Podcasts about ncsl

A core tenet of the U.S. legal system is that an accused person must be competent to stand trial, which means a defendant can understand the charges against them and assist their lawyer in preparing a defense. In practice, defendants who need to be evaluated for competency often spend long periods in confinement because of a shortage of behavioral health services. When they are finally released, it's usually without ongoing care. On this episode, we spoke with three people who are involved in efforts to reform the process used to determine a defendant's mental competency: Indiana Supreme Court Chief Justice Loretta Rush and two Colorado legislators, Senator Judy Amabile, a Democrat, and Senator Byron Pelton, a Republican.Chief Justice Rush explained the dimensions of the problem and discussed how a national task force on the issue developed. Policy recommendations. Senator Amabile, who has sponsored legislation on the issue talked about how Colorado ended up with a significant backlog of cases. Senator Pelton explained some of the unique challenges people in rural America face when dealing with behavioral health issues. Resources“Legislative Primer Series on Front-End Justice: Competency to Stand Trial,” NCSL“Juvenile Justice: States with Juvenile Competency Laws,” NCSL

Our focus on this episode is the behavioral health workforce. More than a third of the U.S. population lives in areas with shortages of psychologists, counselors and social workers, and nearly two-thirds of shortage areas are rural. Those workforce shortages occur during a period when many experts, including those at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, have concluded we have a mental health crisis. Data from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, or SAMHSA, indicates that for more than two decades half the people in need of behavioral health services in the U.S. did not receive them. Joining the discussion are Karmen Hanson, a senior fellow at NCSL; Brianna Lombardi, an assistant professor at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill; and Jeff Shumway, the director of Utah's Office of Professional Licensure Review.Lombardi discussed her experiences in researching the workforce shortage and explained some its complexities. Shumway gave a state-level perspective on how regulation can affect the workforce. Hanson broke down the efforts in legislatures to address the workforce issues.ResourcesAllied Health Professions: Considerations for State Legislatures, NCSLHealth Workforce Legislation Database, NCSLHealth Care Workforce Resources, NCSLScope of Practice Policy Database, NCSL 

Alex and Amy are joined by NCSL's Legislative Director Barrie Tabin to talk about the proposed federal 10-year moratorium on states regulating AI. We discuss why our two organizations are working together to oppose the proposal as well as our work around preserving the State and Local Cybersecurity Grant Program. Plus we look ahead to some fun summer plans.https://www.nascio.org/press-releases/nascio-statement-on-efforts-to-prevent-state-enforcement-of-ai-laws-for-ten-years/

Biosimilars, a group of drugs that are similar to biologic drugs, which are medications produced using living organisms and are often used to treat complex medical conditions. Biosimilars were first introduced to the prescription drug market about a decade ago and as of March, the FDA had approved scores of products that may be used interchangeably for some of the most expensive brand-name biologic pharmaceuticals, treating conditions such as diabetes and cancer. While biologics make up only about 2% of prescriptions, they account for as much as 46% of total drug spending in the U.S.The three guests on this podcast all have expertise on different aspects of this topic and discuss the use of biosimilar medicines in health care and the possible cost savings when they are used in place of originator biologic medications. Luca Maini is an economist who studies the pharmaceutical industry and is an assistant professor at Harvard Medical School. Chad Pettit is executive director of global government affairs for Amgen, a biotechnology company. Erin Glossop is a policy specialist at NCSL who follows state policies around pharmaceuticals.Maini discussed his research into how the introduction of biosimilars into a market affects the price of brand-name biologics. Pettit explained the perspective from the biotechnology industry and how he thinks the industry will develop in the next several years. Glossop explained how some states are developing bipartisan policy around biosimilar access and efforts to find cost-savings these products might offer. ResourcesAmgen BiosimilarsAssessing the Biosimilar Void in the U.S., IQVIABiosimilars in the United States 2023-2027, IQVIABiosimilar Uptake In The US: Patient And Prescriber Factors, Dongzhe Hong, et al.Coverage for Biosimilars vs Reference Products Among US Commercial Health Plans, James D. Chambers, et al.Exploring the Influence of Health Insurance Plans on Biosimilar Adoption Rates, Mariana Socal, et al.Factors Associated with Biosimilar Exclusions and Step Therapy Restrictions Among US Commercial Health Plans, Tianzhou Yu, et al.Luca Maini website

This is one in a series of podcasts celebrating the 50th anniversary of the National Conference of State Legislatures. On this episode we focus on legislative staff, the approximately 30,000 professionals who keep the trains running at this nation's legislatures.While legislative staff outnumber legislators by more than 4 to 1, their role is often poorly understood by the public and even by their own families.  Yet the work they do from drafting legislation to providing bill research to keeping the IT systems running is critical to these institutions. We talked to a variety of staffers and others who reflected on the growth of staff, their critical role in providing nonpartisan professional advice to legislators, the changing role and challenges staff have faced especially in the last 50 years and what the future holds for them.ResourcesLegislative Staff, NCSLNCSL Marks 50th Anniversary of Strengthening States, NCSL

