Chair
Representative Peter Lewiss, Rhode Island

Vice Chairs
Representative Sheryl Allen, Utah
Representative Terri Austin, Indiana
Representative Michael Jackson, Louisiana
Representative Randy Johnson, Florida

Staff Chair
Hannah Shostack, New Jersey

Staff Vice Chairs
Anna Blackshaw, California
Nelson Fox, Ohio

Tuesday, December 9

7:30 am - 5:30 pm

Special Seminars for Policy Leaders

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

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

1:30 pm - 5:30 pm
Washington Court Hotel

Special Seminar for Policy Leaders

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.

5:30 pm - 7:00 pm
Yorktown - Ballroom Level

Reception
Foundation for State Legislatures' Gold Sponsors Reception in honor of NCSL Standing Committee Officers and Fiscal and Transportation Policy Leaders

Wednesday, December 10 

7:00 am - 6:00 pm
Regency Foyer

Registration

7:30 am - 3:45 pm

Special Seminar for Fiscal Policy Leaders
Special Seminar for Transportation Policy Leaders

9:00 am - 3:30 pm
Washington Court Hotel

Special Seminar for Health Policy Leaders

11:45 am - 1:15 pm
Columbia A/B - Ballroom Level

Special Seminar for Transportation Policy Leaders
Transportation Challenges in the 21st Century
This seminar session is organized particularly for the Transportation and Fiscal Policy Leaders, but may be of interest to Committee members.

Presiding

• Speaker Martin STEPHENS, Utah and President, NCSL

Speaker

• Honorable Norman MINETA, Secretary, U.S. Department of Transportation, District of Columbia

Sponsored by the Transportation and Fiscal Policy Leaders.

1:30 pm - 2:30 pm
Glacier - 2nd Floor Conference Level

Standing Committee Session

The Current State of the Arts
This session will focus on state art and cultural policy. Other topics to consider are the effects of state budget crises on arts and culture funding and cultural policy developments in the states.

Presiding

• Representative Peter LEWISS, Rhode Island and Chair, Economic Development, Trade & Cultural Affairs Committee, NCSL

Speaker

• Kelly BARSDATE, Director of Research, Policy and Evaluation, National Assembly of State Arts Agencies, District of Columbia

2:45 pm - 3:45 pm
Concord/Lexington/Bunker Hill - Ballroom Level

Standing Committee Session

Asset Development
(Joint with Financial Services Committee)
According to the U.S. Census, the poverty rate rose in 2002 for the second consecutive year, as did the number of people living in poverty. This session will examine how state policies encourage or inhibit asset accumulation and asset protection for low-income families and facilitate access to the financial mainstream.

Presiding

• Representative Terri AUSTIN, Indiana and Vice Chair, Economic Development, Trade & Cultural Affairs Committee, NCSL
• Representative Donna STONE, Delaware and Chair, Financial Services Committee, NCSL

Speaker

• Carl RIST, Program Director, Corporation for Enterprise Development, North Carolina

4:00 pm - 5:00 pm
Yorktown/Valley Forge - Ballroom Level

Opening Plenary Program
Introduction to the New Medicare Law
One of the biggest issues facing Congress and the states is health care. Informaiton at this plenary will bring us up to date on the 2004 congressional health care agenda.

Presiding

• Senator Lana OLEEN, Kansas and Chair, Standing Committees, NCSL
• Jack HAILEY, California and Staff Chair, Standing Committees, NCSL

Speaker

• Leslie NORWALK, Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, District of Columbia

5:15 pm - 6:15 pm
Capitol Room - Lobby Level

Steering Committee Meeting
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.

Presiding

• Senator Lana OLEEN, Kansas and Chair, Standing Committees, NCSL
• Jack HAILEY, California and Staff Chair, Standing Committees, NCSL

6:00 pm - 7:30 pm
Regency A/Yorktown/Valley Forge - Ballroom Level

Opening Reception at the Hyatt Regency on Capitol Hill

6:40 pm - 7:00 pm

Special Screening

People Say I'm Crazy
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. The screening is sponsored by AstraZeneca.

