Capitol Ideas | Issue 1 | 2022 | Ambassador of Civility and Civics

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C O U N C I L

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State of Play Hot topics in the states

Flush with Cash Unprecedented opportunities and challenges

Flying High States use eyes in the sky for smart planning

AMBASSADOR OF CIVILIT Y AND CIVICS 2022 CSG National Chair Sen. Sam Hunt, Washington

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STRONGER TOGETHER 3 BRANCHES OF GOVERNMENT | 56 STATES AND TERRITORIES | 4 STRONG REGIONS

CSG is where you belong.

2022 CSG CALENDAR OF EVENTS C SG SO U TH

76th Annual Meeting of the Southern Legislative Conference Oklahoma City, OK // July 9–13, 2022

C SG MIDW EST

76th Annual Meeting of the Midwestern Legislative Conference Wichita, KS // July 10–13, 2022

C SG WEST

75th Annual Meeting Boise, ID // July 19–22, 2022

C SG EAST The Council of State Governments is the nation’s largest nonpartisan organization serving all three branches of state elected and appointed officials. CSG champions excellence in state government to advance the common good.

61st Annual Meeting of the Eastern Regional Conference Manchester, NH // Aug. 14–17, 2022

C SG NATIO NAL CO NFER ENC E Honolulu, HI // Dec. 7–10, 2022

2022: A POLICY PREVIEW / ISSUE 1 / 2022

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14 6 2022 Policy Preview

16 CSG National Officers

From redistricting to pandemic developments to cryptocurrency, here’s a rundown of the top issues CSG expects the states to face in 2022. Learn more about the policy and technical assistance resources CSG offers for state leaders.

CSG national officers play a key role in leading the organization’s work to serve the states. Learn more about the roles and responsibilities of national officers, how they are selected and the leaders serving as CSG national officers in 2022.

10 Building Electric Vehicle

18 Federal Investments

Infrastructure

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A growing number of automakers have signaled their commitment to electric vehicles, and consumer demand for electric vehicles continues to increase.

What can the states do now to address a shifting infrastructure landscape?

12 Public Sector Apprenticeships

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F E AT U R E S

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Leaders from six states convened during the 2021 CSG National Conference to explore public sector apprenticeships and create plans to implement them.

Learn more about challenges and opportunities for public sector apprenticeships in the states.

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G E T TO K N O W C S G

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THEY TWEETED IT

14 Meet the Chair

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C S G E A S T U P DAT E

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C S G M I D W E S T U P DAT E

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C S G S O U T H U P DAT E

Serving as national chair for CSG in 2022, Washington state Sen. Sam Hunt draws on a background in public education, a deep commitment to civil discourse and a lifelong passion for making a difference through government.

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C S G W E S T U P DAT E

What do the American Rescue Plan Act and the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act mean for your state? Explore CSG resources on what the acts contain, what kinds of projects will qualify and strategies to craft your spending plan.

22 Drones and Infrastructure Maintenance

Learn how states are using drone technology to inspect and maintain infrastructure like roads and power lines.

What problems can drones solve for state governments?

Gov. David Ige

Sen. Sam Hunt

HAWAII CSG National President

WASHINGTON CSG National Chair

Sen. Sharon Carson

Sen. Lou D’Allesandro

NEW HAMPSHIRE CSG East Co-Chair

NEW HAMPSHIRE CSG East Co-Chair

Sen. Carolyn McGinn KANSAS CSG Midwest Chair

Senate President Pro Tempore Greg Treat OKLAHOMA CSG South Chair

Publisher

Graphic Designers

DAVID ADKINS dadkins@csg.org

THERESA CARROLL tcarroll@csg.org

Editor in Chief

STEPHANIE NORTHERN snorthern@csg.org

BLAIR HESS bhess@csg.org

Managing Editor

JESSICA RUSHER jrusher@csg.org

JOEL SAMS jsams@csg.org

AMANDA SKAPNIT askapnit@csg.org

Associate Editor

Email

BILL SWINFORD bswinford@csg.org

capitolideas@csg.org

Contributing CSG Staff Writers MARY ELIZABETH LONERGAN mrobertson@csg.org

DINA KLIMKINA dklimkina@csg.org

KAITLYN BISON kbison@csg.org

SARAH NEEDLER sneedler@csg.org

DALTON GOBLE dalton.goble@csg.org

BENJAMIN REYNOLDS breynolds@csg.org

CASANDRA HOCKENBERRY chockenberry@csg.org

DAKOTA THOMAS dakota.thomas@csg.org

ANDREW JOHNSON ajohnson@csg.org

CSG CAPITOL IDEAS, ISSN 2152-8489, ISSUE 1, Vol. 74, No. 1 – Published five times annually 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.

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Copyright 2022 by The Council of State Governments.

An accessible version of this publication is available upon request. Please email capitolideas@csg.org.

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STAY CONNECTED @CSGovts facebook.com/CSGovts CSGovts

ISSUE 1 2022 | CSG CAPITOL IDEAS

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GET TO

KNOW

CSG

We work for the states.

Established in 1933 by a group of state leaders, The Council of State Governments is of, by and for the states. The states themselves are our members, and our work is guided by a governing board composed of a broad cross-section of state leaders. We are not an advocacy organization — state leaders determine our priorities and provide leadership and oversight. While we have many partners and stakeholders, we are governed exclusively by member states, and our budget is built on dues set and paid by the states. Simply put, CSG is an extension of state government with one goal: to anticipate and serve the needs of state officials.

We are a community of state leaders.

CSG is an inclusive family of state leaders, embracing diversity of perspectives and identities and treating everyone with equity, dignity and respect. In our programming, we create and maintain a space for constructive and civil dialogue and debate. In-person and virtual convenings, both regional and national, are the most important way we bring leaders together. Four regional conferences (East, South, Midwest and West), an annual national conference, policy academies and more give leaders a chance to share ideas, hear from policy experts, learn more about issues facing their states and engage with other leaders from all over the U.S.

We are nonpartisan.

CSG is an association of all state officials, elected and appointed, across all three branches of state government. While some CSG programs help state officials gain greater understanding of political trends and events, the organization’s public policy work is data-driven, consensus-based and conspicuously nonpartisan. Our convenings welcome state officials regardless of political party, geography or ideology, and our work encourages the inclusion of all voices and a diversity of opinions. CSG uses a data-driven approach to public policy in order to provide a common, agreed-upon set of facts, which help guide policy discussions and drive consensus-based solutions.

Our values shape our work.

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The vision of CSG is to unite states to advance the common good. In that work, we are guided by 10 core values: democracy, integrity, fairness, civility, excellence, truth, innovation, collaboration, unity and impact. More than just slogans, these are animating ideals that shape how we approach our work.

Learn more about who we are at csg.org/about-us.

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We are here for you.

CSG helps state officials solve problems, grow as leaders, share information and build relationships with other policymakers across the U.S. We offer multiple leadership development opportunities, including the prestigious Henry Toll Fellowship; technical assistance and policy resources through the CSG Center of Innovation; research and collaborative projects on justice system issues through the CSG Justice Center; a range of policy academies that provide customized training and a deeper dive on critical policy topics; CSG University, which helps newly elected legislators find success in their new roles; and much more. Learn more about our offerings at csg.org.

THE Y T WEETED IT Rep. Tim Butler @RepTimButler • Dec. 4 2021 Thank you @CSGovts for a tremendous annual meeting! Always insightful to collaborate with legislators and state officials from around the nation (and Canada!). #CSG2021

Senior Advisor Michael Mower @MikeLMower • Dec. 3 2021 Yeah for the Sunflower State! Visiting with @GovLauraKelly. Thanks to her for helping to lead @CSGovts during the very unusual 2020-2021. A lot of good work was still done.

🇺🇸

Senator Cory McCray @SenatorMcCray • Dec. 4, 2021 Blessed to be apart of the @CSGovts Council of State Governments “20 Under 40” award for 2021.

Appreciate the opportunity to spend time with so many leaders from across the country!

Representative Steve Yeager @SteveYeagerNV • Dec. 3, 2021 By my calculations, the @CSGovts Shared State Legislation Committee has nearly 100 bills to consider at today’s meeting. I’m honored to co-chair this committee with Speaker Koppelman from ND. Learn more about our work here: ssl.csg.org #NVLeg #CSG2021

CSG South @CSGSouth • Dec. 8, 2021 Celebrating the Top 20 Under 40 Legislative Leaders from the CSG South in Santa Fe, NM at @CSGovts National Conference!

Pictured: Rep Jeremy Gray-AL, Rep. Jamie Scott-AR, Rep. Honorable Ajay Pittman-OK, Rep. Lamar London-TN, Senator Cory McCray-MD (CSG East) #CSG20Under40

🍾🎉

Senator Julia Kirt @JuliaKirt • Dec. 14, 2021 Pleased to participate in this national task force focused on best policy practices for supporting youth with disabilities transitioning into employment! Organized by @CSGovts #Okeconomy #disabilities #inclusionmatters

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POLICY

P R E V I E W R e s o u r c e s

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by Kaitlyn Bison, Dalton Goble, Casandra Hockenberry, Andrew Johnson, Dina Klimkina, Sarah Needler, Bill Swinford and Dakota Thomas

Entering the third year of the COVID-19 pandemic, states, localities and regions will continue to face new and ongoing challenges that impact the stability of state economies, viability of communities and well-being of residents.

As policymakers look ahead to mitigate issues and capitalize on opportunities, CSG is providing evidence-based, nonpartisan resources across fiscal, civic, workforce and health policy areas.

