes an unprecedented baseline for understanding how juvenile correctional agencies are preparing youth for employment and outlines strategies for improvement.

Critical improvements were made to Colorado’s juvenile justice system.

Executive Leadership

To address youth recidivism rates as high as 50%, Colorado passed the Juvenile Justice Reform Act in May, legislation shaped by recommendations and findings from an assessment of the state’s juvenile system released by the CSG Justice Center’s Improving Outcomes for Youth (IOYouth) initiative.

Colorado will now implement measures to divert youth from system involvement, limit pre-sentence incarceration and more. The CSG Justice Center’s IOYouth initiative implemented similar projects in Sonoma County, California and Connecticut in early 2019.

............................... mquattlebaum@csg.org

Newly elected governors received guidance to advance their criminal justice initiatives.

Key Staff Ayesha Delany-Brumsey ...................................adelanybrumsey@csg.org Director, Behavioral Health

Michael Clark.............................mclark@csg.org Director, Communications and External Affairs Deputy Director, Policy and Strategic Planning

Margaret Schramm Horn......... mhorn@csg.org Deputy Director, Finance, Operations and Administration

Nicole Jarrett........................... njarrett@csg.org Director, Corrections and Reentry

Elizabeth Lyon.............................elyon@csg.org Division Director, State Initiatives

Shannon Moriarty............... smoriarty@csg.org Deputy Division Director, Communications and Public Affairs

Monica Peters.........................mpeters@csg.org

New framework released to evaluate and improve collaboration between police and mental health workers.

Increasingly, law enforcement officers are the first and only responders to calls involving people who have mental health needs. To begin tackling that challenge, the CSG Justice Center created the Police-Mental Health Collaboration framework, which promotes strategies to achieve comprehensive, agency-wide responses to people who have mental illnesses.

Corrections leaders convened to discuss behavioral health services in jails.

Recognizing the uniqueness of each state, the CSG Justice Center brought together leadership teams from all seven states with unified corrections systems to discuss better ways to address behavioral health services in their jails.

Acting Director, Research Division

Kenya Salaudeen............. ksalaudeen@csg.org Director, Human Resources

CSG Justice Center Vision A society that upholds justice, offers second chances and ensures safe and healthy communities.

Mission We develop research-driven strategies to increase public safety and strengthen communities.

JUSTICE MICHAEL P. BOGGS GEORGIA

C SG J US TI C E C E NTE R 22 CORTLANDT STREET, FLOOR 22, NEW YORK, NY 10007 212.482.2320 | csgjusticecenter.org | @CSGJC

CSG JUSTICE CENTER BOARD CHAIR

ISSUE 1 2020 | CAPITOL IDEAS

A historic number of new governors took office in 2019, and the CSG Justice Center was there to provide rapid, on-demand support to the 22 new administrations across the country, assessing their states’ criminal and juvenile systems and developing plans to improve them. The organization also offered more intensive guidance to four states with new administrations following an application process: Colorado, Iowa, Kansas and Wisconsin.

Director

Marshall Clement................mclement@csg.org

New legislation passed in Oregon supports behavioral health services for people in the criminal justice system.

Jail bookings and hospital emergency department visits are projected to drop 20% in the next five years as a result of a behavioral health Justice Reinvestment bill spearheaded by the CSG Justice Center, passed by the state legislature and signed into law by Oregon Governor Kate Brown on July 15, 2019. The legislation established and injected an initial $10.6 million into a state-run program that offers counties and tribal nations assistance in building up community-based supports and services for people with mental illnesses and substance addictions who commonly end up in state jails, courts and hospitals.

Megan Quattlebaum

41

all about csg

To gether Again CSG National Conference encourages collaboration and innovation

P

olitics is a matter of addition, not subtraction,” said Mark Shields, a veteran political journalist who served as keynote speaker during the 2019 CSG National Conference in San Juan, Puerto Rico.

“We only have to agree on more than we disagree.

And we agree that when we get there, this is what we have to do.”

