Resources

The background and history leading to the formation of the National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL) is detailed in the article, “The History of Us,” written by Karl Kurtz, NCSL director of the Trust for Representative Democracy, published in the July/August 1999 edition of the NCSL’s magazine, State Legislatures. The article describes the growth of NCSL since its creation in 1975 and its focus and direction in developing a wide range of services and products in support of state legislators and legislative staff.

Carl Tubbesing, former NCSL deputy director, describes the shifting balance of power between the states and federal government in his article, “The State-Federal Tug of War,” published in the July/August 1999 edition of State Legislatures.

“Strong States, Strong Nation,” written by William Pound, NCSL’s executive director, for the July/August 2006 edition of State Legislatures, highlights the ways that states have led the country in many policy areas--health care, education, environment, energy, telecommunications, criminal justice, financial services and more. Pound states, “We firmly believe that the spirit of America resides with the states and that the future of our country depends on states’ ability to lead the discussion on public policy issues.“