A new book published jointly by NCSL and the U.S. Election Assistance Commission is aimed at serving as a resource for election administrators, secretaries of state, state legislators and legislative staff. It will be available soon in digital form on the NCSL website. “Helping America Vote: Election Administration in the United States” was the focus of this podcast and features a discussion with Commissioners Ben Hovland and Donald Palmer.The EAC was established by the Help America Vote Act of 2002, which was Congress' response to the problems with the 2000 election. The commission's goals include adopting voluntary voting system guidelines, serving as a national clearinghouse for election administration and certifying voting systems. The commissioners are bipartisan. Hovland, chairman until earlier this year, is a Democrat, and Palmer, the current chairman, is a Republican. The commissioners discussed a variety of topics related to elections including the pros and cons of our decentralized voting system, the importance of election administration as a profession, the value of a bipartisan approach to election administration and who they hope will read this book. ResourcesElections and Campaigns Program, NCSLU.S. Election Assistance Commission

Medicaid is a program jointly funded by the federal and state governments. It provides health care coverage to nearly 80 million people, primarily those with low incomes, people who are living with disabilities or are in long-term care. On this episode we discussed the nuts and bolts of how Medicaid is financed and how states are handling some new challenges in the post-pandemic world. The pandemic affected both who Medicaid covered and the share paid by the federal and state governments.  In the first segment, NCSL's Kathryn Costanza was joined by Akeiisa Coleman from the Commonwealth Fund to break down the details of how the program is funded, including how the federal-state share is determined for each state. They also discussed the key drivers of cost in the Medicaid system. On the second segment, guests Neda Jasemi from the National Association of Medicaid Directors, and Robin Rudowitz from KFF talk about what they are hearing from Medicaid officials around the country. They discussed how the post-COVID unwinding of patients who had remained on the rolls during the pandemic had significant effects on the program. They also discussed steps states are taking to try to ensure access for Medicaid patients and how states are preparing for any changes in the program at the federal level. ResourcesCommonwealth Fund/MedicaidHealth Costs, Coverage and Delivery State Legislation Database, NCSLHow We Pay for MedicaidKFF/Medicaid“Medicaid Financing 101,” NCSL“Medicaid Toolkit,” NCSLNational Association of Medicaid Directors“Results from an Annual Medicaid Budget Survey for State Fiscal Years 2024 and 2025,” KFF“State Legislatures Address Medicaid Coverage and Payments in the 2024 Legislative Session,” NCSL“State Tax Actions: 2024,” NCSL“Top five Medicaid budget pressures for fiscal year 2025,” NAMD

The Women's Legislative Network of NCSL is celebrating its 40th anniversary. Every female state legislator in the 50 states, territories and the District of Columbia belong to the Women's Legislative Network. The network sponsors informational briefings, hosts skill building workshops for women and opportunities for female legislators to interact. Senator Dafna Michaelson Jenet, a Democrat of Colorado and the current president of the WLN, and Representative DeAnn Vaught, a Republican of Arkansas and the incoming president of the group, joined the podcast to discuss the anniversary and women in legislatures more generally.They discussed how they decided to run for the legislature, the obstacles they faced and the perspective female legislators bring to the job. They also shared their passion for encouraging other women to run for office.  ResourcesWomen's Legislative Network of NCSL 

At the start of each year, we sit down with NCSL CEO Tim Storey to discuss the most important issues facing state legislatures in the upcoming session. While the November election did not bring big changes for state legislatures—there was minimal turnover at both the legislative and executive levels—the big change in the federal government may mean significant changes in the state-federal relationship.State budgets, which determine much of what states can do in the new year, are stable in most states and rainy day funds generally are in good shape, Storey said. But revenues are not on the rise and, as is true at the federal level, that means less willingness by legislatures to fund new programs.A trend of rising health care costs will also affect states through their Medicaid programs and likely result in a strong focus on controlling costs. Storey also discussed other key areas of policy, including K-12 education, social media and kids and AI. One wild card for states is immigration and how they will respond if the new administration follows through on aggressive plans for deporting people in the country without documents. ResourcesSpecial Report: A Look at 2025's Trending Legislative Topics, NCSL

About 1,000 new lawmakers were elected in November's election and will be joining their legislatures in the new year. Every legislature is different, of course, but we asked two veteran legislators to offer a little advice on a few issues that likely apply in most legislatures.Sen. Karen Keiser (D) from Washington state and Rep. Walker Thomas (R) from Kentucky shared some of their experiences as new lawmakers and advice on working with the media, responding to constituents and speaking on the floor. Keiser, who is retiring at the end of this term, is the president pro tem of the Washington Senate and is the author of “Getting Elected Is the Easy Part: Working and Winning in the State Legislature.” She started her career in the Washington House in 1995.Thomas has served in the Kentucky House since 2017. He is the chair of Veterans, Military Affairs and Public Protection Committee.ResourcesGetting Elected Is the Easy Part: Working and Winning in the State LegislatureNew Member Virtual Orientation, NCSLNew State Legislators, NCSL

