Officers:

Legislator Chair

Representative Sharon Weston Broome, Louisiana

Legislator Vice-Chairs

Representative Sheryl Allen, Utah
Senator Richard Kneeland, Maine
Representative Peter Lewiss, Rhode Island
Representative Opio Toure, Oklahoma

Staff Chair

John Rappa, Connecticut

Staff Vice-Chairs

Anne Blackshaw, California
Hannah Shostack, New Jersey

NCSL Staff:

DC Office
Denver Office

Jeremy Meadows
Mandy Rafool

Thursday, April 24, 2003

7:30 am - 5:30 pm
Beacon Hill Room, Fourth Floor

Preconference Seminar

How Can Rural Development and Health and Human Services Improve Small Communities? The Role for States
Convened by NCSL with support from the U.S. Health Resources and Services Administration's (HRSA) Office of Rural Health Policy (There is no additional registration fee for this seminar.)

7:30 am - 8:30 am

Continental Breakfast and Registration

8:30 am - 8:45 am

Welcome

Speakers:

• Tim Henderson, National Conference of State Legislatures, District of Columbia
• Marcia Brand, HRSA's Office of Rural Health Policy, Maryland

8:45 am - 9:30 am

Strengthening Rural Families: The Importance of Economic Security

Speaker:

• Miriam Shark, Annie E. Casey Foundation, Maryland

9:30 am - 11:00 am

Rural Development and Health Care: Improving the Quality of Life in Small Communities

Speakers:

• Representative Ken Svedjan, North Dakota Invited
• Gerald Doekson, Oklahoma State University, Oklahoma
• Bobby Gierisch, Professional Staff, Texas House of Representatives, Texas
• Sam Tessen, Texas Office of Rural Community Affairs, Texas

11:00 am - 11:15 am

Break

11:15 am - 1:00 pm

The Current Federal Climate for Health and Human Services: Implications for Rural Communities

Speakers:

• Joy Wilson, Senior Committee Director, NCSL Standing Committee on Health, District of Columbia
• Sheri Steisel, Senior Committee Director, NCSL Standing Committee on Human Services & Welfare, District of Columbia
• Marcia Brand, HRSA's Office of Rural Health Policy, Maryland
• Dianne McSwain, Office of the Secretary, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, District of Columbia

Lunch

1:15 pm - 2:45 pm

Economic Incentives to Strengthen the Rural Workforce: Opportunities for Improving Health and Human Services

Speakers:

• Evelyn Torkelson, Spokane, Washington Deaconess Medical Center and Washington Rural Development Council Board, Washington
• Valerie Hepburn, Georgia Department of Community Health, Georgia
• Karen Love, Houston-Galveston Area Workforce Council, Texas
• Andrea Aguiar, Illinois Rural Families Program, Illinois

2:45 pm - 3:00 pm

Break

3:00 pm - 4:30 pm

Models for Improving Financial Access to Health and Human Services in Rural Areas

Speakers:

• Doug Howard, Consultant, Doug Howard Consulting, Michigan
• Rebecca Pasternik-Ikard, Oklahoma Health Care Authority, Oklahoma

4:30 pm - 5:30 pm

Reception

11:00 am - 6:00 pm
Exeter Foyer

Forum Registration

5:00 pm - 6:00 pm
Cambridge Room, Fourth Floor

NCSL Standing Committee Steering Committee Meeting

All Standing Committee Officers should attend.

7:00 am - 6:00 pm
Exeter Foyer

Registration

8:00 am - 9:30 am
Georgian Room, Mezzanine

Plenary Breakfast: State Fiscal Conditions

The budget challenges facing state legislatures this year are unprecedented. Hear about the latest economic trends and how state legislatures are coping with these tight fiscal times.

Speakers:

• Lynn Browne, Executive Vice President and Economic Advisor, Federal Reserve Bank of Boston, Massachusetts
• Corina Eckl, Group Director, Fiscal Affairs Program, National Conference of State Legislatures, Colorado
• Speaker of the House Thomas Finneran, Massachusetts
• Senator Lana Oleen, Senate Majority Leader, Kansas

9:45 am - 11:15 am
Clarendon Room, Mezzanine

Keeping State Budgets Afloat
(Joint session with Education Committee, Budgets & Revenue Committee and Agriculture & Rural Development Committee)

Many states are dealing with the most disturbing fiscal conditions in a decade, presenting policymakers with both opportunities and significant challenges. How are these being handled? Don't miss this roundtable discussion of the latest approaches for dealing with state budget gaps.

Facilitator:

• Corina Eckl, Group Director, Fiscal Affairs Program, National Conference of State Legislatures, Colorado

11:30 am - 1:00 pm
Stuart Room, Fourth Floor

Working Lunch on Housing and Predatory Mortgage Lending (Joint session with Financial Services Committee)

Legislation has been introduced in Congress that would preempt all state authority to regulate any activities related to mortgage lending, including predatory practices. Meanwhile, federal agencies have sought to preempt state anti-predatory lending laws through regulatory actions. This session examines federal legislation and regulation and their potential affect on state authority to protect financial consumers against abusive and deceptive mortgage lending practices. Although NCSL already has policy that opposes preemption of state authority related to mortgage lending, the Committees could consider a resolution to specifically address current federal activity. (Boxed lunches will be available for this session.)

