National Conference of State Legislatures - The Forum for America's Ideas
State Legislatures
The National Magazine of Policy and Politics
The National Magazine of Policy and Politics
Online Exclusives

Money in a jarLearn more about legislation to address public pensions from the 2010 sessions and view an archive of reports on pension legislation back to 1999.

U.S. CapitolStephen Ayers, architect of the U.S. Capitol, talks about the challenges of maintaining America's most-visited legislative building. More
Winter weatherEileen Shea of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration discusses how the agency is helping states understand and plan for climate change. More
Coastal North CarolinaSee more NCSL resources on climate change. More
Coastal North CarolinaRead a review of “American Constitutionalism Heard Round the World, 1776-1989: A Global Perspective” by Senator Richard Moore. More
Capitol being towedOn The Thicket, read "The Sometime Governments" Revisited and NCSL and the Citizens Conference on State Legislatures.
graduatesView our interactive map that includes information about legislators' education levels. More
Vote buttonFind out more about what forms of identification are acceptable for voting. More
Marble columnsPaul Posner of George Mason University in Virginia discusses federalism. More

 

Money in a jarLearn more about legislation to address public pensions from the 2010 sessions and view an archive of reports on pension legislation back to 1999.

U.S. CapitolStephen Ayers, architect of the U.S. Capitol, talks about the challenges of maintaining America's most-visited legislative building. More
Winter weatherEileen Shea of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration discusses how the agency is helping states understand and plan for climate change. More
Coastal North CarolinaSee more NCSL resources on climate change. More
Coastal North CarolinaRead a review of “American Constitutionalism Heard Round the World, 1776-1989: A Global Perspective” by Senator Richard Moore. More
Capitol being towedOn The Thicket, read "The Sometime Governments" Revisited and NCSL and the Citizens Conference on State Legislatures.
graduatesView our interactive map that includes information about legislators' education levels. More
Vote buttonFind out more about what forms of identification are acceptable for voting. More
Marble columnsPaul Posner of George Mason University in Virginia discusses federalism. More

 

Statestats

Statistics graphicChallenges of Representative Democracy

At best, politics in America is a spectator sport, not a participatory sport, according to a national public opinion poll conducted by The Representative Democracy in America, Voices of the People project. The 2009 survey looked at generational differences in knowledge, attitudes and engagement in American politics. More

Statistics graphicChallenges of Representative Democracy

At best, politics in America is a spectator sport, not a participatory sport, according to a national public opinion poll conducted by The Representative Democracy in America, Voices of the People project. The 2009 survey looked at generational differences in knowledge, attitudes and engagement in American politics. More

The Thicket: A Blog

Thicket iconThe Thicket: A Blog
"Rocky" Raccoon Coralled in Tennessee's Legislative Plaza. More

 

Thicket iconThe Thicket: A Blog
"Rocky" Raccoon Coralled in Tennessee's Legislative Plaza. More

 

This Month's Features
Additional Articles

Lynn KesslerEXCELLENT LEADER
By Edward Smith
An award for Washington's House majority leader. More

Telescope illustrationOBSERVING THE STATE-FEDERAL RELATIONSHIP
By William T. Pound
Federalism is a system of dynamic tension between levels of government. More
Illustration of money in a rockerPENSION REFORM: NOT EASY, BUT WORTH IT
By Ron Snell
Lawmakers spent the past five years shoring up public retirement plans.  More
Minnesota capitolTARNISHED IMAGE
By Garry Boulard
Capitol renovations started in better times are often a budget burden. More
Illustration of capitol being towedWHAT LEGISLATURES NEED NOW
By Karl Kurtz and Brian Weberg
Legislatures still face plenty of challenges. More
KayakersIN BRIEF: WESTERN WATER
By Larry Morandi
The clash between public water and private land is a constitutional issue in the West. More
Marble columnsIN BRIEF: WOMEN IN LEGISLATURES
Reflecting on 25 years of the Women’s Legislative Network. More