Recent polls find that many Americans have declining confidence in higher education, in large part because of the levels of student debt, the cost of college and concerns about uneven student outcomes. To better understand these challenges, NCSL formed a Task Force on Higher Education Affordability and Student Outcomes in 2022. The group has now issued its report. The co-chairs of the task force – Senators Ann Millner (R) of Utah and Michael Dembrow (D) of Oregon – talked with us about what they discovered. Also on the show is Austin Reid of NCSL, a federal affairs adviser in the Washington D.C., office, who worked with the task force.Reid explained the genesis of the task force and the importance of trying to better coordinate the efforts of state government, the federal government and institutions of higher education.Dembrow and Millner explained how the bipartisan group of legislators on the task force came to understand the importance of a degree of value. The also expressed hope that the task force's work will lead to greater coordination between state and federal officials.ResourcesTask Force on Higher Education ReportTask Force Report: Enhancing the Value of Higher Ed Degrees, NCSL

Former Rep. Jack Draxler on Cache Priorities conversation events -- Utah state senator details NCSL final report on higher ed improvements

On this episode, we sat down with two election experts from NCSL to discuss the state legislative races and statewide ballot measures in the Nov. 5 election. Ben Williams, NCSL's associate director of Elections and Redistricting, discussed the 5,508 legislative seats on ballots in 44 states, more than 78% of all legislative seats nationwide. He also explained how the outcomes could affect legislative control in the states, overall state control and veto-proof majorities in some states. Helen Brewer with NCSL explained the range of topics covered by the more than 150 statewide ballot measures voters will decide. She discussed the large number of abortion-related measures and others uses such election administration, taxes, criminal justice and education. ResourcesNCSL State Elections 2024

This is one of the series of shows this year and next reflecting on the 50th anniversary of NCSL. For this episode, our focus is the legislative institution and how today's legislatures evolved over the last 400 years.Guests include historian Pev Squire, who sketches out how legislatures developed both from the colonial assemblies and from the territorial legislatures. We also spoke with three people who have spent considerable time in legislatures and given a great deal of thought to the institution itself— Kentucky Senate President Robert Stivers, Colorado House Speaker Julie McCluskie and Raul Burciaga, who recently retired as director of the New Mexico Legislative Council Service. They reflected on where the institution is now and the challenges it will face in the next 50 years. ResourcesNCSL Marks 50 Years of Service to State Legislatures, NCSL

Artificial intelligence, most broadly thought of as the use of computer systems to perform tasks that normally require human intelligence, is being employed in a wide array of ways, from self-driving cars to health care. But concerns about the potential misuse and unintended consequences of AI is prompting legislatures around the country to study the issue and in many cases, pass legislation.In 2024, NCSL is tracking more than 400 pieces of legislation related to AI. This year at least 45 states, Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands and Washington, D.C., introduced AI bills, and 31 states, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands adopted resolutions or enacted legislation.Our three guests on this episode offer a look at AI's legislative impact. Chelsea Canada from NCSL, who tracks state legislation around the country related to AI, is one of our guests and she explained the breadth of the legislation proposed in the states and also noted a trend in some states toward comprehensive AI laws focused on consumer protection.Our other guests are Sen. Shelley Hughes (R) of Alaska, who worked this year to move a comprehensive bill through the legislature but was unsuccessful. She explained her bill and her hopes for its passage in the next session. Our third guest is Colorado Rep. Manny Rutinel (D). He was one of the House sponsors of a successful bill focused on consumer protection and trying to remove discriminatory results from the use of AI. ResourcesArtificial Intelligence 2024 LegislationArtificial Intelligence 2023 LegislationArtificial Intelligence 2019-2022Volume of AI Bills Rises, Even as Use of Systems Evolves 

In this week's episode, you will continue to join Maggie Mick in her home state of Kentucky for a constellation of conversations had with colleagues and friends attending the National Conference of State Legislatures' 2024 Legislative Summit in Louisville. 