These are the top issues we expect to be prominent in state leaders’ decision-making in 2022, along with insights from the CSG public policy research team.

PANDEMIC

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During the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic, state budgets experienced substantial shock caused by dramatically reduced revenues and increased costs, particularly in health and social services. This escalated to caring for those who test positive and those whose livelihoods were devastated. Recovering economies and a significant influx of federal dollars have returned most states to a stable position.

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In response to the health crisis, governors and state legislatures have been defining their respective spheres of authority and the relationships between the branches, aided by rulings from federal and state courts.

Flashpoints are occurring with greater regularity as legislatures are in session and questioning the authority of governors to impose mask mandates and lockdowns. With the pandemic seeming to be a condition of existence, the branches of state government will continue to negotiate the changes in state action, mindful that responses to current conditions set precedents for future exercises of authority.

CSG researchers have written several policy briefs related to the impact of the pandemic and efforts toward increased resilience in state government programs and policy. Learn more at web.csg.org/recovery.

REDISTRICTING The U.S. Supreme Court has granted considerable deference to the states in determining the shape of legislative districts, with the primary proviso that they must be approximately equal in terms of the number of people within them. This is true at the state (Reynolds v. Sims, 1964) and federal (Wesberry v. Sanders, 1964) levels. Despite numerous appeals over the years for the Court to prohibit the political drawing of legislative maps, the Court had long been reluctant. Much of the challenge has been an inability to craft a legal test for "overly political" that lower courts could utilize effectively in reviewing maps. The final word came in 2019, when the Court ruled that how districts are drawn is a “political question” that courts are ill-equipped to consider (Rucho v.

Common Cause). Chief Justice John Roberts wrote: “Partisan gerrymandering is nothing new. Nor is frustration with it. The practice was known in the Colonies prior to Independence, and the Framers were familiar with it at the time of the drafting and ratification of the Constitution.”

Federal courts still insert themselves into legal disputes as to whether districts are drawn to disadvantage individuals on the basis of race in violation of the Voting Rights Act. For example, on Jan, 24 a federal court ordered Alabama policymakers to redraw the recently approved congressional map (Milligan v. Merrill). The Supreme Court reversed the decision Feb. 7.

Thirteen states gained or lost seats in the U.S. House of Representatives due to population shifts reflected in the 2020 Census. Seven states (California, Illinois, Michigan, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania and West Virginia) lost one seat, five states (Colorado, Florida, Montana, North Carolina and Oregon) gained one seat and Texas gained two seats.

Though state legislatures are generally positioned by statute to do the work of drawing boundaries, 14 states have formed commissions (four of which have their decisions reviewed by the legislature, governor or both).

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States should complete their work in time for changes to be effective for the 2022 election cycle. Therefore, candidate filing deadlines generally dictate when redistricting processes must be completed (though some states impose statutory deadlines).

By Feb. 17, 41 states had completed work on their congressional maps.

Six states (Alaska, Delaware, Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, Vermont and Wyoming) only have one House member.

While the U.S. Supreme Court has taken the federal courts out of the debate, state courts have been active participants in reviewing the work of legislatures and commissions under state law. For example, on Jan.14, 2022 the Ohio State Supreme Court struck down the state’s new map as overly political, in violation of the state constitution (Adams v. DeWine).

There are and will likely be more legal challenges in state court that will sustain uncertainty for much of the year.

K-12 EDUCATION

A December 2021 Curriculum Associates report compared iReady data from before and during the pandemic and determined that students who already were one grade level behind faced the most severe decline in learning. The report also signals substantial erosion among underserved and at-risk populations.

As 2022 legislative sessions continue and policymakers consider remedies, many schools already are using intervention/remediation

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The COVID-19 pandemic has significantly disrupted learning for K-12 students. For example, two organizations that assess student achievement — NWEA (MAP) and Curriculum Associates (iReady) — found lower-than-average performance since the spring of 2020. An NWEA brief from December 2021 highlights that learning gaps grew for underserved populations. Black, Hispanic, American Indian and Alaska Native students, as well as students in high poverty schools, faced disproportionate declines.

THE CSG POLICY RESEARCH TEAM IS AVAILABLE TO PARTNER WITH POLICYMAKERS ON RESEARCH PROJECTS RELATED TO THESE AND OTHER ISSUES FACING THE STATES. IF YOU HAVE A RESEARCH REQUEST OR WOULD LIKE MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT SARAH NEEDLER, DIRECTOR OF RESEARCH, AT SNEEDLER@CSG.ORG.

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programs in the return to traditional schooling. States have filed, and some have passed, legislation that appropriates funds for programs to target academic shortcomings. Further evaluation of these policies and outcomes could help states target academic achievement lost due to the COVID-19 pandemic, particularly among vulnerable populations.

WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT Trending policy issues within workforce development include COVID19 response and recovery, skills training and diversity and inclusion in labor and employment. Under the umbrella of COVID-19 recovery, states as regulators of the workplace and as employers are grappling with the need to upskill workers, increase wages and refine paid leave requirements, mask and vaccine mandates and telework policies. Further, 42 states currently have more jobs than people to fill them.

State have employed several solutions, including increased investments in worker training, modified licensure requirements, changes to minimum wage, increased employer incentives and investment in local businesses. States have turned to policies focused on addressing the digital divide, reskilling and upskilling programs and mechanisms for addressing mental health consequences of the pandemic.

Skills training has been a national priority for the past year, with a specific emphasis on apprenticeships. States are focused on developing programs that are inclusive, tailored to new industries such as technology and green energy and that can rebuild local economies. For example, given the disproportionate impact of COVID-19 on minority populations, states have begun to address the unique needs of these workers to ensure they have equal access to vaccinations, accommodations and safety-conscious work opportunities. Some states have opted to create cabinet-level positions or offices focused on diversity, equity and inclusion, require diversity statements for state offices and focus on the intersectional needs of diverse populations in community services.

HOUSING AND FOOD INSECURITY Housing insecurity is defined as the lack of security caused by high housing costs relative to income, poor housing quality, unstable neighborhoods or overcrowding, and it impacts millions of people in the U.S. Causes and solutions are often discussed in two categories.

One approach advocates loosening zoning regulations to allow for faster housing development. With rising demand for housing, strict zoning laws — like mandated minimum lot sizes and restricted multi-family development — hinder the supply of housing and increase its price.

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Another camp views the lack of stable, affordable housing as the bigger issue, with faster housing development and reformed zoning laws playing only a secondary role. For example, the Urban Institute finds that for every 100 low-income households in need of affordable housing, only 29 units are available.

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The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development reported that more than 7 million households with very low incomes pay more than 50% of their household income toward housing costs, with little left over for other necessities such as food. Housing and food insecurity, or “the inability to provide all household members at all times with enough food for active, healthy lives,” according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, historically have coincided. Research has shown that families in subsidized housing had a lowered risk of food insecurity.

MENTAL WELLNESS Nearly half of people in the U.S. (46%) will meet the criteria for a diagnosable mental health condition sometime during their lives. Even greater mental health stressors are occurring during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Isolation, economic strain and uncertainty about the future can lead to psychological distress. Compounding this are mental health disparities in health care quality among people of different races, ethnicities and identities, as well as differing socioeconomic status, geographic location and education.

The global pandemic has placed a spotlight on long-standing challenges in providing mental health services, such as provider shortages, limited access to care and lack of insurance coverage. State policymakers recognize that the mental health of their constituents needs more attention, and they are already are implementing measures to ensure mental health needs are being met.

For example, the CSG Mental Health Resource Guide for State Policymakers highlights challenges and solutions across four areas in mental health policy: social isolation and loneliness, maternal mental health, social determinants of health and mental health insurance parity. To read the guide, visit csg.org/mental-health.

NEARLY HALF OF PEOPLE IN THE U.S. (46%) WILL MEET THE CRITERIA FOR A DIAGNOSABLE MENTAL HEALTH CONDITION SOMETIME DURING THEIR LIVES. EVEN GREATER MENTAL HEALTH STRESSORS ARE OCCURRING DURING THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC. CYBERSECURITY AND BROADER TECHNOLOGY ISSUES The public continues to express concern about various issues related to the advance of technology. But while there has been some bipartisan consensus on the need to do something, Congress has yet to pass legislation. States are increasingly assessing policy areas, including data privacy and protection, cybersecurity, content moderation, net neutrality and antitrust.

Technology companies regularly collect millions of points of data on individuals. From online searches to social media posts, activity is tracked and catalogued to create a profile of an individual, allowing for tailored ads and sponsored content.

It is likely other states will mirror the California Consumer Privacy Act, which allows consumers to retain and delete their data, as well as opt out of data collection. State policymakers can explore codifying more aggressive policies to protect information and infrastructure. Additionally, states can require information brokers to collect data responsibly by having stricter security protocols and procedures. California requires businesses to disclose where exactly the consumer’s information is going, upon request.

In 2019, a study by the Pew Research Center found 81%of people believe they are unable to control the data collected by companies. Vulnerabilities in cybersecurity surrounding public and private sector data holdings have been exposed in recent years, in a series of cyberattacks against businesses and individuals. Chinese and Russian infiltration shows U.S. policies are often ineffective. There are several reasons for the porous firewalls, including an insufficient workforce of cybersecurity professionals and the lack of an overarching strategy to protect vulnerable data.

State legislatures can create digital rights for residents, which include requiring companies that profit from disclosure of individual information to third parties, to gain consent from and provide compensation to individuals.

In addition, there has been frequent discussion about the duty of social media companies to monitor and moderate the content on their platforms. From misinformation and hate speech to protecting young people from content that promotes unhealthy behaviors, states may feel a duty to actively moderate content.

