National Conference of State Legislature Opposes the State Video Tax Fairness Act (Action Resolution); This resolution opposes federal legislation that would prohibit states from applying tax neutral taxing regimes to video services.
Natural Disaster Mitigation and Insurance: This is a new policy that calls for a national commission to determine what action is necessary to support and enhance the ability of existing state insurance and insurance mechanisms to cope with catastrophic natural disasters.
NCSL Opposes Federal Contactless Technology Mandates for State Issued Identification Documents (Action Resolution):Resolution opposes any federal mandate that would require certain technology be imbedded in state documents for purposes of tracking individuals.
NCSL Supports Federal VoIP Communications Sourcing (Action Resolution):Resolution calls for the introduction and consideration of legislation that would establish a national framework for states to be able to source VoIP calls for the purpose of collecting taxes and ending needless litigation."
Resolution in Opposition to the National Insurance Consumer Protection Act (Action Resolution):Opposes congressional legislation that would establish an optional federal insurance charter.
State Sovereignty in Financial Services:Reaffirms support for states’ ability to regulate banks, insurance, credit unions and securities.
Support of Public Private Partnerships to Increase Broadband Internet Adoption and Use (Action Resolution):This resolution calls upon the federal government to ensure broadband grants through ARRA be used to ensure that sufficient funds are allocated towards broadband awareness, adoption, use, and digital literacy programs.
The Internet and Electronic Commerce:This addresses several related questions concerning Internet privacy, governance, network neutrality, gambling and electronic commerce.
Spectrum Management: Calls on Congress not to diminish the spectrum that has been promised to state and local public safety uses and opposes the auction of the D-Block spectrum.
* See all policies of the Communications, Financial Services and Interstate Commerce Committee
Communications, Financial Services & Interstate Commerce/Budgets and Revenue (Joint Committee Policies)
National Conference of State Legislatures Supports and Urges Enactment of the Main Street Fairness Act (Action Resolution): Resolution supports the enactment of the Main Street Fairness Act which when enacted would give states that comply with the Streamlined Sales & Use Tax Agreement the authority to require out of state sellers to collect those states’ sales taxes, closing a $23 billion loss for states.
Education/Labor and Economic Development
Common Academic Standards: This is an expiring policy that is being updated to reflect that recent activity around common standards. This includes the release of the Common Core Standards by NGA and CCSSO as well as proposals to make the adoption of the Common Core a requirement for receipt of Title I funding under ESEA reauthorization.
The Federal Role in Career and Technical Education: This is a new policy that both the Education Committee and Labor and Economic Development Committee have had in this past that expired because of lack of federal activity. With the focus on job creation both committees felt it was time to revisit the issue.
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Environment
Clean Diesel: This is a current policy that is not up for renewal this year however staff has been approached regarding current efforts to reauthorize the Diesel Emission Reduction Act (DERA) whose activities are supported by the policy. Staff edits add language making it clear that NCSL supports reauthorization of DERA.
Environmental Federalism: This is an existing policy scheduled to sunset. This policy is our foundation policy for the state-federal partnership in environmental regulation.
National Water Resources Policy: This is the current policy scheduled to sunset that covers issues around water management including issues such as allocation, day-to-day use, water conservation of and management of seasonal or intermittent water resources. Discusses the nature of the balance between state and federal policy and the need for coordination amongst multiple federal agencies.
Native American Water and Fishing Rights: This is an existing policy scheduled to sunset, which discusses issues of concern when there are conflicting claims to water and fishing resources between tribes and non-native American users. The policy discusses methods for resolution of such claims and relevant activities or involvement for state, tribal and federal government.
Oil Spill Prevention, Response and Cleanup: This policy is scheduled to sunset this year but the committee took it up prior to the current situation in the Gulf of Mexico. Since staff has been told to expect a proposed amendment concerning the federal liability cap we are recommending the committee again consider the policy in lieu of the current version that is on the Consent Calendar from the December meeting. Staff is also recommending additional language be added to the policy to urge the federal government to streamline approval of state remediation efforts in times of crisis such as the current situation in the Gulf.
Water Quality:This is an existing policy scheduled to sunset that addresses issues and funding concerns related to activities tied to clean water, drinking water and ground water resources.
Water Use in Energy Production: This is a new policy to address the withdrawal and consumption of water associated with energy production and its impact on overall water quantity levels in the nation.
Wetlands: This is an existing policy scheduled to sunset that establishes NCSL support for the protection of wetlands and addresses the balance of activities and responsibilities between states and the federal government.
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Health
2010 National Drug Control Strategy's Health Agenda (Action Resolution): This is a new policy that expresses NCSL's support for some of the key health-related recommendations in the 2010 National Drug Control Strategy developed by the Office of National Drug Policy.