Americans of all ages do not score well on surveys of civic knowledge. One recent survey found a large majority of respondents could not pass a basic civics literacy test and another indicated a third of respondents could not name all three branches of government. And testing of eighth graders in the U.S. and other industrialized countries also reported a decline in civics proficiency.The vast majority of states, however, do require at least one course in civics and every state has some form of civics education. On this podcast, guest Tammy Wehrle, the legislative education and outreach officer in the Wisconsin State Legislature, talked about what she's learned about the state of civics education.Wehrle, who was a classroom educator and holds a doctorate, oversees a variety of programs in the legislature that can involve kids as young as 12. She thinks there is real value in young people seeing the legislature from the inside and understanding the range of roles necessary to run the legislature.ResourcesCivics Education at NCSLSenate Scholar Program, Wisconsin State LegislatureStaff Snapshots | Tammy Wehrle, NCSL

Fred is joined in this week's lead story for the Sportsmen's Voice Roundup by CSF's Assistant Manager for the Southwestern States, Barry Snell. Barry and Fred talk about ‘the Alamo for sportsmen in America' - the proposed cat hunting ban in Colorado, and how citizens from around the country can get involved and help fight the fight.    Then, dive in with Fred as he covers all the news that's fit to print for sportsmen around the nation, including a North Atlantic Right Whale conservation update, proposed excise tax on ammo in Nebraska, New Hampshire updates electronic Duck Stamp regulations, and a successful NCSL reception held in Kentucky!   Takeaways Get Involved To Save Cat Hunting In Colorado: Regulated hunting in Colorado is under attack. This November, Coloradans will be voting on a ballot measure that—if passed—would prohibit the hunting of mountain lions and bobcats across the state. Learn more at: https://wildlifedeservebetter.com Protecting Sportsmen's Interests in Ballot Initiatives and Referenda – Congressional Sportsmen's Foundation A New Direction For Right Whale Conservation: Explore the Manchin/Graham “Protecting Whales, Human Safety And The Economy Act”, a proposed piece of legislation that would shift the conversation on North Atlantic Right Whale conservation.  New Hampshire Duck Stamp Update: Governor's Caucus Chair Chris Sununu signed a piece of legislation updating NH duck stamp regulations to be in line with the federal government. Electronic Duck Stamps – Congressional Sportsmen's Foundation Proposed Excise Tax on Ammo in NE: Special session to address a proposed 5% “sin tax” on ammunition purchases in Nebraska. American System of Conservation Funding – Congressional Sportsmen's Foundation Donate To Keep Proposed Initiative 91 Off the Ballot In Colorado!: https://wildlifedeservebetter.com  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

State legislators couldn't stop talking about COS grassroots activists at a national conference. Rita Peters, Rick Santorum, and Mark Meckler recap their three-day experience at the National Conference of State Legislators from Kentucky. 

The pros and cons of having A.I. in the classroom, what WKU's president is looking forward to during the upcoming semester, how Kentucky veterans are benefiting from expanded health benefits, why a Kentucky city wants to be an example when it comes to renewable energy, and several former Wildcats help close out the summer Olympics in Paris in style.

In this week's episode, you will join Maggie Mick in her home state of Kentucky for a constellation of conversations had with colleagues and friends attending the National Conference of State Legislatures' 2024 Legislative Summit in Louisville. We'll take you into the policy sessions, along the rows of the exhibit hall, and the various social events that pepper the week. 

A forced marriage survivor discusses Kentucky's child marriage laws at NCSL, attendees create their own Derby hat, a new caucus is formed in the Kentucky General Assembly, recognizing the Eighth of August, and it's back to school for the state's largest school district.

A new state program designed to protect victims of domestic violence sees a 460% increase one year after becoming law, Gov. Beshear releases his tax return, Kentucky Edition goes on the road to hear from state lawmakers at NCSL, the Director of the CDC visits a vaccine clinic in Louisville, and a former Wildcat goes for gold in Paris.

This podcast is the first of several to observe the 50th anniversary of NCSL. The organization has been an integral part of the change in state legislations over the last half century. NCSL provides research to the states on myriad public policy topics, offers a unified voice in Washington where it lobbies on behalf of the states, and serves as a convener of scores of meetings every year in person and virtually to help legislators and legislative staff from across the nation share ideas and solutions. On this episode we track the development of legislatures over the last 400 years and talk with a range of guests about the role of legislatures in the jigsaw puzzle of American governance.Our guests include political scientist Don Kettl; former NCSL staffer Karl Kurtz; Sabrina Lewellen, assistant secretary of the Arkansas Senate and current staff chair at NCSL; Bill Pound, longtime NCSL executive director; historian Pev Squire, former NCSL staffer Brian Weberg; and Natalie Wood, NCSL's vice president of policy and research.

This is the third of a three-episode series exploring the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic in legislatures and how it affected state legislative staff. We sat down with Jill Reinmuth, staff director for the Office of Program Research in the Washington House; Eric Nauman, principal fiscal analyst for the Minnesota Senate; and Sabrina Lewellen, assistant Secretary of the Arkansas Senate and the current NCSL staff chair. The three legislative staff leaders discussed how procedures changed in the aftermath of the pandemic, what they learned personally about leadership and how their staff performed under the extraordinary challenges of the health emergency. ResourcesLessons Learned: Legislative Staff and the Pandemic, NCSL's OAS podcastDr. Melissa Furman on the Pandemic and the Workplace, NCSL's OAS podcast