Net neutrality is the principle that internet service providers must treat all internet communications equally, without discrimination or different charges based on user, content, website, platform, etc. Following the 2017 repeal of federal net neutrality requirements, several states have already adopted net neutrality laws. More legislation will be considered this year.

Antitrust law is typically legislated at the federal level. Last fall, a bipartisan group of U.S. state attorneys general sent a letter to Congress urging action on a series of bills tightening antitrust laws. At this time, those laws have still not been addressed, so states may choose to act in that space as well.

CRYPTOCURRENCY The complexity and rapid growth of cryptocurrency requires policymakers to gain a better understanding of its essentials in order to best regulate its exchange, protect participants and prevent illegal activity.

Cryptocurrency is any decentralized currency that exists solely in electronic form and is stored via what is known as a blockchain. Many (but not all) cryptocurrencies are mined, or virtually printed in a decentralized fashion as well. In theory, cryptocurrencies can be used to buy and sell goods and services. In practice, however, cryptocurrencies are used more as a speculative vehicle (an investment) rather than as an actual means of exchange.

Cryptocurrencies are largely mined into existence by a decentralized network of computers. These computers essentially are rewarded with coins for solving increasingly complex math problems.

Bitcoin is a specific cryptocurrency (the first one created), though there are many cryptocurrencies in existence (e.g. Ethereum, Dogecoin, Litecoin). Bitcoin is also sometimes used as the generic term for all cryptocurrencies.

Cryptocurrencies exist outside the control of governments and banks.

This may reduce their susceptibility to inflation, for example, because there is no ability to print more. But this makes them attractive for criminal activity. Mining Bitcoin uses 91 terawatts of electricity per year (the same amount of energy used in Finland, population 5.5 million people).

Bitcoin mining also contributes to the current computer chip shortage, as computer components are seeing increased demand for use in mining.

EXTREME WEATHER According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, in 2021 the U.S. suffered 20 extreme weather events that each inflicted over $1 billion in damage and resulted in a total of 688 fatalities. The cycle is familiar. An event causes extensive damage and states and localities request recovery assistance from the federal government to combine with state and local pools of funds and private insurance for business and homeowners.

The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act passed in November 2021 includes $50 billion for climate-related initiatives designed to protect against such events. Broader conversations at the federal level about climate change and responses to it have stalled, largely in the context of negotiations over the Biden Administration’s “Build Back Better” package.

As stewards of expansive infrastructures, states can affect energy consumption and, therefore, climate change. For example, state governments traditionally maintain large fleets of official vehicles. Transitioning those to more energy-efficient models saves money and reduces emissions. As builders and maintainers of thousands of office buildings, states can engineer and refurbish facilities with energy-conscious lights, water systems and heating and cooling machinery.

States also can continue to incentivize individuals and businesses to reduce emissions harmful to the climate. Easement incentives for landowners, recruiting businesses in the alternative energy sector, subsidies for the development of bicycle, scooter and pedestrian paths and other efforts can substantially reduce a state’s carbon footprint.

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A blockchain is a decentralized ledger that tracks the ownership of all tokens (“coins”) for a specific cryptocurrency. This database is shared peer-to-peer, meaning everyone who has coins also has a database of all coins. Cryptocurrencies are theoretically impossible to counterfeit, as coins and transactions are accounted for among all users and any attempt to modify the ledger will be detected. This creates trust among individuals without the need for a third party (i.e. a bank, central bank, and/or government) to verify transactions.

CRYPTOCURRENCY IS ANY DECENTRALIZED CURRENCY THAT EXISTS SOLELY IN ELECTRONIC FORM AND IS STORED VIA WHAT IS KNOWN AS A BLOCKCHAIN.

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Charging Forward

How will the switch to EVs impact the states?

by Joel Sams In January 2021, General Motors announced it would sell only electric vehicles by 2035, joining a growing list of automakers to make electriconly commitments. In November, President Joe Biden signed an executive order setting a goal for half of all new vehicles sold in the U.S. to be zero-emission by 2030. California and New York have made similar commitments to zero-emission vehicles by 2035.

It may be consumers, though, who make the most compelling case for electric vehicles. According to a report from the Consumer Technology Association, four in 10 automobile owners say they are likely to consider an electric vehicle (EV) for their next purchase. Among those who already own electric vehicles, support is even stronger — 92% of current EV owners say their next car will likely be an EV as well.

The surge in demand is undeniable. What’s less clear is how to meet that demand. As EVs become more common, states will face challenges including power and grid infrastructure, charging, distribution and changing tax structures. What can states be doing now to prepare?

During the 2021 CSG National Conference in Santa Fe, New Mexico, the Future of Sustainability Policy Academy hosted a panel of experts to provide insight into upcoming challenges and opportunities for EV infrastructure.

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Anna Denecke, director of infrastructure initiatives for the American Society of Civil Engineers, noted that America’s infrastructure received a grade of C-minus in the American Society of Civil Engineers’ 2021 Report Card.

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It’s not just roads and bridges that require investment. Denecke said the country needs to shore up built networks, as well. She pointed out that electricity relies on a complex patchwork of generation facilities and distribution lines. Most of the grid is aging, with some components more than 100 years old.

“We basically need to rewire America,” she said. “We now have solar in New Mexico, we have wind in Kansas and Iowa, and these resources need to get to the coast. It’s going to require quite a bit of build-out and modernizing of our energy grid.”

Amy Brink, vice president for state affairs at the Alliance for Automotive Innovation, said the automobile industry plans to invest $330 billion in vehicle electrification by 2025, as well as offer 130 models for sale in the U.S. market by 2026.

“You will see pickup trucks, you’ll see more SUVs, you’ll see certainly the subcompact and the mid-size, but they’re coming in all shapes and sizes,” Brink said.

The industry hit a significant milestone in October 2021, Brink said, with EVs accounting for 5% of all new car sales. But that percentage will climb rapidly. By 2026, Brink expects EVs to account for 26% of all vehicles sold.

To support this rapid change, residential and commercial infrastructure will have to grow to accommodate charging.

“Very few have access to charging in their homes,” Brink said. “You can certainly use your plug-in in the wall, but it’s going to take you about 12 to 17 hours to charge your vehicle, which probably isn’t ideal. So, we want to get more and more conversations started with commissions and localities to start laying the groundwork for upgrading building codes to include electric charging in homes.”

People living in apartments and condos, as well as people who use street parking, face an additional set of challenges that states and localities will need to address.

“Everybody that’s in an apartment deserves to have access to their own electric charger,” Brink said. “And so we have to start talking about how we get charging at least hooked up in each of the parking spaces at each of these condo buildings….”

The way people buy cars is also changing. According to a report from McKinsey, half of all consumers in key markets worldwide say they are interested in buying cars online. Currently, though, online sales account for less than 5% of purchases.

“The absence of a traditional dealer structure allows new mobility players to save up to 25% (in dealer margins and incentives) on the price of each car,” the report said. “Traditional dealers see the handwriting on the wall: two-thirds expect that their OEMs [original equipment manufacturers] will introduce direct sales channels by 2025.”

Speaking during the CSG National Conference, however, Andy Koblenz, executive vice president for legal and regulatory affairs at the National Automobile Dealers Association, said dealerships will be a necessary partner in the transition to EVs. “Dealers are all in on electric vehicles,” Koblenz said. “They want those opportunities. They want the opportunity to sell that car to anyone ready, willing and able to buy it.”

Koblenz said that dealers aren’t just excited about electric vehicles — he believes they will play an important role in educating consumers on charging, safety and operation.

“Dealers are the ones who are going to be holding the hands of consumers, explaining to them, overcoming some of the hesitancy that exists in their mind right now,” he said.

EVs are changing the way states think about funding roads and highways. According to the Urban Institute, 26% of highway and road spending came from state and local fuel tax revenue ($52 billion) in 2019.

“The future is not the gas tax,” said Andrew McLean, a transportation policy specialist with CDM Smith and a former Maine state representative. “It’s a road usage charge or some other charge that will provide sustainable funding for the future.”

“We basically need to rewire America.

We now have solar in New Mexico, we have wind in Kansas and Iowa, and these resources need to get to the coast.”

– Anna Denecke, American Society of Civil Engineers

He also called on leaders to work together on bipartisan infrastructure solutions, and to take full advantage of opportunities through the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA).

“We can’t keep having conversations about our C- report card every 10 years,” he said. “Electrification is the key to the future, and the IIAJ provides significant investment. Transportation is not a sexy topic, but it’s so fundamental and so core to what we do as Americans. […] It is our obligation to find a solution. There are no Democratic roads or Republican bridges.”

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Public Works Sponsored by The Council of State Governments and The Urban Institute, the Public Sector Apprenticeship Consortium explored workforce solutions.

by Mary Elizabeth Lonergan Six months of idea-sharing culminated during the 2021 CSG National Conference in Santa Fe, New Mexico, as six participating states came together for a Public Sector Apprenticeship Consortium sponsored by CSG and The Urban Institute.

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The consortium included the participating states of California, Colorado, Idaho, Maine, Michigan and Virginia. Its goal was to equip and empower state policymakers — particularly state legislators and executive officials — with tools to develop and implement public sector apprenticeships.

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“We wanted a balanced group of states that could not only lean on CSG and the Urban Institute for support, but also each other,” said Dina Klimkina, workforce and education program director for the CSG Center of Innovation. “We included programs that have established apprenticeship programs, but need a little help in scaling, and those that have robust private sector programming, but none in the civic sector. We looked for proposals that were specific, testable, attainable and relevant.