Lynn KesslerEXCELLENT LEADER
By Edward Smith
An award for Washington's House majority leader. More

Telescope illustrationOBSERVING THE STATE-FEDERAL RELATIONSHIP
By William T. Pound
Federalism is a system of dynamic tension between levels of government. More
Illustration of money in a rockerPENSION REFORM: NOT EASY, BUT WORTH IT
By Ron Snell
Lawmakers spent the past five years shoring up public retirement plans.  More
Minnesota capitolTARNISHED IMAGE
By Garry Boulard
Capitol renovations started in better times are often a budget burden. More
Illustration of capitol being towedWHAT LEGISLATURES NEED NOW
By Karl Kurtz and Brian Weberg
Legislatures still face plenty of challenges. More
KayakersIN BRIEF: WESTERN WATER
By Larry Morandi
The clash between public water and private land is a constitutional issue in the West. More
Marble columnsIN BRIEF: WOMEN IN LEGISLATURES
Reflecting on 25 years of the Women’s Legislative Network. More
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State Legislatures Magazine

Features

State Legislatures Magazine

In Print

State Legislatures is the magazine of policy and politics. It informs legislators, staff, lobbyists and the interested public about state actions and innovations in public policy issues before they reach the mainstream.

State Legislatures, published since 1975, is issued 10 times a year and reports on legislation in the 50 states, best practices, the legislative process and institution, leadership and federal initiatives that affect the states. Through its departments it covers trends in tables, charts and graphs, provides short articles on state innovations, and relates life and professional transitions of legislators and staff.

The magazine is mailed to all state legislators, key legislative staff, members of Congress, governors, lobbyists, political scientists, librarians, universities and the interested public.

Complimentary copies of State Legislatures magazine are available to reporters who email or call NCSL's Communications Division at 303-364-7700. 

Online

The State Legislatures home page on the NCSL website is a portal to news for and about state legislatures: the latest innovations, problems, policies and trends from the 50 state capitols and Washington, D.C. It combines information from the printed magazine with multimedia features, online updates and daily news from the top state policy newspapers and networks.

Other portions of the website affiliated with the magazine include:

GrassCatcher: Today's News—Our staff peruse the major news outlets each morning and highlight the day's top policy news clippings. GrassCatcher also lists where the National Conference of State Legislatures is mentioned in the headlines.

Blog: The Thicket—The Thicket at State Legislatures is a bipartisan blog about the legislative institution and federalism. It's written by and for legislative junkies.

Podcast: The Buzz—Hear conversations with NCSL experts and legislators. The Buzz at State Legislatures goes inside the policies, behind the scenes and under the domes of the nation's state Capitols.

Live From NCSL Meetings—Listen to or watch a selection of sessions from NCSL's most popular meetings.

About Us

The National Conference of State Legislatures is the bipartisan organization that serves the legislators and staff of the states, commonwealths and territories. It provides research, technical assistance and opportunities for policymakers to exchange ideas on the most pressing state issues and is an effective and respected advocate for the interests of the states in the American federal system. (Portions of NCSL's site are only available to members.)

State Legislatures magazine
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Denver Office
Tel: 303-364-7700 | Fax: 303-364-7800 | 7700 East First Place | Denver, CO 80230

 

Washington Office
Tel: 202-624-5400 | Fax: 202-737-1069 | 444 North Capitol Street, N.W., Suite 515 | Washington, D.C. 20001

Denver Office
Tel: 303-364-7700 | Fax: 303-364-7800 | 7700 East First Place | Denver, CO 80230

 

Washington Office
Tel: 202-624-5400 | Fax: 202-737-1069 | 444 North Capitol Street, N.W., Suite 515 | Washington, D.C. 20001

©2010 National Conference of State Legislatures.  All Rights Reserved. 

©2010 National Conference of State Legislatures.  All Rights Reserved.