The 2024 NCSL International Conference is coming up July 6th through 11th. Mike Schwartz from Cal Lab Magazine and Cal Lab Solutions joins us to chat about some of the activities, tutorials, and more!   Main page for the conference: https://ncsli.org/mpage/ws_2024

Housing historically has been a local issue that was handled by cities and counties. The rising crisis of housing cost and availability, however, has brought more attention from state governments. States have enacted more than 700 laws in 2022 and 2023 related to housing.The focus of this podcast is the nexus of housing and transportation, and particularly transit-oriented development. We sat down with Cameron Rifkin, a policy expert at NCSL who tracks housing legislation, and Doug Shinkle, who heads NCSL's transportation program, to discuss housing, transportation and the efforts by state legislators to take on challenges in both those areas. They discussed the types of legislation passed, how some states have passed legislation directly addressing transit-oriented development and why parking requirements for housing developments are sparking conflict.ResourcesCharacteristics of Middle Housing, Missing Middle HousingEconomic Mobility Enacted Legislation Database, NCSLExpanding Affordable Housing Opportunities: Zoning and Land Use Case Studies, Bipartisan Policy CenterHousing and Homelessness Legislation Database, NCSL“Housing and Homelessness Toolkit,” NCSL“Increasing the Housing Supply by Reducing Costs and Barriers,” NCSL“Middle Housing: Filling a Gap in Available Housing Options,” NCSLA Series of Policy Briefs on Zoning, Land Use, and a Solution to the Nation's Housing Shortage, American Enterprise InstituteTransit-Oriented Development, Federal Transit Administration   

Enrollment in higher education has been on the decline for a decade, and research indicates a growing skepticism about the value of higher education. In response, many state legislatures have enacted laws aimed at creating greater accountability in higher education.To explore the issue, we sat down with Brian Bridges, the secretary of higher education in New Jersey, to discuss legislation passed in that state. A 2021 bill established new requirements for academic programs including sufficient academic quality, evidence of labor market demand, lack of duplication, and requirements for additional state resources. Another bill in 2022 created performance quality standards for career-oriented programs and required the higher education secretary to develop minimum standards for state programs. Also on the program is Andrew Smalley, a higher education policy expert at NCSL, who discussed the trend in state legislation and what the statistics tell us about the value of higher education.ResourcesPostsecondary Bill Tracking Database, NCSL“Nondegree Credential Framework,” NCSL

This podcast kicks off Legislative Staff Week, an annual NCSL effort to focus on legislative staff. This episode is part of three-podcast services focused on legislative staff that will roll out over the next couple of months.Our guests include Sabrina Lewellen, assistant secretary of the Arkansas Senate and the current NCSL staff chair; Anne Sappenfield, director of the Wisconsin Legislative Council; and Jay Hartz, director of the Kentucky Legislative Research Commission. All three joined to talk about the long-term effects of the pandemic and how their institutions coped with the emergency.They talked about how their institutions were affected, some of the innovations staff devised to cope with the emergency and some of the lasting changes resulting from the pandemic. There was even discussion of how a stack of table, a laptop and a camera helped ensure transparent government.RESOURCESLegislative Staff homepage, NCSL

College enrollment among young people has been in a steady decline, according to research from Pew. Some indicators show young people increasingly turning toward apprenticeships and other work-based learning and credential programs that help them get a good job.Indiana and Maryland have been leaders in the field and on this podcast, we sat down with two legislators intimately involved in the issue--Rep. Bob Behning (R-Ind.) and Sen. Malcolm Augustine (D-Md.)Behning said participation in an NCSL study group helped inform legislation he has pursued to ensure more options for youth employment and to destigmatize technical education. Augustine explained the approach Maryland has taken to youth employment and the role of the Maryland Apprenticeship 2030 Commission in shaping future efforts.ResourcesBlueprint for Maryland's Future, Maryland Public SchoolsNondegree Credential State Policy Framework, NCSLOffice of Work-Based Learning and Apprenticeship, State of IndianaStrategies for Youth Employment, NCSL 

It's budget season and in the 46 states that start the new fiscal year on July 1, people are hard at work getting their budgets ready. Those state operating budgets amount to more than a trillion dollars a year. But what exactly does getting the budget ready entail? To discuss that, we sat down with Krista Lee Carsner, the executive director of the Fiscal Review Committee for the Tennessee General Assembly and the president of the National Association of Legislative Fiscal Offices. She explained the importance of accurate revenue forecasts, how the budget hearing process works on both the executive and legislative sides of state government and how individual legislators can get a say in the budget process. Our second guest on this podcast was Erica MacKellar, a fiscal policy expert with NCSL. She broke down the fiscal condition of the states, how they're coping in the post pandemic period and how revenue projections are very much on the mind of those crafting state budgets. ResourcesFY 2025 State Budget Status, NCSLVIDEO: State Budgets and Taxes, NCSL

