NCSL / 2018 Legislative Summit

As the science and technology of artificial intelligence continues to develop, more products and services are coming onto the market. For example, companies are developing AI to help consumers run their homes and allow the elderly to stay in their homes longer. Examine AI’s benefits and challenges, along with potential roles for policymakers.

Bitcoin and Ether are examples of digital currencies, or cryptocurrencies, digital assets created by complex computer algorithms. Among other issues raised by this new type of currency, regulators are concerned about “initial coin offerings,” or using cryptocurrencies as capital in start-up formations. Hear an overview of this technology and discuss its enormous potential and challenges.

Learn about legislative options to secure elections, from voter registration through voting itself and on to election results reporting. Hear from legislators and experts who have delved deeply into cybersecurity as it applies to elections.

Gerrymandering has been in the spotlight this summer, this year and, well, continuously throughout this decade. Examine the U.S. Supreme Court’s June ruling about the constitutionality of partisan gerrymandering. Can politics be removed or reduced in redistricting, and how?

How can America's public colleges and universities modernize to meet the changing demands of the technologically driven and globalized workforce of the future? This session will explore how systems in higher education might adapt to meet the needs of a diverse population of students, many of whom come in and out of higher education at different points in their lifetime. This session will also include an NCSL update on federal higher education activity.

This interactive session covers the latest health and human services developments in efforts to address the opioid epidemic, which continues to claim lives and affect families across the nation. State legislators and experts will discuss new data, recent legislation and policy innovations in states.

There is a longstanding conflict between the federal Controlled Substances Act and state laws legalizing marijuana. This year, with the release of the attorney general’s Memorandum on Marijuana Enforcement, states that have legalized marijuana in any context—whether decriminalizing small amounts or legalizing medical, recreational or both—face uncertainty over how the federal government will pursue enforcement. Learn how this new policy may affect states and how to proceed.

The U.S. Supreme Court in May ruled the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act (PASPA) unconstitutional, allowing states to legalize and regulate sports betting for the first time since 1992. Join us for an in-depth look at sports betting trends and laws, regulations and tax frameworks across the states, along with the implications for state finances and law enforcement.

In June, the Supreme Court ruled in South Dakota v. Wayfair that states can require remote businesses to collect and remit sales taxes on residents’ transactions. While a tremendous victory for states and Main Street USA, states have a lot of work ahead to ensure that their newfound authority is implemented correctly and fairly. Explore what happened and states’ next steps.

A record 216 million Americans rely on some type of commercial or private health insurance. Yet an array of pending major changes divide and confuse the public, who expect legislators to help them understand what’s next. How can lawmakers—in their roles as health insurance regulators and purchasers, and voices of their constituents—play an effective role in getting to the next phase? Hear from experts and join the dialogue

On Nov. 6, voters will decide thousands of legislative seats, dozens of governors and over 100 state ballot questions. Is major political change coming to the states? NCSL’s experts will break down the data and discuss the trends and key issues that are going to frame the 2018 election.

As retail in the U.S. moves toward an e-commerce future, both brick and mortar retailers and state and local governments must adapt to new challenges. Explore the factors changing the retail industry, how they affect state and local revenues, and what policymakers can do to ensure that commercial districts remain vibrant economic contributors.

The U.S. economy has been relatively strong the last few years, but will it last? Hear a national economist discuss the strengths and weaknesses of the current U.S. economy, where the economy is headed, and what it could mean for state finances.