Thursday, December 11

7:00 am - 5:00 pm
Regency Foyer - Ballroom Level

Registration

8:00 am - 9:30 am
Regency A, Ballroom Level

Plenary Breakfast
Public Opinion
What's on the mind of voters in these tight fiscal times? Two prominent pollsters discuss their findings on national and state issues and funding priorities.

Introductions

• Doug WALKER, National Education Association, District of Columbia

Presiding

• Delegate Sheila HIXON, Maryland and Vice Chair, Standing Committees, NCSL
• Guy CHERRY, Maryand and Staff Vice Chair, Standing Committees, NCSL

Speakers

• Ed GOEAS, The Tarrance Group, District of Columbia
• Al QUINLIN, Greenberg Quinlan Rosner Research Inc., District of Columbia

10:00 am - 11:45 am
Congressional E - Lobby Level

Standing Committee Session

Committee Business Meeting and Roundtable
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 will also review and debate state-federal policies. In particular, the Committee will discuss the Affordable Housing, Free Trade & Federalism, North American Free Trade Agreement, Temporary Suspension of Approval of Further Mergers of Large Meatpacking Companies 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 economic development, international trade, or cultural 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.

Presiding

• Representative Peter LEWISS, Rhode Island and Chair, Economic Development, Trade & Cultural Affairs Committee, NCSL

12:00 pm - 1:30 pm
Congressional E - Lobby Level

Standing Committee Session

Economic Development Strategies That Work
The national economy has changed significantly over the last two decades. Manufacturing jobs, which were once the mainstay of the American economy, have disappeared and seem unlikely to return. Now, service jobs have started to move abroad or otherwise vanish. Are traditional state economic development strategies still adequate? Or is it time to develop new tactics? This session will explore various policies that states have successfully employed and some of the available development tools.

• Hannah SHOSTACK, Principal Research Analyst, Office of Legislative Services, New Jersey and Staff Chair, Standing Committee on Economic Development, Trade & Cultural Affairs, NCSL (Invited)

Speaker

• Miles FRIEDMAN, Executive Director, National Association of State Development Agencies, District of Columbia

1:45 pm - 3:15 pm
Ticonderoga - Ballroom Level

Standing Committee Session

NAFTA at 10: Agricultural Trade
(Joint with Agriculture & Rural Development Committee)
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.

• Representative Clay POPE, Oklahoma and Vice Chair, Agriculture & Rural Development Committee, NCSL
• Anna BLACKSHAW, Consultant, Senate Select Committee on International Trade and State Legislation, California and Staff Vice Chair, Economic Development, Trade & Cultural Affairs Committee, NCSL (Invited)

Speakers

• Lloyd DAY, Confidential Assistant to the Administrator, Foreign Agricultural Services, U.S. Department of Agriculture, District of Columbia (Invited)
• John MASSWOHL, Agriculture & Fisheries Counsellor, Canadian Embassy, District of Columbia
• Embassy of Mexico, District of Columbia (Invited)

3:30 pm - 5:00 pm
Columbia C - Ballroom Level

Standing Committee Session

GATS and State Energy Policy
(Joint with the Energy & Electric Utilities Committee)
The General Agreement on Trade in Services (GATS) is a multilateral trade negotiation intended to reduce barriers to international trade in services. As with many U.S. trade negotiations, many of the barriers to trade identified by our trading partners are state laws or regulatory requirements that vary across state lines. Energy is one sector potentially impacted by these negotiations. This session will define GATS, explore the negotiating process, and analyze potential state implications.

Presiding

• Representative Sheryl ALLEN, Utah and Vice Chair, Economic Development, Trade & Cultural Affairs Committee, NCSL
• Representative Terry BACKER, Connecticut and Vice Chair, Energy & Electric Utility Committee, NCSL (Invited)

Speakers

• David WASKOW, International Trade Policy Analyst, Friends of the Earth, District of Columbia
• Representative George ESKRIDGE, Idaho
• Carol BALASSA, Director for Services Trade Negotiations, U.S. Trade Representative, District of Columbia

5:15 pm - 6:00 pm
Yorktown - Ballroom Level

Steering Committee

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.