Overdose deaths from all drugs, including opioids, have risen to more than 110,000 in the 12-month period that ended last September. The vast majority of those deaths near 80% involved fentanyl and other synthetic opioids.State legislatures have been active in passing legislation to address the crisis and acting more than 180 bills in 2022 and 2023, most of them focusing on harm reduction strategies such as medication-assisted treatment. However, the number of deaths remain stubbornly High.On this podcast, we sat down with Michelle Putnam from the Division of Overdose Prevention at the Federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and Charlie Severance-Medaris, who tracks state policy related to drug overdose prevention for NCSL.Putnam discussed the steps her office is taking to understand the patterns of drug use and overdoses and working with local public health departments to better equip them to deal with the situation. She also talked about the frustration faced by state and local officials, families, law enforcement, and others at the ongoing death toll despite decades of efforts to control illegal drugs.Severance-Medaris discussed the trends in legislation aimed at addressing the drug overdose problem and whether states may change their approach. ResourcesInjury Prevention DatabaseState Options to Increase Access to MATSUD Tx DatabaseNonfatal Overdose Dashboards, Drug Overdose, CDC Injury CenterOverdose Data to Action: Funded Jurisdictions, Drug Overdose, CDC Injury CenterStop Overdose, CDCSUDORS Dashboard: Fatal Overdose Data, Drug Overdose, CDC Injury Center

A key part of modernizing the nation's electric grid involves adding long-distance transmission lines, the power lines that carry electricity over hundreds of miles. To better understand this critical part of the electrical infrastructure, we sat down with Melissa Birchard, a senior adviser in the Grid Deployment Office of the U.S. Department of Energy. The office was created in 2022 to work on a variety of issues related to the electrical grid and, in particular, integrating power from new renewable energy projects.Melissa talked about some of the issues involved particularly in the planning and siting of transmission lines. She explained the need for new transmission lines to bring renewable energy from remote areas of the country to the cities and towns where it's needed. Our other guest is Alex McWard from NCSL, who tracks legislation related to the state role in transmission line planning and siting. He discussed the role of state legislatures in transmission projects and in working with other states on regional projects.ResourcesCoordinated Interagency Transmission Authorizations and Permits Program, U.S. Department of EnergyElectric Transmission Planning: A Primer for State Legislatures, NCSLEngagement Between States and Regional Transmission Organizations, National Council on Electric PolicyGrid and Transmission Program Conductor, U.S. Department of EnergyGrid Resilience and Innovation Partnerships (GRIP) Program, U.S. Department of EnergyNational Interest Electric Transmission Corridor Designation Process, U.S. Department of EnergyTransmission Facilitation Program First Round Selections, U.S. Department of Energy 

Alex and Amy talk with Heather Morton, director of financial services, technology and communications at the National Conference of State Legislatures. We talk with Heather about trends in AI legislation, how states are legislating deepfakes and the surge in privacy bills. We also learn about Heather's first job. Hint: it involved Blizzards.Find the transcript here: https://www.buzzsprout.com/704052/14496873

Paying for college and other post-secondary education continues to be a challenge for many. Already, 44 million Americans owe more than $1.7 trillion in student loan balances. At the same time, there's strong evidence that lifetime earnings increase for those who attend and complete college or other post-secondary education. The guests for this podcast are Ethan Pollack , a senior director at Jobs for the Future, a national nonprofit aimed at expanding economic opportunity, and Andrew Smalley, an education policy expert at NCSL.Pollack discussed a number of innovative financing strategies involving philanthropic organizations, employers, government and financial institutions that offer the promise of helping students pay for their education at a lower cost. And in some instances that better scale the cost to the potential earnings of the graduate.Smalley explained the steps states are taking to help facilitate these innovative approaches and also broke down what most students and families pay for post-secondary education. ResourcesJobs for the Future“How Can Innovative Finance Transform Our Postsecondary Education and Training Systems?,” Jobs for the Future

Tim Storey, NCSL's CEO, joined the podcast to discuss the year ahead in legislatures and what we can expect in policy and politics in 2024.  Storey said most state budgets will start the year in excellent shape, though legislators will continue to cast a cautious eye on economic conditions. He also pointed out that it's important to keep in mind that 2024 is an election year and that tends to influence what happens in legislatures, including what is often a somewhat less active legislative agenda than you usually see in the first half of a two-year session. Storey expects concerns about technology, especially artificial intelligence, to be high on the priority list. Housing challenges and the fentanyl overdose crisis are also likely to get a great deal of attention in most legislatures. At least some legislatures also are likely to look at legislation affecting migrants, especially in light of inaction at the federal level. And, of course, education and health care, two big budget items for states, also will get considerable attention.ResourcesSpecial Report: A Look at 2024's Trending Legislative Topics

