COMMITTEE REPORT

2005 ANNUAL MEETING & EXHIBITION DEADLINES APPROACH

Pre-registration for the NCSL 2005 Annual Meeting and Exhibition is now available online at www.ncsl.org/annualmeeting/, to be held August 16-20 in Seattle, Washington. Housing reservations must be secured by July 15 to receive conference rates. Please also note that United Airlines and Alaska Airlines offer special airfare to the Seattle-Tacoma International Airport. Host committee information, including pre and post-conference tours in the Pacific Northwest, is online at www.ncslseattle.com/.

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PARTNERS PROJECT ORGANIZED

NCSL is forming a new partnership between the private sector, legislators, and legislative staff interested in economic development issues. This project will examine state economic development tools and programs, and establish a set of guiding principles for the consideration of economic development policy. It will also feature best practices. The first convening will be during NCSL's Annual Meeting in Seattle. The group will then meet over 18 months in conjunction with other NCSL meetings and the final product will be a publication on the principles of a high-quality state economic development strategy. Contact NCSL staff Mandy Rafool at mandy.rafool@ncsl.org for further information.

TAX INCENTIVE LEGISLATION INTRODUCED IN CONGRESS

In response to the 6th Circuit Court of Appeals decision in the Cuno v. DaimlerChrysler case, U.S. Senator George Voinovich (Ohio) introduced S. 1066 on May 18. The Court ruled Ohio’s tax incentive program in violation of the U.S. Constitution’s commerce clause and the State of Ohio intends to appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court. The proposed legislation authorizes any state to provide tax incentives specifically for the purpose of economic development regardless of potential conflict with the Commerce Clause. If the Supreme Court upholds the decision, tax incentive programs in about 40 other states could be in question. Similar lawsuits are pending in Minnesota, Nebraska and Wisconsin, with a fourth threatened in North Carolina. At the NCSL Spring Forum, the Economic Development, Trade & Cultural Affairs Committee held a joint session with the Budgets & Revenue Committee on the Cuno case and reviewed two action calendar resolutions on the issue. NCSL continues to monitor the issue and the legislation, and the Committees will again jointly meet for updates at the upcoming Annual Meeting.

HOUSING LEGISLATION INTRODUCED BY BUSH ADMINISTRATION

On May 17, the U.S. House Financial Services Committee held a hearing on an Administration proposal to modify the Section 8 housing voucher program through HR 1999, the State and Local Housing Flexibility Act of 2005. Previous proposals to change the program have met with vehement opposition from numerous organizations, including NCSL. Submitted testimony and other committee information is at http://financialservices.house.gov/. An analysis of the bill prepared by the National Low Income Housing Coalition is available online at www.nlihc.org/news/042805.html. NCSL has not taken a position on this bill, but has policy on Responsible Housing on the Committee’s website.

CAFTA-DR TO UNDERGO MOCK MARKUP