We also wanted to make sure the states had a focus on making sure their apprenticeship programs were inclusive to all and had some focus on underserved populations.”

Policymakers from the six states met over six months and developed teams to work on establishing and developing apprenticeship plans, with a convening during the 2021 CSG National Conference.

“I thought the forum was a huge success…The state teams were working together, facilitated by CSG and The Urban Institute, so it was a coordinated, facilitated discussion,” said Katia Albanese, program manager for Concepts, Inc., a communications consulting company that

focuses on disability and inclusion issues. Concepts, Inc. is a contractor for the State Exchange on Employment and Disability (SEED).

“There were subject matter experts there on all the issues that were noted of importance or priority to the teams,” Albanese said. “They had direct access to subject matter experts while they were convening. The forum allowed for the states to make leaps and bounds in their program development, not just to take a small step toward developing their program.”

SEED, part of the U.S. Office of Disability Employment Policy, is a state and federal collaboration that helps state and local governments

APPRENT I C ESHI PS support a proven pathway to middle- and high-skilled jobs, but they represent only 0.2% of the labor force in the United States.

Workers who complete an apprenticeship program earn an average salary of $70,000. apprenticeship.gov

Getting connected with the partnership for inclusive apprenticeship was huge…

I personally got so much out of being there.

– David Leon, Virginia Department for Aging and Rehabilitative Services

implement inclusive policies to create employment opportunities for people with disabilities, creating a better workforce in the U.S. “As these state teams develop apprenticeship programs, there’s a high probability that they are going to run into policy barriers, especially if they are looking at underserved populations and ensuring the opportunities are there, and they can set up the program within civic apprenticeship,” Albanese said.

Participating state teams said the Apprenticeship Consortium provided insight and direction on how to implement successful apprenticeship programs, with a focus on inclusivity.

“The opportunities that presented themselves by participating in this event in Santa Fe were incredible,” said David Leon, director of workforce programs with the Virginia Department for Aging and Rehabilitative Services. “(Working) directly with staff from Michigan and Maine really had a lot of impact. But also, getting connected with the partnership for inclusive apprenticeship was huge. … I personally got so much out of being there. Equally, getting to be there with peers and colleagues from my agency and partner agencies and getting to hear ideas at the same time and synthesize that information … those opportunities are so rare and valuable.”

Leon said his team discovered ways to make apprenticeships more accessible to people with disabilities.

“What we spoke to in that opening session [was] the amount of opportunities available and the misconceptions that exist,” he said.

Leon discussed a survey his team sent to other agencies asking about the knowledge of apprenticeship programs. He said most thought a new position would have to be created.

Albanese agreed.

“States have been moving toward being model employers of people with disabilities,” she said. “We see that through our SEED initiative.

Civic apprenticeships are an opportunity to be more inclusive to people with disabilities and to further being a model employer. It’s important that these programs be inclusive so that the private sector will model these programs.”

For more CSG resources on apprenticeships for youth and young adults with disabilities, visit capeyouth.org/apprenticeships.

43% of companies with diverse management exhibited higher profits.

Companies with racial and ethnic diversity are 35% more likely to perform at a higher level and have increased return on investment.

Diverse teams are 87% better decision-makers than individuals.

Highly inclusive companies are more likely to hit their financial goals by up to 120%.

78% of people think diversity and inclusion offer a competitive advantage.

Read more about workplace diversity at whattobecome.com/blog/diversity-inthe-workplace-statistics.

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“Really, the goal is to look at existing positions that you are looking to fill and see if that role could become an apprenticeship opportunity,” he said. “Individuals with disabilities are a valuable talent pool that is left out of the conversation and could be a value-add to any organization.”

Inclusive companies are more likely to lead and capture new markets.

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The Ambassador for Civics and Civility Serving as 2022 CSG national chair, Washington state Sen. Sam Hunt champions democracy.

by Joel Sams As a seventh-grader, Washington state Sen. Sam Hunt placed yard signs for a candidate for governor. In college, he served as president of the residence hall council. He’s been a city commissioner, a mayor pro tem, a public educator and worked for the U.S. Senate Appropriations Committee. Serving as CSG national chair for 2022, Hunt says these experiences share a common thread — the ability to make a difference.

“In the legislature, I call it being inside the door rather than outside the door,” Hunt said. “The lobbyists and the other folks who want to influence legislation are all outside the door trying to get their views known. But inside, you’ve got that unique ability — the honor — of being able to cast a vote.”

This year, Hunt is excited to lead CSG in conversations around civil discourse, strengthening democracy and building bipartisan, collaborative relationships among state leaders.

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Hunt was introduced to CSG through former Washington state Rep. Jeff Morris, who was serving as chair of CSG West at the time. Morris talked to Hunt and other freshman legislators about the Western Legislative Academy — one of four regional leadership development opportunities offered by CSG. Morris encouraged Hunt to apply and offered to write a letter of recommendation.

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One of the best-known landmarks in Hunt’s home state, Mt. Rainier National Park drew nearly 2.5 million visitors in 2021.

“The rest is history,” Hunt said. “I liked the way CSG was organized — the regions, where you can concentrate on issues that affect or impact the Western region or the [Midwest] region or the Southern region. It’s a very effective group, and it allows us, as legislators and elected officials, to sit down and discuss issues.”

Hunt says the value of CSG for state leaders is the opportunity to learn from experts on a range of issues, as well as to meet leaders from other states and share ideas, discuss state issues and seek solutions.

“I’ve made some very good friends in CSG, especially CSG West,” Hunt said. “We socialize together. We work on issues together. I can pick up the phone and call Sen. Gary Stevens in Alaska and say, ‘What’s going on up there? What have you done on this?’”

Hunt deeply values collaboration, listening and learning from other perspectives. Given his professional background, that should be no surprise. His long career includes experience at the local, state and federal levels of government, but it may be another professional role — 10 years in public education — that best exemplifies his approach to leadership.

As a teacher, Hunt saw about 150 students in his classes on a given day, each of whom brought their own personalities, experiences and challenges. In the classroom and in government, Hunt says, it’s crucial to learn how to negotiate, conciliate and work together. That’s one reason he volunteers with the National Institute for Civil Discourse, and why civil discourse will be one of the areas he focuses on during his time as CSG national chair.

“It’s so important to have civil discussion and civil discourse in politics, and we continue to fight the opposite of that,” he said.

Hunt tells the story of a night on the floor of the U.S. Senate, when he served on the Appropriations Committee staff (Washington Sen. Warren Magnuson was the committee chair). At 2 a.m., a senator from Nebraska was “going on and on” in support of a bill that was already doomed. Exhausted, Hunt and another staffer asked Magnuson to move forward so everyone could go home.

“Two of us went to him and said, ‘We’re tired. Let’s just vote on this.

We’ve got the votes,’” Hunt remembers. “He says, ‘Well, I’m tired too, but I can’t.’”

When the two staffers pressed Magnuson on why he wouldn’t just hold the vote, Magnuson gave a response that Hunt remembers to this day: “I might need his vote on something else tomorrow.”

“That has always summed it up for me,” Hunt said. “As you try to run over somebody, be careful of who’s going to try to run over you tomorrow.”

In the Washington legislature, Hunt says, most bills are bipartisan — a fact that should not be overlooked in the shadow of a handful of hot button issues.

“I point out that 95% of the bills that we vote on in the legislature probably have 90% in favor, or more, in the House and Senate,” Hunt said. “On the whole, we usually work pretty well together. You can have your differences, and, hopefully, go out and have a beer afterward, rather than just hating each other.”

Hunt reflects often on the fact that in Washington, a state of more than 7 million people, only 147 can vote in the legislature. Thinking about those numbers makes him feel honored — and determined to make a difference for the better.

“We may have vastly different views, sometimes, on issues, but I think 99% of the people who get elected to the legislature and other offices have the goal of doing what they think is the right thing.

We may just differ on what that right thing is.

“Now we need to find that sweet spot where we can all work together and do what is best because we’re not here for us. We’re here for the state, and for the people of our state and the country. I often say that what I do in the legislature is not going to impact me. It’s going to impact my 7-year-old grandson. That’s what I want to do — make this a better place for my 7-year-old grandson to grow up and raise a family.”

Asked & Answered: What’s a little-known fact about you?

I was named the 1959 Washington State Junior Poultry Man of the Year.

Please say more.

I grew up on a farm, and we had an orchard and I raised chickens. For my main 4-H project, I had a Saturday morning route where I loaded my 1956 Ford convertible with dozens of eggs and sold eggs to people who became regular customers.

What are your hobbies outside of work?

I like to garden, and I grow roses. I’ve got about 50 rose bushes, so I try to cultivate them and in the summer, I have fresh roses in my house and in my office sometimes.

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What’s one of your hopes for the future?

Someday, the only team who has not been to the World Series will get there.

And that’s the Seattle Mariners.

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Announcing the

New CSG Leadership Team T

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he Council of State Governments benefits from the experience and expertise of state leaders who serve as national officers.

Their leadership enriches the work of CSG in many ways: they serve on boards and committees; advise on business and policy priorities; help plan conferences and events; and build relationships in their home states. More importantly, the leadership of national officers reinforces the CSG mission of serving the states as a member-led organization — an extension of the states, responding to the needs of state officials.

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National officers include the national president, national chair, national chair-elect, national vice chair and immediate past national chair. Many of their general responsibilities overlap, including ensuring CSG operates in accordance with its Articles of Organization and adheres to the highest ethical standards; reaching potential partners and sponsors; serving as ambassadors for CSG with other state officials; recruiting talented individuals to participate as leaders of CSG and in the Henry Toll Fellowship; and providing leadership and direction to the organization.