While many voters may think of primaries as the warmup act for the general election, many races in this country at the local, state and federal level are decided by primaries. By some estimates, fewer than 40 seats in the U.S. House of Representatives are actually competitive between the parties. In most districts, whoever wins the primary in the dominant party wins the general election. The 2024 primaries are right around the corner so on this podcast, we sat down with Ben Williams, an elections expert at NCSL, to talk about the different types of primaries and why primaries are so important. Williams explained the different approaches states take to the primary system and some of the election history that brought us to this system we now use. He also discussed NCSL's recent publication, “The State's Primary Toolkit,” that includes extensive background information on primaries' changes in states since 2000 and a great deal more.ResourcesState Primaries Toolkit

The popularity of remote work soared during the pandemic, but only for those is some jobs, particularly tech focused or computer-based jobs. While exact figures are not available, some estimates are that more than 25% of the workforce still is working remotely or in a hybrid arrangement, where employees spend some time in the office and some working remotely. That's a decline from the pandemic but still a significant portion of the workforce. On this episode, we explore the tax ramifications for states of remote work. We're joined by Charlie Kearns, a tax attorney, and James Privette, until recently a legislative specialist in NCSL's Washington, D.C., office.They discussed how remote work affects personal income taxes and business taxes, and how states are responding to the changing landscape. They also had suggestions for learning more about the issue. ResourcesRemote Work Revolution: How Can Remote Work Taxation Affect State Budgets, NCSL WebinarState And Local Tax Considerations of Remote Work Arrangements, NCSL 

NCSL's yearlong Legislator Police Academy brought together lawmakers from very different backgrounds to work across the aisle and across the country on policy topics related to police accountability. In this episode, we learn how the legislators put aside seemingly insurmountable differences and, with patience and constructive conversation, discovered plenty of common ground.

Health care costs in the U.S. over the last 20 years have grown faster than the cost of other goods and services. Commercial health care costs, which include about half the health care market, have grown faster than Medicaid and Medicare spending. Our guest on this episode is Alyssa Vangeli, a senior consultant with Bailit Health, a consulting firm in Massachusetts where she works with states to provide health policy analysis and consulting around the commercial health market. Vangeli explained what's driving the increase in costs, which segments of the health care economy are seeing the greatest cost increases, and the efforts by the federal and state governments to better understand the cost drivers and try to contain them. She also offered examples of what different states are doing and the success of those efforts.Resources2023 Health Costs Seminar, NCSLBailit HealthHealth Costs, Coverage, and Deliver State Legislation, NCSLHealth Policy Snapshot: Addressing Commercial Health Care Prices, NCSLState Actions to Control Commercial Health Care Costs, NCSL 

We're joined today by the great Paul Sporer to talk all about the ongoing ALCS and NCSL. What have we learned - and where are these series headed?  OOTP 24 is on sale! Get it for 50% off - a savings of $20 - TODAY from us directly or on Steam! Check out OOTP Go for FREE from Apple or Google! Enjoy the show!

This past August, the High Turnout Wide Margins team headed to Indianapolis for the National Conference of State Legislatures' Legislative Summit, which brings together lawmakers from all across the country. Hosts Brianna Lennon and Eric Fey did a live taping at the event where – for the first time – they spoke with state legislators. They spoke about how state legislators and local election administrators can work together to foster trust and confidence in American elections.

This podcast has selected clips from the 988 & Crisis Reform Playlist: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KUdw451JL3w&list=PLxolYqklWoEND-6LQRnqJXi4mG5k_8HLx Unapologetically Black Unicorns podcast is at the National Council of State Legislators 2023 Summit ! Thanks Inseparable for using our 988 and crisis system reform playlist to help our legislators, staffers and attendees learn more about 988 Lifeline.    You find more information about inseparable here: https://www.inseparable.us/get-involved/  

Every state has rules governing interactions among legislators, legislative staff and lobbyists, whether those lobbyists represent business interests, nonprofit groups and others. The rules have evolved over the past few decades and are often being updated. On this episode, three experts on lobbying and compliance with ethics rules sat down to discuss how ethics rules have evolved and how attitudes about ethics rules have changed. Our guests are Doug Himes, the House ethics counsel in Tennessee; Mark Quiner, director of NCSL's Center for Ethics in Government; and Elizabeth Bartz, the CEO and president of State and Federal Communications. ResourcesCode of Ethics, National Institute for Lobbying & Ethics House Ethics Committee, Tennessee General AssemblyState and Federal Communications

Redistricting of state and congressional legislative districts happens every decade following the census. But once those maps are drawn and implemented, there are still ongoing court cases and state legislation that affect redistricting. Just in recent weeks, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled on two significant redistricting cases. For this podcast, the guest is Ben Williams from NCSL, an expert on redistricting who discussed some of the interesting developments around the topic, including efforts in some states to reallocate inmate data. He talked about the recent legal developments and also about the efforts in 13 states to reallocate inmate data, for purposes of redistricting, from where people are incarcerated to where they lived before going to prison. Williams explained the pro and con arguments for such legislation. He also talked about what you can expect in the next several years around redistricting before the next census, and what attendees at the NCSL Legislative Summit in Indianapolis in August can expect from NCSL's Elections and redistricting team.This is a fast-moving policy area and just since this recording was finished, two more states have approved policies. As of today 15 states have adopted the policy—13 for the 2020 cycle and two more, Illinois and Maine, for the 2030 cycle.ResourcesInmate Data Reallocation in the 2020 Redistricting Cycle, NCSLNCSL 2023 Legislative Summit

