November 8, 2005
State Legislators to Focus on Emergency Preparedness at Upcoming National Meeting
NCSL Fall Forum will take place in Chicago, December 6-9
DENVER – Death and destruction were immediate effects of the violent 2005 hurricane season. Katrina, Rita, and Wilma also left behind questions, not just for the southeast, but for the nation as a whole to ponder: How should we best prepare for disasters? Which layer of government should be responsible for each component of emergency response? How will the nation pay the costs of recovery?
State lawmakers from across the country will gather soon to look for answers to these and other issues facing the United States. The National Conference of State Legislatures’ Fall Forum will take place in Chicago, December 6-9.
The forum will cover disaster preparations and repercussions from several angles.
At the plenary session The Economic Outlook in an Uncertain Time, William Strauss, senior economist and economic advisor at the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago, will discuss the long- and short-term effects the hurricanes will have the nation’s economy. He’ll talk about energy prices, jobs, agricultural commodities, and other places to expect repercussions. This session will be Wednesday, December 7, from 4-5 p.m.
Another plenary, Emergency Preparedness – Lessons Learned from Hurricane Katrina, will cover cooperation in disasters. Federal, state and local authorities must work together to prepare for and respond to catastrophes. A national leader in emergency preparedness will discuss how governments can more effectively do this. This session will be Thursday, December 8, from 8-9:30 a.m.
And in a special briefing on Friday, December 9, experts will examine the challenges and opportunities of rebuilding the unique and vital American city of New Orleans. The Aftermath of Hurricane Katrina: Rebuilding a City and its People will be from 9-10:45 a.m.
Also at the Fall Forum, NCSL’s Executive Committee Task Force on Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness will meet to discuss readiness strategies states can look to next legislative session.
“From the conversations we’ll have and the sessions we’ll attend at Fall Forum – not just about emergency preparedness, but regarding other policy areas like land use, privacy, federal mandates and energy – we lawmakers hope to learn lessons we can apply in our own states,” said NCSL President Steve Rauschenberger, and Illinois Senator.
Two-day pre-conference seminars are scheduled on these topics: financial services, fiscal leadership, trade policy and radio frequency identification technology. And, as usual, the big debates state legislators expect to take part in during their 2006 sessions will be talked about first at the Chicago forum.
At least two national reports will be released. One will update states’ budget situations. And the other will detail unfunded federal mandates contained in the federal budget reconciliation efforts.
Credentialed members of the media can get this broad-brush preview of next legislative session at the Fall Forum for free. To register, send an email to press-room@ncsl.org with your name, organization and contact information. Check the Fall Forum Web site, www.ncsl.org/forum, often for updates on confirmed speakers.
NCSL is the bipartisan organization that serves the legislators and staffs 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.
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