National officer responsibilities are many and varied, but include: The national president presides over the CSG Governing Board, attends meetings of the CSG Executive Committee and Leadership Council and helps develop public policy and business priorities.

The national chair presides over CSG Executive Committee and Leadership Council meetings;

appoints members to serve on CSG committees; reports on committee progress to the Executive Committee and Leadership Council; and works closely with the executive director, general counsel and chief financial officer to be accountable for multiple areas of oversight.

The national chair-elect serves as chair and presiding officer of the CSG 21st Century Foundation and the CSG Associates Advisory Committee.

The national vice chair serves on the CSG Executive Committee, CSG Leadership Council and the CSG 21st Century Foundation and presides over meetings of the Executive Committee and Leadership Council in the absence of the national chair.

The immediate past national chair supports other CSG leaders and members in the fulfillment of their responsibilities. The immediate past national chair provides, with cooperation from the national chair-elect, leadership and direction to the Associates Advisory Committee as vice chair.

Nominees for national offices are drawn from the ranks of regional leadership. The division of responsibilities rotates annually, with this current configuration: National Chair – CSG West; National Chair-Elect – CSG South; National Vice Chair – CSG East; and Immediate Past National Chair – CSG Midwest. The appropriate region designates a qualified nominee from its member jurisdiction, and the designated nominee is then nominated by the CSG Leadership Council to the CSG Executive Committee.

Meet the

2022 CSG National Officers HAWAII GOV. DAVID IGE | 2022 National President Ige served in the Hawaii House of Representatives from 1985-1993 and Senate from 1994-2014.

Elected governor in 2014 and re-elected in 2018, Ige is the first U.S. governor of Okinawan descent.

Ige’s priorities have included increasing the availability of affordable housing and reducing the number of people experiencing homelessness, and he is working toward Hawaii’s 100% renewable energy goal.

WASHINGTON SEN. SAM HUNT | 2022 National Chair Hunt was elected to the Washington Senate in 2016 after serving 16 years in the state House of Representatives. He is chair of the State Government & Elections Committee and is a member of the Ways & Means and Early Learning & K-12 Education committees. He was the 2017 chair of CSG West, a 2005 Toll Fellow and a 2002 graduate of the CSG Western Leadership Academy.

NORTH CAROLINA REP. JULIA HOWARD | 2022 National Chair-Elect Howard was first elected to the North Carolina House of Representatives in 1988 and is currently in her 17th term. She serves as vice chair of the House Banking Committee. Howard was chair of the Southern Legislative Conference from 2007-08 and a 2008 Henry Toll Fellow.

CONNECTICUT REP. KEVIN RYAN | 2022 National Vice Chair Ryan is a deputy speaker and currently serving his 13th term in the General Assembly. He is a member of the Appropriations, Environment and Public Safety committees. He was a 2008 Henry Toll Fellow and a 2009 graduate of the CSG Eastern Leadership Academy.

Ballweg was elected to the Wisconsin Senate in 2020 after serving in the state House of Representatives since 2004. She serves as chair of the Committee on Agriculture & Tourism and vice chair of the Committee on Human Services, Children & Families. She was the 2016 chair of the Midwestern Legislative Conference and a 2007 Fellow of the Bowhay Institute for Legislative Leadership Development. She formerly served on the Markesan City Council and as mayor of the city for six years. During her time as CSG National Chair, Ballweg led an organization-wide strategic planning initiative.

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WISCONSIN SEN. JOAN BALLWEG | 2022 Immediate Past National Chair

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UNDERSTANDING FEDERAL INVESTMENTS Unprecedented federal spending creates opportunities and challenges for the states.

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by Benjamin Reynolds

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In 2021, the federal government passed two major pieces of legisla-

tion that directly infused billions of federal dollars into the states — the American Rescue Plan Act and the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. Covering transportation, broadband, water purification, pay for essential workers, public health response and more, these pieces of legislation have enormous impacts for state infrastructure, health and workforce projects.

The Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery Fund program was one of many initiatives passed as part of the $1.9 trillion American Rescue Plan Act. The program provides approximately $195.3 billion in new federal fiscal assistance to state governments in four eligible spending categories:

• • • •

Supporting COVID-19 public health and economic response Providing premium pay for workers performing essential tasks Investing in water, sewer and broadband infrastructure Replacing lost public sector revenue

Passed in November, the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act contains $1.2 trillion in funding ($550 billion in new spending) to improve the country’s infrastructure. The main focuses of the bill include the following investments:

• • • • •

Roads and bridges restoration Broadband expansion Drinking water purification Transportation safety improvements Public transportation and passenger and freight rail expansion

Because these funds are nonrecurring, policymakers are focused on investing them for maximum impact.

Food Insecurity States can leverage ARPA funding to invest in food programs and nutritional services, including Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits and programming through $1.35 billion designated for state agencies.

Ensuring Equity To ensure the post-pandemic recovery is inclusive and sustainable for all individuals, the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Interim and Final rules require states to consider equity in spending federal recovery funds. People with disabilities, for example, have been disproportionately impacted by the pandemic because of disruptions to service delivery, underlying health conditions, group living conditions and limited access to information, among other factors. Risks of disparate recovery among individuals of different ethnicities and geographic locations also exist. States can use the ARPA Recovery Fund dollars to develop reports, surveys and data collection initiatives to inform state efforts to generate a more inclusive workforce.

Using Evidence As states receive significant one-time federal funds to facilitate recovery, policymakers should be positioned with the best available data and research to inform decision-making to achieve optimal outcomes.

Evidence-based policymaking provides an opportunity for states to promote innovation, strengthen transparency and accountability and foster a culture of continuous learning and improvement. This aligns with Treasury’s Compliance and Reporting Guidance for the ARPA Recovery Fund, which directs states, territories and other jurisdictions to report if they use funds for evidence-based interventions and/or rigorous program evaluations.

There is crossover in eligible use between the two programs. Consequently, states were wary of allocating funds from the fiscal recovery program for infrastructure purposes while the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act was debated.

For example, North Carolina has proposed to use a portion of its funds to support Results First evidence-based initiatives. It is designed to address top risk factors associated with severe COVID-19 outcomes including diabetes, cancer, heart disease, obesity and smoking. Funds also are provided for the evaluation, implementation and ongoing monitoring of interventions.

AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN ACT

For more resources on evidence-based policymaking, visit csg.org/evidence-based-policymaking.

Health Care

How States are Using ARPA Funding

Among eligible uses, funds can be invested for workforce development in health care and the expansion of telehealth services. States also can use this funding to lower barriers to licensure for health care workers relocating to other states through the digitization of occupational licensing systems. For instance, Vermont implemented digital licensing and now it takes a practicing nurse only 45 minutes to obtain a state nursing license. (See an example at sos.vermont.gov/opr/online-services).

CSG recently conducted an extensive 50 state scan of the allocation of ARPA Recovery Fund resources. Data was collected by analyzing state actions, enacted legislation appropriating funds and Performance Reports submitted to the Treasury, as required by rule. In collaboration with the National Association of State Budget Officers, state allocations were reviewed and verified by state budget offices. The State ARPA Utilization Database includes:

Workforce Training

• • • • • • •

The general policy/program area of fund allocation A link to relevant legislation or documentation of executive action A brief description of the fund allocation Enabling language from legislation and/or other documents Authorized budget amount Fund distribution method Entity with final authority for determining funding distribution

The database includes information from all 50 states, though 11 states had not allocated any funds as of Feb. 17.

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States can use the ARPA Recovery Fund to invest in apprenticeships as a mechanism for getting people back to work. Individuals can upgrade skills, shift career paths into new and emerging industries and return to work in industries hit hardest by the pandemic. Connecticut Gov. Ned Lamont has proposed legislation that would allow the state to leverage $103.2 million of ARPA Recovery Fund support to coordinate efforts by educational institutions, businesses and community partners in sectorbased training for in-demand industries; youth employment and wraparound services; services for at-risk and justice-involved youth; and extension of operating hours and opportunities at 10 Connecticut Technical Education and Career System Schools. The funding for these schools would support expanding apprenticeship training programs in areas like electrical, heating/cooling, plumbing, sheet metal and barbering.

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Most states are allocating ARPA Recovery Fund dollars regularly and have until the end of 2024 to fully allocate and until 2026 to complete spending. California, Indiana, Maine and Montana have appropriated all available ARPA Recovery Fund dollars.

The top two recipient policy areas are Revenue and Taxation (21.72%) and Management and Administration (20.92%). While those areas have received the largest dollar amount, Health and Human Services (20.80%) and Economic and Community Development (14.50%) have the highest number of program categories receiving funds.

Out of the 39 states having made allocations, public health is the most funded category, with 69 initiatives created or sustained through the ARPA Recovery Fund. For example, Michigan is allocating $160 million for direct payment grants to hospitals to cover increased medical costs.

Nevada plans to disburse $28.5 million to cover expenses the state incurred while dealing with the public health emergency.

Another program area receiving substantial funding is economic development. Many programs are intended to help small businesses or achieve equitable economic recovery. Louisiana is allocating $10 million toward the Small Business and Nonprofit Assistance Fund. Michigan has allocated $100 million for the Community Revitalization Program to address the needs of Michigan communities disproportionately impacted. Vermont has allocated $150,000 to provide outreach and technical assistance for Black and Indigenous People of Color (BIPOC)owned businesses.