Drug Safety: Updates an existing policy to reflect the enactment of the Food and Drug Administration Amendments Act of 2007 and the Ryan Haight Online Pharmacy Consumer Protection Act.
Principles for Implementing Federal Health Reform: This is a new policy that establishes guiding principles for the implementation of the health reform law ensuring that the process is a collaborative effort between states and the federal government, and that it will provide sufficient resources and information to states to enable them to fully carry out their role.
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Human Services and Welfare
Refugee Assistance and Immigrant Integration:This is longstanding policy scheduled to sunset without further action. The policy discusses refugee resettlement, services to legal immigrants and raises concerns about cost-shifts to states. Issues related to federal immigration reform are covered in the separate Immigration Reform Policy, which was adopted in 2009.
*See all Policies of the Human Services and Welfare Committee
Human Services and Welfare/Budgets and Revenue (Joint Commitee Policies)
Financial Policies That Reward Work: Earned Income Tax Credit and Individual Development Accounts:Accounts (joint with Budgets and Revenue): This is a longstanding policy scheduled to sunset without further action. The policy supports the federal EITC and federal incentives for individual development accounts.
Human Servies and Welfare/Law and Criminal Justice (Joint Committee Policies)
Child Support Enforcement:This is an existing policy scheduled to sunset without further action. The policy supports the state federal partnership and funding of child support, details opposition to preemption of family law and opposes efforts to eliminate the states' ability to use federal incentive funds as match.
Federalism Issues Raised By Faith Based Initiatives: This is a longstanding policy ensuring a role for states in this area of policy making that will sunset without further action.
Combating Human Trafficking: This is a new policy to look at ways the federal government can improve its efforts to stop trafficking of persons, provide assistance to victims and work cooperative with states. It is the culmination of a year-long study by the two committees into state and federal efforts to combat trafficking.
Labor and Economic Development
Divestment: This is a rewrite of an existing policy. New changes include a stronger emphasis on the federal government to assist states who chose to divest their public pension funds in companies doing business in countries identified by the U.S. Department of State as state sponsors of terrorism.
Economic Development: This is a new policy urging the federal government to better coordinate their economic development efforts and to establish a new coordinator in the Office of the President to assist in executive office level coordination efforts.
Employment Security System Funding: This is a rewrite of an existing policy. Efforts were made to streamline existing language. New changes include a focus on federal funding of state unemployment insurance systems and new sections on extended benefits and trust fund solvency.
Free Trade and Federalism:This is a rewrite of an existing policy. Efforts were made to streamline existing language. The policy focuses on what NCSL would like the federal government to do when considering trade policies and programs.
Responsible Housing:This is a rewrite of an existing policy which has been updated with new language to reflect the current situation with federal housing programs.
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Law and Criminal Justice
Campaign Finance Reform:This is a longstanding policy that will sunset without further action. The policy opposes federal legislation that preempts state campaign finance laws.
Continuity of Congress and Special Elections:This is a current policy that will sunset without further action. It opposes federal legislation that preempts state laws governing the timing and requirements of special elections for replacement of House of Representatives members.
Combating Human Trafficking: 9Joint with Human Services and Welfare. This is a new policy to look at ways the federal government can improve its efforts to stop trafficking of persons, provide assistance to victims and work cooperative with states. It is the culmination of a year-long study by the two committees into state and federal efforts to combat trafficking.
Crime and Justice: This is a longstanding policy that will sunset without further action. It supports federal criminal justice funding to states and opposes federalizing state criminal laws. The policy contains a new section opposing Congress' current trend of penalizing states for noncompliance with federal criminal justice priorities by withholding a percentage of state Byrne/Jag funding.
Election Reform:This is a longstanding policy that will sunset without further action. It supports state elections laws and opposes federal preemption of those laws. The policy also encourages the federal government to provide sustained funding for state elections administration.
*See all policies of the Law and Criminal Justice Committee
Transportation
Hazardous Materials Transportation:This is a renewal of an existing policy that outlines the state and federal roles in hazardous materials transportation. The committee will discuss possible changes to the section regarding federal registration and permitting.
High–Speed Rail: This a new policy developed by NCSL’s High-Speed Rail Working Group chaired by New York state Senator Malcolm Smith and Nevada state Senator Dennis Nolan. The policy addresses research and development funding, planning and evaluation and liability issues.
Motor Carrier Regulation:This is a renewal of an existing policy that outlines the state and federal roles in motor carrier regulation. In general, states should be treated as equal partners with the federal government, and efforts should be made to avoid unnecessary and burdensome mandates and requirements
Waterways and Ports:This is a renewal and update of an existing policy that outlines NCSL’s position on ports and waterways. The policy was updated to remove outdated information regarding the Transportation Worker Identification Card (TWIC) and the Coast Guards access to the National Drivers Registry.
* See all policies of the Transportation Committee
Last Updated August 4, 2010