Co-Presiding:

• Representative Peter Lewiss, Rhode Island and Vice Chair, Economic Development, Trade & Cultural Affairs Committee
• Representative Donna Stone, Delaware and Vice Chair, Financial Services Committee

• Gregory Jefferson, Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now, New York
• Colleen Kelly, Credit Union National Association, District of Columbia
• Denis O'Toole, Household International, District of Columbia
• John Ryan, Conference of State Bank Supervisors, District of Columbia

1:15 pm - 2:15 pm
St. James Room, Fourth Floor

Agricultural Trade (Joint session with Agriculture & Rural Development Committee)

The Committees will review expiring joint policy on this issue.

Presiding:

• Representative Sharon Weston Broome, Louisiana and Chair, Economic Development, Trade & Cultural Affairs Committee

• Ambassador Shaun Donelly, Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary, Bureau of Economic and Business Affairs, U.S. Department of State, District of Columbia (Invited)
• John Masswohl, Agriculture & Fisheries Counsellor, Canadian Embassy, District of Columbia
• William T. Waren, Fellow, Forum on Democracy & Trade, District of Columbia

2:15 pm - 3:15 pm
St. James Room, Fourth Floor

Respecting Federalism in Trade Agreements

The Committee will review expiring policies.

Presiding:

• Representative Sharon Weston Broome, Louisiana and Chair, Economic Development, Trade & Cultural Affairs Committee

• Ambassador Shaun Donelly, Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary, Bureau of Economic and Business Affairs, U.S. Department of State, District of Columbia (Invited)
• John Masswohl, Agriculture & Fisheries Counsellor, Canadian Embassy, District of Columbia
• William T. Waren, Fellow, Forum on Democracy & Trade, District of Columbia

3:30 pm - 5:00 pm
St. James Room, Fourth Floor

Biotechnology as Cluster Development in New England
(Joint session with Economic Development, Trade & Cultural Affairs Committee)

Cluster development is a relatively new state strategy to encourage business growth. Biotechnology -- for agricultural, pharmaceutical, life sciences research and other industries -- has emerged as such a cluster. This session will examine the value of cluster development and the Massachusetts biotechnology cluster as a successful example.

Co-Presiding:

• Representative Sheryl Allen, Utah and Vice Chair, Economic Development, Trade & Cultural Affairs Committee
• Representative Clay Pope, Oklahoma and Vice Chair, Agriculture & Rural Development Committee

• Erin Flynn, Future Works, Massachusetts

5:15 pm - 6:00 pm
Plaza Ballroom, Mezzanine

NCSL Standing Committee Steering Committee Meeting

All Standing Committee Officers should attend.

6:30 pm - 8:00 pm
Lower Lobby

Reception in the Terrace Room

Name badges must be worn to the reception.

7:00 am - 5:00 pm
Exeter Foyer

Registration

8:15 am - 9:15 am
Mezzanine & Fourth Floor

Continental Breakfast

8:45 am - 10:15 am
Cambridge Room, Fourth Floor

Betting on the Future of Gaming Revenue
(Joint session with Law & Criminal Justice and Budgets & Revenue Committees)

More states are looking at gaming as a possible way to patch current budget holes. This interactive discussion session will explore fiscal and legal issues surrounding gaming, including its viability as a state revenue source and agreements with Indian tribes.

Presiding:

• Senator Wayne Bryant, New Jersey and Chair, Budgets & Revenue Committee

• John Rappa, Principal Analyst, Connecticut and Staff Chair, Economic Development, Trade & Cultural Affairs Committee

10:30 am - 12:00 pm
Clarendon Room, Mezzanine

NCSL Forum Business Meeting

State-Federal policies adopted in Committee during the Spring Forum will be considered, along with any other business before the Forum, at this time.

12:15 pm - 2:00 pm
Georgian Room, Mezzanine

Plenary Lunch: Leadership in Trying Times

2:15 pm - 4:00 pm
Terrace Room, Lower Lobby

Special Briefing: Economic Recovery

2:15 pm - 4:00 pm
Whittier Room, Fourth Floor

Special Briefing: Prescription Drugs

2:15 pm - 4:00 pm
White Hill Room, Fourth Floor

Special Briefing: Homeland Security -- Safeguarding America's Agriculture and Food Supply

Intentional contamination fo the food supply is not a new threat to the American public. In Oregon in 1984, the Rajneesh cult contaminated a number of restaurant salad bars with salmonella causing illness in at least 751 individuals. How great is the current potential for our food supply to be a target or tool of terrorism? Learn about the history of germ warfare in our food supply, the implications of the new Department of Homeland Security, and what activities -- surveillance, detection, response -- are underway to avoid future terrorist activities in the American homeland.

Speaker:

• Jonathan Ban, Research Associate, Chemical and Biological Arms Control Institute, District of Columbia (Invited)

8:30 am - 9:30 am
Georgian Room, Mezzanine

Continental Breakfast

9:00 am - 11:30 am
Georgian Room, Mezzanine

Plenary Session: How to Win the Interview Game

Ever been caught off-guard by a reporter or wished you had answered an interview question differently? Join us for a hands-on workshop, designed especially for legislators and staff, to help you sharpen your skills for dealing with the media.

Speaker:

• Frank Kauffman, Fleishman-Hillard, District of Columbia

11:30 am

Meeting Adjourns