December 9 - December 13, 2003
Hyatt Regency Capitol Hill
Washington, DC

Chair
Representative Roger Thomas, Kentucky

Vice Chairs
Assemblyman Greg Aghazarian , California
Representative Jeff Kropf, Oregon
Senator Steve Morris, Kansas
Representative Clay Pope, Oklahoma

Staff Chair
Barry Denk, Pennsylvania

Tuesday, December 9

7:30 am - 5:30 pm

Hyatt

Fiscal Leaders will discuss recent budgeting strategies, state tax reform efforts, the economic outlook and solutions to state fiscal problems.

Health Leaders will examine successful approaches to containing rising health costs, improving access to quality care, managing long-term care and exploring timely public health issues.

Transportation Leaders will explore critical issues, including financing, TEA-21 reauthorization, traffic safety, teen licensing and commercial vehicle safety.

Wednesday, December 10 

7:00 am - 6:00 pm

Registration

9:00 am - 1:15 pm

Special Seminars for Policy Leaders continue

1:30 am - 3:45 pm

The Committee will engage in a roundtable discussion on public policy for rural America. The session will begin with an introduction to the National Rural Development Council, its state-federal collaboration and partnership, and its Farm Bill-mandated metamorphosis. The Committee will also review expiring and new NCSL lobbying policies on rural issues.

Speakers

4:00 pm - 5:00 pm

Opening Plenary Program

5:15 pm - 6:15 pm

The Steering Committee is comprised of the Overall Standing Committee Officers and the Chair and Staff Chair, or their designee, of each Standing Committee. Chairs should plan to attend or appoint someone to assure Committee representation. This meeting will review the Committees' plans for the Forum and preview any policies anticipated for debate and make determinations regarding joint and re-referral of the resolutions.

6:00 pm - 7:30 pm

Reception

7:15 pm - 7:30pm

The documentary - People Say I'm Crazy - provides an intimate, first hand look at mental illness from the perspective of the subject, John Cadigan, an artist, and his family.

Thursday, December 11

7:00 am - 5:00 pm

Registration

8:00 am - 9:45 am

Plenary Breakfast

10:00 am - 11:45 am

Several state-federal policies relating to livestock, meat production, and meatpacking expire this year: Interstate Shipment of State-Inspected Meat and Poultry, National Agriculture Policy, Reform of Federal Livestock Price Reporting Confidentiality Rules, Regulation of Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations, Temporary Suspension of Approval of Further Mergers of Large Meatpacking Companies, Temporary Suspension of Meat Imports, Unfair Marketing Practices, and Virgorous Enforcement of Discrimination Prohibitions of the Packers and Stockyards Act. This session will begin the Committee's consideration of these issues with a discussion of livestock issues and recent, relevant congressional and USDA activities.

Speakers

12:00 noon - 1:30 pm

Committee members will be invited to report on conferences or meetings they have attended that may be of interest to the larger membership. The Committee may also review and debate state-federal policies. Members wishing to submit amendments or new policies are encouraged to provide those to Committee staff in advance of this Business Meeting. The Committee will engage in a roundtable discussion of the agriculture or rural policy issues emerging in their states and other matters that may be surfacing in Washington of interest to the Committee. The Committee will then plan for the next meetings of the Committee in 2004.

Speakers

1:45 pm - 3:15 pm

(Joint with Economic Development, Trade & Cultural Affairs)

This session will review the effects of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), particularly in light of agricultural trade issues, as the U.S., Canada, and Mexico celebrate the 10^th anniversary of the trade pact. This session will also provide an opportunity for the Committees to hear about agricultural trade negotiations and developments beyond NAFTA, including the failed WTO efforts in Cancun and the other free trade agreements (FTAs) that USTR is busily negotiating.

Speakers

3:30 pm - 5:00 pm

During this session, recent research on state investments in biotechnology and the benefits derived from those investments will be presented to the Committee. Researchers will report on their analyses of particular commodities as well as provide state profiles on biotechnology experience.

Speakers

5:15 pm - 6:00 pm

Standing Committee Chairs, as members of the Standing Committee, should plan to attend. The Steering Committee will review policy statements reported out of Committee and determine the calendars for the Policy Forum.

6:15 pm - 7:30 pm

Reception

Friday, December 12 

8:30 am - 10:30 am

Forum attendees may choose to participate in one of these four special briefings, which will run concurrently.

10:45 am - 12:00 pm

During this plenary meeting, Forum delegates will debate and vote on NCSL's Policy Statements and Resolutions passed out of Committee this Fall Forum.

12:00 pm - 1:30 pm

Closing Plenary Lunch

1:30 pm

Meeting Adjourns

2:00 pm - 5:00 pm

Staff Sections
Task Forces
Ancillary Groups
Workshops

Saturday, December 13

9:00 am - 3:00 pm

Staff Sections
Task Forces
Ancillary Groups
Workshops