The ARPA Recovery Fund is being used primarily for revenue replacement, which allows a broader use of funds outside the original four categories. States experienced reduced revenues in 2020 and 2021 and the ARPA Recovery Fund is allowing states to avoid cuts to state programs and laying off workers. The Treasury’s Final Rule offers a standard allowance for revenue loss of $10 million. States can choose between the standard amount or complete a full revenue loss calculation (the Interim Final Rule provides the full equation). Wyoming is allocating $12.6 million to address revenue loss and Pennsylvania is using $3.8 million to continue critical government services.

INFRASTRUCTURE INVESTMENT AND JOBS ACT

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The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act creates an opportunity to decide how best to leverage itself and the American Rescue Plan to address infrastructure needs. Until ARPA Recovery Fund dollars are expended, states are not restricted by the Treasury to the initial appropriation or executive allocation.

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The infrastructure act contains $1.2 trillion in total funding and $550 billion in new spending for various infrastructure purposes, including roads and bridges, broadband, drinking water resources, airports, electrical vehicles and more. States are eligible to apply for competitive grants and revolving loan programs funded by the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. Roads and Bridges States will be receiving $110 billion in funding toward roads, bridges and other major infrastructure projects. It is the largest focus of funding. An example of investment is the Surface Transportation Block Grant which provides $72 billion for electric vehicle charging, projects to increase tourism and wildlife collision mitigation efforts. The infrastructure act also establishes the Bridge Investment Program, $40 billion over five years, allowing states to begin renewal projects on bridges that are in fair or poor condition. Read the CSG roads and bridges breakdown at csgovts.info/roads.

Public Transit and Safety Within the infrastructure act is $163.5 billion in funding for public transit, rail, airport, port and waterway improvements. This includes $5 billion for State of Good Repair grants. These grants will allow transit agencies to support maintenance, replacement and rehabilitation projects.

Safety improvements are a priority — the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act provides $5 billion to fund the Safe Streets and Roads for All program, providing grants to areas that face disproportionate impact from vehicle crashes.

Broadband Affordability and Infrastructure The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act contains $65 billion for broadband expansion and access. It establishes the Broadband Equity, Access, and Development Program, which gives states a minimum of $100 million each for broadband improvements. The program also allocates $4.35 billion for broadband projects to underserved locations.

Power Grids, Utilities, and Electric Vehicles There is $73 billion in funding allocated for power grids, utilities improvements and electrical vehicles; and $12.5 billion is allocated for electric vehicle chargers and buses, through the lens of state needs. The act also establishes new grants, totaling $5 billion, to enhance the resilience of power grids.

CSG is committed to providing support and resources to states to help with the challenges and opportunities related to these new funding sources. Follow our ongoing state recovery analysis at web.csg.org/recovery.

ARPA Recovery Funding by Policy Area - Percentage of Total Revenue and Taxation

21.72%

Management and Administration

20.92%

Unemployment

9.63%

Broadband and Information Technology

6.80%

Education

6.71%

Economic and Community Development

6.32%

Housing

6.06%

Health and Human Services

5.47%

Infrastructure

4.54%

Justice and Public Safety

3.3%

Workforce Development

2.28%

COVID-19 Response

2.01%

Environment and Natural Resources

1.42%

Miscellaneous

0.75%

Capital Projects

0.72%

Intergovernmental Affairs

0.52% 0.17%

Diversity, Equity and Inclusion

0.15%

Arts and Humanities

0.12%

Labor

0.09%

Agriculture

0.08%

Administration

0.05%

Parks and Recreation

0.02%

Government Operations

0.01%

Civic Engagement and Voting

0.005%

0.00 0%

5.00 0%

10.0 00%

15.0 00%

20.0 00%

25.0 00%

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Transportation

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Eyes in the Sky Drones help states maintain infrastructure.

by Mary Elizabeth Lonergan

W

ith a low hum, a spider-like robot hovers overhead. Just 15 years ago, its presence over a bridge or public roadway might have drawn attention or caused anxiety. Today, though, it’s just a drone doing its job — evaluating the safety of the concrete underfoot.

Commercial drone use has risen sharply since 2016, when the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) created new exemptions allowing for increased drone operation in the U.S.

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Government officials quickly realized the potential for drones to assist in key infrastructure projects. Beginning in 2017, a federal program allowed 10 state, local and tribal governments to conduct advanced work with drones. (The FAA and professional operators often refer to drones as Unmanned Aircraft Systems, or UAS.) In 2020 a new program called BEYOND launched to continue working with eight of the original 10 participants.

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The Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma is participating in the program. The Nation had looked for ways to get involved in aviation projects as early as 2016, and it was selected as the only tribal nation to participate in the BEYOND program in 2020, said James Grimsley, who serves as executive director of Advanced Technology Initiatives with the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma and also serves as a Kansas transportation commissioner.

“Technology can be an equalizer for rural and historically underdeveloped areas,” Grimsley said, referring to drones and emerging aviation technology. “It allows us to leapfrog on infrastructure problems.”

Pointing to the 11,000 square miles comprising the Choctaw Nation, Grimsley said using drones for roadway inspections and traffic reductions can lead to better outcomes for communities.

“As we begin to equalize drone routine delivery, we can reduce traffic on roads. We see a plethora of benefits in health, safety and a slow-down on deterioration [of roads],” he said.

Grimsley said the Choctaw Nation is also using drones for agricultural purposes, like easily locating lost cattle or examining crops.

Kansas is seeing similar results. Bob Brock, director of aviation for the Kansas Department of Transportation, said drones have had positive impacts for agriculture and aviation, the top two industries in the state.

Drone usage has also improved safety. Through the BEYOND project, Kansas has been able to provide tower and bridge inspections without putting staff at risk or impeding traffic.

“In order to inspect a (light) tower in a high-wind environment like Kansas, it has to achieve a balance of cost and safety and it is possible for a 60-foot tower to be damaged by the wind, structurally, to the point it needs to be taken down,” he said. Brock said a ladder will not work, but a drone allows his team to inspect the tower properly and determine any next steps.

“That saves us about $15,000 for every tower that otherwise would have to be taken down…That’s a major economic benefit,” he said.

North Carolina, another state participating in the BEYOND program, created the first state system to issue permits for government and commercial drone operators in 2016 and has hosted multiple workshops to educate government and commercial users on how drones can improve efficiency and safety and reduce costs.

North Carolina Department of Transportation Aviation Director Bobby Walston said that in 2017, the UAS program was able to publish results from a North Carolina case study involving the North Carolina Highway Patrol Collision Reconstruction Unit.

“The study showed drones drastically reduce the time and cost it takes to reconstruct collisions, compared to traditional ground-level methods, decreasing impacts to motorists and improving safety for North Carolina Department of Transportation personnel. The study propelled drone use by the State Highway Patrol for this purpose, which continues today,” he said.

Walston said through the BEYOND program, his team was able to partner with North Carolina hospitals and UPS Flight Forward in August 2021 to launch “the first COVID-19 vaccine drone delivery program in the country.”

Schell said much of his time is devoted to building the network of technologies to create “command and control” and “detect and avoid.”

Command and control refers to control of the drone when you cannot see it. Detect and avoid refers to the capability to detect other aerial assets in the flight path and avoid them.

North Dakota is another state seeing successful outcomes from implementing drones in infrastructure inspections. The state’s UAS network, Vantis, is helping turn North Dakota into the “nation’s epicenter for UAS innovation,” said Nicole Ingalls-Caley, marketing manager for Vantis.

Vantis has completed an initial development and testing phase for three drones and operators and expects to add another six in 2022.

Businesses across the country are turning to drones to make operations easier. Xcel Energy, based in Minneapolis Minnesota, became one of the first energy companies authorized by the FAA to operate drones beyond the visual line of site. As one of the largest electric suppliers in the Midwest, Xcel Energy relies on accuracy of drones to better provide for customers.

North Dakota Chief Technology Officer Duane Schell offered insight into the parameters of the drone program.

“The use of drones is helping increase the level of safety of our inspection operations. They also minimize the impact to the customer/environment and capture more consistent/higher quality data,” Lindstrom said.

North Carolina’s use of drones has been instrumental in fighting the COVID-19 pandemic, as well.

“Today, you are not allowed to fly a drone beyond the visual line of sight of the pilot without a permit and waiver process with the FAA,” he said.

“At the heart of this project is, “How do we fly safely, how do we keep the national airspace safe in a world where the number of aerial assets is going to be exponentially greater than they’ve ever been?”

James Grimsley, executive director of Advanced Technology Initiatives, Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma

“We are beginning to see the environment shift from the early adopter stage to drones being more recognized for the value they provide in keeping workers safe, collecting data in a methodical manner and the efficiency they can bring to operations,” said Rae Siebels, the director of sales and marketing for Vision Aerial, a drone manufacturer.

Despite differences in programs, state statutes are being changed quickly to better accommodate the use of drones, and officials expect that drones will continue to advance in technology and improve outcomes for the states.

“The amount of energy and positivity in all of this is over the top,” Schell said. “There’s been a lot of trial and error, a lot of experimentation.

Energy and agriculture are our biggest industries. The work they are doing is truly changing the world.”

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Technology can be an equalizer for rural and historically underdeveloped areas. It allows us to leapfrog on infrastructure problems.”

Drone and aerial companies are beginning to see more of their services utilized.

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CT / DE / MA / MD / ME / NH / NJ / NY / PA / RI / VT / NB / NS / ON / PE / PR / QC / VI

Maine Passes “Right to Food” Constitutional Amendment In early November, Mainers voted to add a constitutional amendment guaranteeing a “right to food” for all individuals, including the right to grow, harvest, and consume food of their own choosing. The amendment, in accordance with Maine law, first had to pass both legislative chambers with two-thirds majorities before heading to referendum in November, when it was approved by 60% of voters.