Darcy Luoma, a coach and consultant, will speak at the Legislative Staff Breakfast at NCSL's Legislative Summit in Indianapolis in August. Before founding her consulting business, Luoma had extensive experience working on Capitol Hill, working on two presidential campaigns and as a senior adviser to a governor.  She has also worked with state legislators and staff.Luoma discussed her Thoughtfully Fit approach and how it can help legislative staff and the rest of us cope with stress. She also shared that her Summit presentation will focus on how to develop flexibility that allows you to work well with people who are different from you. She also talked about resilience in the face of trauma and tragedy in her own life that helped her hone these coping skills.ResourcesDarcy Luoma Coaching and ConsultingNCSL 2023 Legislative Summit

Even before the pandemic, there was a growing shortage of registered nurses in the majority of states. From 2020 to 2021, during the height of the pandemic, more than 100,000 registered nurses left the workforce, the largest exodus in at least 40 years. Adding to the problem, in 2019, nursing schools turned away about 80,000 qualified applicants because of too few faculty, clinical sites and preceptors, and the problem persists.  Our first guest is Dr. Cynthia McCurren, a dean and professor at the School of Nursing of the University of Michigan in Flint. McCurren, who also serves as the board chair of the American Association of Colleges of Nursing, discussed the role of nurses in the health care system, a variety of initiatives aimed at increasing the number of qualified faculty, and state and federal efforts to help address the problem. Our other guest is Sarah Jaromin from NCSL, who drilled down into a variety of state efforts aimed at increasing the supply of nursing faculty and also where legislators can learn more about different approaches being tried around the country. ResourcesAddressing Nursing Shortages: Options for States, (NCSL, 2022) American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN)National Advisory Council on Nurse Education and Practice (NACNEP)National Conference of State Legislatures - Health (NCSL)Nursing Faculty Shortage Fact Sheet, (AACN, 2020) Preparing Nurse Faculty and Addressing the Shortage of Nurse Faculty and Clinical Preceptors, (NACNEP, 2021) 

Millions of Americans experience mental health problems and frequently experience challenges finding treatment, including in the workplace. That's the context for national task force— Mental Health Matters: National Task Force on Workforce Mental Health Policy—funded by the U.S. Department of Labor working with NCSL and the Council of State Governments (CSG). The guests on this podcast are Colorado Lt Gov Dianne Primavera (D) and Tennessee Sen. Becky Massey (R). The two are at-large co-chairs of the task force, which also includes 27 other state lawmakers from both parties. The two spoke about what they'd learned in the course of the task force's work, and about the goals, which include developing improved benefit and employment; access to mental health resources in the workplace; addressing underserved communities; and the shortage of mental health care workers. The task force plans to issue the policy framework this summer that can serve as a resource for policymakers across the country. 

On this episode, Host Tim Storey talks with Cedric King, a retired army master sergeant, speaker, and author, who will be the keynote speaker at NCSL's Legislative Summit in Indianapolis in August.King joined the army in 1995, eventually rising to a leadership role in the elite Army Rangers. On his third combat deployment in Afghanistan in 2012, King was leading a patrol in a small village when he stepped on an improvised explosive device and suffered horrific injuries, including the loss of both his legs.He survived those wounds and just 21 months later, King did what most of us would think impossible: He ran the Boston Marathon on prosthetic blades. He hasn't stopped since. He's competed in marathons, triathlons. He's written books, talked to audiences all over the country, and he's talked about his injuries and why that opened him up to the possibilities that we all have in our lives. ResourcesNCSL 2023 Legislative Summit

This is Legislative Staff Week 2023 at NCSL, and we sat down with two staffers to talk about why people come to work in the legislature and why they stay. Our guests are Anne Sappenfield, director of the Wisconsin Legislative Council and NCSL staff chair, and Heshani Wijemanne, assistant secretary of the California Senate. Sappenfield began working in the legislature in the mid-‘90s while Wijemanne has been a legislative staffer since 2016. Sappenfield and Wijemanne are both lawyers and they talked about why public service in the legislature was an attractive option after law school. They discussed the appeal of being involved in the legislative process, how things have changed in legislatures over the years and the challenge of explaining what they do to family and friends. They also talked about the challenges they faced during the pandemic and the critical role staff play in preserving the institution of the legislature.ResourcesLegislative Staff Week 2023, NCSLOffice of the Secretary of the Senate, CaliforniaWisconsin Legislative Council