ISSUE 1 2020 | CAPITOL IDEAS

Speaking to an audience gathered in the Puerto Rico Convention Center, Shields’ comment summed up the goals of the national conference — adding to state leaders’ understanding of policy issues, building professional relationships and pursuing consensus-based, data-driven solutions.

42

“The resources CSG offers its members are invaluable,” said Tennessee state Sen. Becky Massey. “As legislators, it is impossible to be experts in everything, so it is vital that we have others to share ideas and resources with.

Oftentimes, someone else has worked through a problem or a legislative solution in another state, and it is helpful to share what worked, what didn’t and how to improve it. Individually, I might come up with a good idea, but working with others and brainstorming with them, we can come up with a much better solution.”

With 910 registered attendees, including 425 state government members from all three branches, the 2019 CSG National Conference offered

opportunities for state leaders to take an in-depth look at multiple policy issues through CSG policy academies, including Privacy and Cybersecurity, Growing Green: Marijuana Policy in the States, and The Energy Landscape.

CSG Innovation Classrooms demonstrated cutting-edge technologies that impact public policy in the states. Presenters included Esri, Inc., Gilead Sciences, Inc., Celgene, American Chemistry Council and AT&T. “5G can save lives,” said CTIA representative Jake Lestock during the Innovation Classroom presented by AT&T. “A 60-second improvement in first responder response time translates to a reduction of 8% in mortality.”

The CSG National Task Forces also met to hear experts and policymakers speak about workforce and health care issues. With four subcommittees each, the Healthy States National Task Force and The Future of Work National Task Force are surveying best practices and innovative state initiatives throughout the 2019–20 biennium. At the conclusion of their work, the groups will produce a report that will serve as a national framework with best practices and policy recommendations for the states.

“As we continue to see innovation, we also continue to see diversification of where and how different paths of the workforce are going to go,” said Colorado state Sen. Nancy Todd, who serves as co-chair of The Future of Work National Task Force with Kansas state Sen. Carolyn McGinn. “[…] Our delivery system has got to be really varied, and we have to be cognizant of the fact that people want to get educated and go to work as soon as possible. And what does that look like? Career and technical colleges, fouryear — all those different pathways need to be revisited.”

2019 national conference wrap up

910 The national conference provided valuable opportunities for state leaders to interact, learn from each other and share ideas. North Dakota state Sen. Jim Dotzenrod appreciated the opportunity to hear how other states are dealing with shared issues.

“It’s a chance to get together with other legislators from around the country and talk about the issues they’re dealing with — funding education, highways, road systems, public safety, health, all these issues that the states have to deal with,” Dotzenrod said. “We learn a lot about what’s going on in other states.”

During the opening session of the national conference, Puerto Rico Senate Majority Leader Carmelo Rios thanked conference attendees for visiting Puerto Rico and praised the collaborative efforts of state leaders.

“It is about the American dream, and we are all a part of that dream,” Rios said. “We are part, we are proud, we are Americans and we love you from the bottom of our hearts.”

STATE GOVERNMENT MEMBERS FROM ALL 3 BRANCHES

EAST 105 // MIDWEST 118 // SOUTH 94 // WEST 108

3 42 LEGISLATIVE BRANCH 313 LEGISLATORS // 1 SENATE PRESIDENT 5 HOUSE SPEAKERS 78 EXECUTIVE BRANCH

3 SECRETARIES OF STATE // 2 ATTORNEYS GENERAL 6 DEPARTMENT SECRETARIES

5 JUDICIAL BRANCH

4 JUDGES // 1 SUPREME COURT JUSTICE

ISSUE 1 2020 | CAPITOL IDEAS

Meeting in Puerto Rico allowed conference attendees to enjoy the rich history, culture and natural beauty of the island. CSG hosted a reception at the historic Antiguo Casino De Puerto Rico, an elegant venue built in 1913. Attendees also enjoyed hors d’oeuvres and tours of Casa Bacardi, the world’s largest rum distillery, which was established in 1862 by the Bacardi family.