The full text of the amendment, which is the first of its kind in the nation, reads:

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“Section 25. Right to food. All individuals have a natural, inherent and unalienable right to food, including the right to save and exchange seeds and the right to grow, raise, harvest, produce and consume the food of their own choosing for their own nourishment, sustenance, bodily health and well-being, as long as an individual does not commit trespassing, theft, poaching or other abuses of private property rights, public lands or natural resources in the harvesting, production or acquisition of food.”

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Advocates supporting the effort, including Right To Food For Maine, pointed to the need for the state to become more food self-sufficient. They noted that 90% of what Mainers eat is imported into the state, leaving access to food vulnerable to disruptions in the supply chain, as evidenced by empty shelves and labor shortages.

For more on CSG East, visit csg-erc.org 212.482.2320 • info@csg-erc.org

Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan Establishes Infrastructure Subcabinet

Vermont Senators Introduce Bill to Raise School Age Requirement

Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan signed an executive order on Jan. 26 establishing the Governor’s Subcabinet on Infrastructure, which consists of state agencies that will administer funds and advise on the implementation of the federal Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA). The order also named Allison S. Mayer, Hogan’s deputy chief of staff, as infrastructure director.

The subcabinet is made up of multiple department secretaries and agency directors, with support from the governor’s federal and intergovernmental affairs staff.

A bill introduced in the Vermont Senate would raise the required minimum age for school attendance from 16 to 18, attempting to reduce the number of students who drop out of school. Sponsored by Sen. Alice Nitka and Sen. Alison Clarkson, the bill would allow certain exemptions, including students who are “physically or mentally unable to attend,” students who have already completed the 12th grade, students who have received an excuse from the superintendent and students who are enrolled in specified apprenticeship, technical training or college programs. According to VT Digger, a nonprofit newsroom, Education Commission of the States data shows that 26 states currently require students to attend school until the age of 18.

“We were proud to help push the federal infrastructure law across the finish line, and it will be a great force multiplier for jobs, economic growth and transformational projects that will leave a lasting impact,” Hogan said in a statement. “Our team has been preparing for the implementation of this new law since bipartisan talks first began last year. With Allison’s appointment and the establishment of this new subcabinet, we are taking the next critical steps to advance even more priority projects across the state.”

NY Bill Would Freeze Unemployment Tax Rates, Increase Weekly Benefit

Pennsylvania AG Announces Full Opioid Settlement Sign-On Pennsylvania Attorney General Josh Shapiro announced that all 67 counties and 241 local governments in Pennsylvania signed on to a historic opioid settlement by the Jan. 26 deadline. The settlement — a $26 billion agreement with McKesson, Cardinal Health, AmerisourceBergen and Johnson & Johnson — intends to resolve more than 3,000 lawsuits that allege the drug manufacturer and distributors played a role in fueling the opioid crisis. About $10.7 billion of the payout was dependent on local government participation. According to Reuters, about 90% of eligible local governments across the U.S. signed on to the settlement by the deadline.

A bill passed by the New York Senate on Jan. 25 would freeze scheduled increases in the unemployment insurance taxes that businesses pay for the 2022 and 2023 fiscal years. Additionally, the legislation will increase the maximum unemployment benefit for workers who have lost their jobs by up to 10.5%. The legislation was introduced by Sen. Anna Kaplan, who serves as chair of the Committee on Com“Every community in Pennsylvania has merce, Economic Development and Small been touched by the opioid crisis — it has Business, to support small businesses and ravaged our towns, our families, and our unemployed workers who are still dealing state,” Shapiro said in a press release. “[…] with the impacts of the pandemic. “So While no dollar amount will bring back many of our State’s small businesses barely what we have lost, this settlement was nesurvived the challenges of the pandemic, gotiated to allocate funding to states and and if we allow them to be hit with maslocal communities who have been most sive increases in their payroll taxes, many impacted by this crisis, and will provide will be forced to close their doors for good,” more resources for treatment than any Kaplan said in a press release. “Our longprevious settlement. I look forward to seeterm economic recovery depends on the ing the progress these resources will make success of our small businesses […].” in neighborhoods, treatment facilities, and the lives of so many.”

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Two Midwest States Add Anti-Discrimination Language to School, Employment Laws

South Dakota Supreme Court Rules Against 2020 Marijuana Legalization Amendment

Bills to ban discrimination based on hairstyles associated with race became law this year in Illinois and Nebraska, placing them among 13 states nationwide to have done so since California’s CROWN (Creating a Respectful and Open World for Natural hair) Act was enacted in 2019.

Illinois’ SB 817, known as the Jett Hawkins Act — named for a 4-year-old boy who was sent home from his school because his braids violated the dress code — bans schools from creating hairstyle-based dress codes. It takes effect at the start of 2022. Nebraska’s LB 451 amends the state’s Fair Employment Practice Act by expanding the definition of race to include “characteristics such as skin color, hair texture, and protective hairstyles,” and defining those styles as including braids, locks and twists. Signed in early May, SB 451 does not prevent law enforcement agencies or the Nebraska National Guard from “imposing its own dress code and grooming standards.”

The South Dakota Supreme Court ruled in November that an initiated amendment to legalize recreational marijuana use was unconstitutional. Voters had approved the measure in 2020. Justices upheld an earlier Circuit Court ruling that the amendment violated the state’s single-subject rule, itself a constitutional amendment approved by South Dakotans in 2018 (“No proposed amendment may embrace more than one subject.”)

Justices said the proposal covered at least three distinct subject areas: legalization and regulation of marijuana, access to medical marijuana and the cultivation and sale of hemp. In November 2020, 54.1% of voters approved the amendment. A lawsuit seeking to overturn it was filed two weeks later by a county sheriff and a highway patrol officer. A separate voter-approved initiated measure legalizing medical marijuana in South Dakota still stands.

New Laws Enacted to Clear and Prevent Backlogs of Untested Rape Kits

Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker announced $75 million in funding from the U.S. Department of the Interior to clean up and reclaim abandoned coal mines across the state. As part of the bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, the funding is intended to address environmental concerns, create jobs and make the sites of former mines available for new business ventures. “This new federal funding will help clean up abandoned mines across our state, creating jobs and keeping our communities safe," Pritzker said in the release. “I am grateful to President Biden, Secretary Haaland, and bipartisan members of Congress for their work to pass the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and invest critical funds in our communities that need it most.”

A big boost of federal funding is coming over the next five years to help Great Lakes states and communities protect the largest freshwater system in the world. The recently enacted Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act includes $1 billion for the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative, the 11-year-old program that funds projects related to five priority areas. The inclusion of this money in the larger infrastructure package caps a historic year in federal Great Lakes policy and funding. In early 2021, the U.S. Congress passed legislation reauthorizing the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative through fiscal year 2026 with gradual increases in funding — from $375 million in 2022 to $475 million in 2026. A total of $3.8 billion went to the initiative between 2010 and 2021, including $330 million in the most recently completed fiscal year.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency cites several accomplishments since the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative’s inception: • The delisting of six Areas of Concern (toxic “hot spots” in different parts of the Great Lakes basin) and acceleration of cleanup work in other Areas of Concern.

• The start of projects to control invasive species on more than 178,000 acres in the Great Lakes region • A projected reduction of more than 1.5 million pounds of phosphorus runoff • The protection, restoration or enhancement of more than 440,000 acres of coastal wetlands and other habitat Excerpted from Stateline Midwest, a CSG Midwest/ MLC publication: csgmidwest.org/stateline-midwest For more on CSG Midwest, visit csgmidwest.org.

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ISSUE 1 2022 | CSG CAPITOL IDEAS

Several Midwestern states enacted laws in 2021 to process backlogs of sexual assault evidence kits — so-called “rape kits” — and/or prevent backlogs from building anew. Kit tracking systems were created in Iowa (HF 426), North Dakota (SB 2281) and Wisconsin (SB 71 and SB 94). Ohio’s fiscal year 2022 budget allocates up to $1 million to state and local law enforcement agencies to handle sexual assault kits. In addition, a new Illinois law (HB 1739) requires the collectors of evidence (medical facilities and law enforcement agencies) from a sexual assault survivor to notify him or her about the state’s existing tracking system. In 2021, Iowa completed a six-year effort, the Iowa Sexual Assault Kit Initiative, to find and test all untested kits collected before April 2015. As a result of the initiative, Attorney General Tom Miller says, 1,606 kits had been tested, resulting in four new criminal charges and two new convictions.

Illinois Announces $75 Million to Clean Up Abandoned Mines

More Than $1 Billion in Additional Federal Funding Coming to Protect Great Lakes

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South Carolina Corrections Director Recognized for Innovation

Ransomware Attack Highlights Importance of Security Systems

ISSUE 1 2022 | CSG CAPITOL IDEAS

In December 2021, the Virginia Division of Legislative Automated Systems was the target of a ransomware attack, shutting down the computer systems for the Commonwealth’s legislative agencies and commissions less than a month before the start of the legislative session. By early January, nearly all web assets and applications had been restored. This attack, and similar incidents across the country, underscore the importance of investing in cybersecurity improvements to ensure critical state systems and resources are adequately protected. Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin, who has named cybersecurity as one of his administration’s priorities, announced Margaret “Lyn” McDermid as the next Secretary of Administration of the Commonwealth of Virginia. McDermid previously served as chief information officer for the Federal Reserve System and will oversee multiple areas including state technology policy.

