NCSL / NCSL in D.C.

California State Senator Nancy Skinner, Chairwoman of the Senate Budget and Fiscal Review Committee as well as the author of the first student athlete compensation bill signed into law, and Georgia State Representative Chuck Martin, Chairman of the House Higher Education Committee discussed the different issues each of their state’s had to confront when crafting their bills, how important state action has been, and where the debate is likely to go from here.

NGA, NCSL and NCJA provide an overview of state and territorial actions in policing reform.

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A common area of agreement amongst many policy makers is the need to increase investment in transportation infrastructure, but the devil is always in the details. With authorization of federal transportation programs set to expire Sept 30, there are a host of questions concerning what federal transportation policy will look like in 2021. Join us for an overview of congressional plans as well as a discussion on the major issues under consideration.

SPEAKERS:

Murphie Barrett, vice president of congressional relations for infrastructure advancement, Associated General Contractors of America
Paul Lewis, vice president of policy and finance, Eno Center for Transportation

States are required to meet clean air standards established under the Clean Air Act (CAA), even as they combat increasing air quality issues due to unusual, or naturally occurring events. In order to help states determine if air quality monitoring data has been influenced by such an event, the Environmental Protection Agency established the Exceptional Events Rule in 2016. That final rule, which not only outlined the criteria for EPA’s approval of the exclusion of event-influenced air quality data, but also issued requirements for air agencies to take appropriate and reasonable actions to protect public health from exceedances or violations of the national ambient air quality standards, was updated by the agency this past February. The update revised certain sections which govern the exclusion of event-influenced air quality data as the CAA recognizes that it may not be appropriate to use data influenced by “exceptional” events such as wildfires, high wind dust events, prescribed fires and volcanic and seismic activities. Join us as we look at the tools states have in their toolbox to meet clean air standards and protect human health as they address emissions from increasingly frequent and severe wildfires, other natural events and from various industries.

SPEAKERS:

Brad Busby, air monitoring and assessment manager, Arizona Department of Environmental Quality
Mike Koerber, deputy director of office of air quality planning and standards, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Beth Palma, environmental engineer in the office of air quality planning and standards, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Mary Uhl, executive director, Western States Air Resources Council

​How are state legislatures responding to the 37,000 or so deaths on American roadways each year? Join NCSL experts for an overview of notable legislative trends related to impaired and distracted driving, school bus and bicyclist safety and automated enforcement and more. ​

Samantha Bloch, policy associate, National Conference of State Legislatures

Joe DeLorenzo, acting associate administrator for enforcement, Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration

Doug Shinkle, program director for transportaiton, National Conference of State Legislatures

​​The interest in using farmland for solar development has grown in recent years, spurred by a rapid decline in solar prices and an increase in aggressive state renewable energy standards. As interest in farmland solar has grown so has the concern over its potential environmental and food impacts, and in particular its impacts on pollinators. One-quarter of U.S. agriculture production relies on bees, which have seen record declines in recent years, pushing many species close to extinction. Fields that are cleared for solar installations can harm pollinators that depend on vegetation for habitat and food. Solar installations can also harm soil health by increasing erosion. Can agriculture, solar and pollinators coexist in a way that benefits all three? This webinar will explore this question, highlighting state efforts to implement environmentally friendly solar siting policies for agricultural lands.​

SPEAKERS:

Maggie Clark, state affairs senior manager for the southeast, Solar Energy Industries Association
Jordan Macknick, lead energy-water-land analyst, Strategic Energy Analysis Center at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory
Gerry Palano, energy coordinator, Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources

The Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers released the “The Navigable Waters Protection Rule,” which updates the federal definition for a “Waters of the United States,” more commonly referred to as a WOTUS.​ The now final rule outlines four clear categories of jurisdictional waters that would be considered a WOTUS, significantly reducing the number of waters under federal jurisdiction. Join us as we learn a bit about the new rule, and how states are responding.

SPEAKERS:

Mindy Eisenberg, associate director, oceans, wetlands & communities division, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Stacey Jensen, assistant for regulatory and tribal affairs, Office of the Assistant Secretary of the Army (Civil Works)
Krista Osterberg, surface water quality improvement value stream manager, Arizona Department of Environmental Quality
Owen McDonough PhD, senior science advisor to the assistant administrator, office of water, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

​That question is on the minds of policymakers after two recent decisions by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC). According to the Federal Power Act, decisions about the energy mix are left up to the states, although a state's ability to shape the energy mix—through mandates and financial incentives—could be harmed by FERC's recent decisions. The Commission's Minimum Offer Price Rule (MOPR) has garnered the most attention due to its potential impact on the nation's largest electricity market. The MOPR order requires that state-backed resources bid into regional capacity markets at inflated prices, which will raise prices for resources like renewables and nuclear, while making others, such as coal plants, more competitive. The debate over how regional markets should interact, and whether they should counteract, state policy has been raging for years. Join us to hear more about how the order impacts states and what actions they may be taking in response. ​

This is a recording of NCSL’s briefing to the Law Criminal Justice and Public Safety Committee as well as NCSL’s Public-Private Partnership on Disaster Mitigation and Recovery on April 1.

As the federal government leads the national response to COVID-19, state legislatures and local health departments stand on the front lines. All states, territories and Washington, D.C., have declared public health emergencies. Join NCSL’s experts Tahra Johnson and Haley Nicholson, who will provide insight on what public health actions are being taken on the state and national level and what steps appear to be working during this unprecedented time.

The Census Bureau has initiated a new methodology, differential privacy, to protect data privacy and confidentiality. Under the law, the bureau is required to do an actual enumeration of all residents and keep all personally identifiable information confidential for 72 years. Even though there were tools and safeguards in place, the bureau detected a need to revamp their disclosure avoidance and data switching technique because of the advancement of technology, computers and data science.

This webinar will address some burning questions: What is differential privacy? How will this new methodology work? What effect will it have on census data? And what does it mean for redistricters?

The Department of Homeland Security will begin full enforcement of Real ID at commercial airports in less than 10 months. This will require all members of the public to have their own Real ID to pass through security. Join NCSL and the DHS for an in-depth discussion on what's next for the department and what states should know as they head into the new year and new legislative session.

The presidential election is heating up. With the New Hampshire primary now complete, eyes are turning to the Southern states. Reid Wilson with Morning Consult joins NCSL in this eVideo update from Washington, D.C. to discuss all things politics and what might be down the road for the presidential candidates.