425

REGISTERED AT T E N D E E S

43

final facts

Serving t h e S tat e s Since its founding, CSG has worked to serve state elected and appointed officials from all three branches of government. With its regional focus and motivation to bring together state leaders to exchange insights and ideas that shape public policy, CSG works to champion excellence in state government and to facilitate multistate solutions.

CSG is a region-based forum that fosters the exchange of insights and ideas to help state officials shape public policy.

C S G E S TA B L I S H E D I T S

CENTER OF INNOVATION in 2018 as a national initiative

to enhance the organization’s efforts to engage, inform and empower state officials.

It seeks to provide FACT-BASED AND DATA-DRIVEN POLICY SUPPORT & ENSURE EQUALITY OF OPPORTUNITY and engagement across all populations.

C S G HA S 10 A F F ILIAT E OR G A NIZ ATIO NS that contribute specialized expertise, information and resources to the overall mission of The Council of State Governments.

American Probation and Parole Association • Association of Air Pollution Control Agencies • Military Interstate Children’s Compact Commission • National Association of State Facilities Administrators • National Association of State Personnel Executives • National Association of State Technology Directors National Emergency Management Association • National Hispanic Caucus of State Legislators • State International Development Organizations • Women in Government

CSG PUBLISHES

CSG is our nation’s only organization serving

The Book of the States

ALL 3 BRANCHES OF STATE GOVERNMENT.

THE COUNCIL OF STATE GOVERNMENTS

is headquartered in

L E X I N GTO N , K E N T U C KY and has regional offices in Atlanta , Chicago , New York City , and Sacramento, California .

It also maintains an office in Washington, D.C.

EACH YEAR. Established in 2006 and based in New York City, the

CSG Justice Center provides

PRACTICAL, NONPARTISAN ADVICE AND CONSENSUSDRIVEN STRATEGIES

First published in 1935, it provides comprehensive data and analysis about state governments and their operations.

informed by available evidence to increase public safety and strengthen communities.

The Council of State Governments was founded in 1933 by

C O L O R A D O S TAT E

Sen. Henry Wolcott Toll.

CONNECT WITH CSG! We know you’re busy, so we’re making it easier than ever to connect with CSG! Find us on the web, in your email inbox or on our social media channels. We’re sharing our latest work, member stories, new reports and other great content. Keep up with all of the exciting things happening at CSG in 2020 and connect with your fellow members!

LIKE

Like The Council of State Governments on Facebook.

We’ll share announcements, top news from the states, member stories and more!

VISIT

Visit csg.org.You’ll be seeing new information and updates soon. Visit the CSG website for information on our convenings, programs, publications and more.

FOLLOW

Follow @CSGovts on Twitter.

You’ll get instant, upto-the-Tweet access to what’s happening in state governments at our CSG offices across the country.

LISTEN

Look for upcoming podcasts from CSG! We’ll share those through our social media channels for a deeper dig into some of the top issues impacting state leaders.

LINK

Link with The Council of State Governments on LinkedIn. We’ll post organizational news and help you connect with a network of the nation’s top state officials.

SUBSCRIBE

Subscribe to The Current State E-newsletter. We’ll send member stories, state successes and other information to your inbox every week! No extra time or work needed.

The Council of State Governments 1776 Avenue of the States Lexington, KY 40511

CSG. O R G

JOIN US IN 2020

CSG Midwest: Midwestern Legislative Conference (MLC) 75th Annual Meeting July 19–22 Detroit, Michigan

74TH ANNUAL MEETING OF THE CSG SOUTHERN LEGISLATIVE CONFERENCE

WINSTON–SALEM AUGUST 1–5, 2020

CSG West 73rd Annual Meeting July 28–31 Jackson Hole, Wyoming

CSG South: Southern Legislative Conference (SLC) 74th Annual Meeting

CSG East: Eastern Regional Conference (ERC) 60th Annual Meeting

Aug. 1–5 Winston-Salem, North Carolina

Aug. 23–26 Manchester, New Hampshire