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South Carolina Corrections Department Director Bryan Stirling has been named the 2022 recipient of the Correctional Leaders Association’s Tom Clements Innovation and Achievement Award. This annual award recognizes corrections leaders who have initiated outstanding innovation or achievements in the areas of administrative segregation, recidivism, parole supervision and prison programming. During his eight years in leadership, Stirling’s initiatives have increased starting salaries for corrections officers, lowered recidivism and improved both security and quality of life for inmates.

Gov. Henry McMaster cited Stirling's efforts to obtain federal permission to jam cellphone signals in prison to prevent inmates from continuing to arrange criminal activities from the inside and efforts to stop contraband from getting into prison by installing nets so bundles can't be thrown over fences into prison yards.

“South Carolina is a safer place because of Director Stirling's strong leadership and collaborative efforts,” McMaster wrote.

During his tenure, Stirling also has gained the trust of state legislators, who allocated nearly $100 million to make security updates and improvements to prison buildings. These include areas like air conditioning as well as tablet computers that well-behaving inmates can use to watch movies or call family, which help their quality of life too, according to his nomination.

U.S. Supreme Court Agrees with Decision on Criminal Appeals

For more on CSG South, visit csgsouth.org.

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The U.S. Supreme Court has let stand a decision by the Oklahoma Court of Criminal Appeals that McGirt v. Oklahoma is not retroactive, greatly limiting the number of people who can challenge their convictions for past crimes on newly affirmed Indian reservations. On Jan. 10, according to the Associated Press, the Court “rejected the appeal of Clifton Parish, a member of the Choctaw Nation who argued the state did not have juris-

diction over him because the killing for which he was convicted happened on land within the tribe's historic reservation.” In 2020, the U.S. Supreme Court’s landmark ruling in McGirt v. Oklahoma affirmed that the Muscogee (Creek) reservation was never disestablished. This ruling led to the affirmation of five other reservations in Oklahoma. One outcome, according to Ballotpedia, was that “the state of Oklahoma could not legally try a Creek citizen for criminal conduct in state court.”

Alabama Legislative Website Simplifies Engagement In January, the Alabama Legislature unveiled a new website. Marking the first significant update in more than five years, the new website is designed to improve navigation to legislative information during session. Upgraded features include improved ability to search the text of bills, an option to filter bills by sponsor, subject or session and a feature that allows users to save multiple bills for easier tracking. In addition, a live streaming tab has become part of the site’s permanent architecture, making it easier for members of the public to engage with legislative proceedings.

Domestic Violence Prevention A new law — Senate Bill 216 — passed by Tennessee legislators requires licensed barbers and cosmetologists to participate in a training designed to identify signs of domestic violence. This free, one-hour training will teach participants to recognize signs of domestic violence and how to connect possible victims with appropriate resources. Beginning Jan. 1, 2022, people seeking their license must complete this course, while those already licensed must take the course by December 2025.

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Five Western States Join Lawsuit Challenging Vaccine Mandate Alaska, Arizona, Montana, Utah and Wyoming have joined 19 other states in filing a lawsuit in the U.S. District Court of Louisiana to block a federal COVID-19 vaccine mandate that requires Head Start workers and volunteers to be vaccinated.

The mandate was originally blocked by a U.S. district judge in Louisiana who ruled the president bypassed Congress when ordering that workers in Head Start programs had to be vaccinated by Jan. 31. Additionally, the judge noted that students 2 years or older cannot be required to wear a mask when indoors or when in close contact outdoors.

Montana Utilizing American Rescue Plan Act Funds to Deliver Water Montana Gov. Greg Gianforte provided almost $2 million to the City of Dillon for a drinking water improvement project. This is the first water and sewer infrastructure project being reimbursed through the American Rescue Plan Act funds. The project was awarded through a competitive and minimum allocation grant with the goal of replacing waterline transmission and distribution systems.

The City of Dillion is the first of Montana’s cities to receive the reimbursable funds.

The project began in July 2021 and is expected to be completed in December.

In addition to the almost $2 million from American Rescue Plan Act funds, the project includes $625,000 from other grants, totaling $4.4 million.

British Columbia and Alberta provinces are requiring proof of COVID-19 vaccination for all travelers 12 years and 4 months of age and older to depart from a Canadian airport, travel on VIA Rail Canada or Rocky Mountaineer trains or traveling on a cruise ship. Travelers must obtain a federal proof of vaccination through Health Gateway or the British Columbia Services Card. The proof of vaccine includes name and birthdate and vaccination status. No other health

Utah, CSG West States Encourage Competition in Meat Processing and Packing Attorneys general from CSG West member states California, Hawaii, Idaho, New Mexico, Nevada, Oregon, Utah and Wyoming joined eight other attorneys general in recommending that the U.S. Department of Agriculture improve competition in the meat processing industry, with a goal of helping farmers, ranchers and consumers. In the letter, the attorneys general discussed the Packers and Stockyards Act, first instituted in 1921. The goal of the act was to address deceptive and anti-competitive meat market practices.

Over the years, corporate consolidation has created less competition for livestock and poultry producers. By 2018, the four largest beef packers accounted for more than 85% of the market. That same year, the four largest processors of pork controlled 70% of the market. The attorneys general asked USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack to address the lack of competition and to consider utilizing American Rescue Plan Act dollars for a grant to investigate agricultural markets by state antitrust enforcers. The letter asked for more investments and reforms as well.

Attorneys General from Delaware, Illinois, Maryland, North Dakota, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Minnesota and Iowa also joined in the request.

Hawaii Leading Fight in Prosecuting Sexual Assault, Abuse, Exploitation and More In December, then-Hawaii Attorney General Clare Connors led a coalition of 37 attorneys general in writing a letter to the American Law Institute, encouraging it to reject proposed changes to the Model Penal Code (MPC). According to the attorneys general, changes to Section 213 of the MPC would weaken a state’s ability to prosecute sexual assault, abuse, trafficking and exploitation crimes. Additionally, the changes would endanger victim safety and more.

“This letter reflects our Department’s long-standing commitment to safeguarding the community by ensuring our laws protect victims and support effective prosecution of these crimes,” said Connors. “The changes proposed by the American Law Institute will both reverse the progress we have made to hold sex traffickers accountable and increase the harm to victims of these offenses. Laws that favor bad actors at the expense of victims must be soundly rejected.”

The considered changes from the American Law Institute to the MPC include removing ‘advertising’ and ‘obtains’ as acts that can be used to establish trafficking. The change excludes criminal liability from those who benefit from sex trafficking and would require the government to prove that the age of the victim was known and disregarded by those who engage in sex trafficking. Additional changes would be made to sex offender registry requirements and more.

In addition to Hawaii, the letter was signed by attorneys general from CSG West member states Alaska, Arizona, Colorado, Montana, New Mexico, Oregon and Utah, along with 29 other attorneys general from across the country.

For more on CSG West, visit csgwest.org.

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ISSUE 1 2022 | CSG CAPITOL IDEAS

Canadian Provinces Update Travel Guidelines

information is connected to the card. A QR code is included on the card for easy scanning. International travelers must show proof of vaccination to be exempt from quarantine and testing requirements. Travel within Canadian provinces is allowed.

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MILESTONES in INFRASTRUCTURE Containing an estimated $550 billion in new spending, the bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act marks a new era for U.S. transportation, power, broadband, water and resiliency projects. With new developments on the horizon, enjoy a look back at significant milestones in U.S. infrastructure history.

Launched by the Federal-Aid Highway Act of 1956, the U.S. interstate system is now 46,876 miles long. Its official name is long, too: the

DWIGHT D. EISENHOWER NATIONAL SYSTEM OF INTERSTATE AND DEFENSE HIGHWAYS.

In what is now Arizona, the Hohokam people built more than 500 miles of aqueducts — canals powered by gravity flow.

According to the National Park Service, their irrigation system was the largest and most complex of any New World culture north of Peru.

When it was completed in 1937, the Golden Gate Bridge became the tallest and longest suspension bridge in the world.

Other bridges have overtaken the Golden Gate in length and height, but it still claims one superlative:

MOST PHOTOGRAPHED.

In 2000, only 1% of U.S. adults said they had access to a broadband connection at home, according to Pew.

Today, that percentage is 77%.

The first subway line in the U.S. was built in Boston between 1895 and 1897. It was 1.5 miles long.

Just seven years later, NEW YORK CITY opened the first section of its famed subway. In 2019, the NYC subway included 665 MAINLINE TRACK MILES, serving an annual ridership of 1.7 BILLION PEOPLE.

The world’s first HYDROELECTRIC POWER PLANT opened in 1862 on Wisconsin’s Fox River. Today, hydroelectric generation accounts for about 16% of electric power worldwide.

Jersey City, New Jersey, became the first U.S. city to begin regularly disinfecting municipal drinking water in 1908.

THE TRANSCONTINENTAL RAILROAD became the first railway to connect Eastern rail networks to the West Coast with its completion on May 10, 1869. The railway opened to the public after Leland Stanford, president of the Pacific Railroad Company of California, drove a ceremonial gold rail spike at Promontory Summit in Utah.

College Park Airport in Maryland is the world’s oldest continuously operating airport. It was established in 1909 when Wilbur Wright used the location to train two military officers to fly the first U.S. government aircraft.

MORE THAN 90% OF U.S. FARMS LACKED ELECTRIC POWER IN 1936, due to the prohibitive cost of electric infrastructure. Less than 15 years later, more than 80% of farms were on the grid, thanks to the efforts of rural electric co-ops and funding provided through the

RURAL ELECTRIFICATION ACT OF 1936.

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