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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.
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“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.”