Presiding

• Senator Lana OLEEN, Kansas and Chair, Standing Committees, NCSL
• Jack HAILEY, California and Staff Chair, Standing Committees, NCSL

6:00 pm -8:00 pm
Diplomatic Receiving Rooms

Reception at the U.S. Department of State
Transportation will be available from the hotel to the reception.
This reception is hosted by Robert Boucher, Assistant Secretary of State for Public Affairs, and sponsored by AT&T.

Friday, December 12 

7:30 am - 1:00 pm
Regency Foyer - Ballroom Level

8:00 am - 9:45 am
Capitol Room - Lobby Level

Special Briefing
Identity Security: How Do We Know It's You?
Government has responsibility for issuing "life" documents that are the gateway to obtaining a legally recognized identity in our country. These documents are a weak link in a broken identify security system that actually enables theft, fraud and invasion of privacy instead of limiting them. This program will explore what's required to improve security and strengthen laws and policies governing ID systems.

• Senator Steve KELLEY, Minnesota

Speakers

• Kat HOLLIS, Digital Identification Group, EDS, Virginia
• Richard VARN, RJV Consulting, Iowa
• Senator Debra BOWEN, California
• Dan COMBS, Global ID Solutions, New York
• Michael VATIS, Task Force on National Security in the Information Age, Markle Foundation, New York

8:00 am - 9:45 am
Concord/Lexington/Bunker Hill - Ballroom Level

Special Briefing
Keeping the Promise: The Insurance Compact and the Future of Insurance Regulation
NCSL and state insurance commissioners have endorsed the creation of an interstate insurance compact for life insurance and annuity products that is critical to the future of state insurance regulation and $12 billion a year in insurance revenues. This session explores the threat of federal insurance regulation and how the compact promises to improve consumer protections, provide regulatory efficiency and preserve the state system.

• Senator Kemp HANNON, New York and Co-Chair, Task Force to Streamline and Simplify Insurance Regulation, NCSL
• Frank KEATING, American Council of Life Insurers, District of Columbia
• Representative Frank MAUTINO, Illinois and Co-Chair, Task Force to Streamline and Simplify Insurance Regulation, NCSL
• Diane KOKEN, Insurance Department, Pennsylvania

Breakfast is sponsored by the American Council of Life Insurers.

10:00 am - 11:00 am
Columbia A/B - Ballroom Level

Special Plenary Session
National Defense
During this special session, America's national defense policies and priorities for 2004 will be discussed.

Introduction

• Speaker Martin STEPHENS, Utah and President, NCSL

Presiding

• Senator Lana OLEEN, Kansas and Chair, Standing Committees, NCSL

Speaker

• Honorable Donald RUMSFELD, Secretary, U.S. Department of Defense, District of Columbia

11:00 am - 12:00 pm
Columbia A/B - Ballroom Level

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

Presiding

• Senator Lana OLEEN, Kansas and Chair, Standing Committees, NCSL

12:15 pm - 1:45 pm
Regency A - Ballroom Level

Closing Plenary Lunch
Preparing the Future: The Impact of Population Changes on State Policy
Join this nationally recognized demographer for the latest look at how changing population trends will impact the states and what legislators need to know to prepare for the future.

Presiding

• Senator Larry DIEDRICH, South Dakota and Vice Chair, NCSL Standing Committee

Speaker

• Harold HODGKINSON, Center for Demographic Policy, Virginia

1:45 pm

Fall Forum Adjourns

1:45 pm - 2:30 pm
Olympic - 2nd Floor Conference Level

Ancillary Group
Banking and the Foundation for State Legislatures (FSL) Roundtable
Legislators, staff and members of NCSL's Foundation for State Legislatures will take this opportunity to discuss and shape the agenda for a potential FSL Partnership project on state banking issues. This session is sponsored by the Financial Services Standing Committee.

1:45 pm - 2:30 pm
Concord - Ballroom Level

Ancillary Group
Internet Privacy and the Foundation for State Legislatures (FSL) Partnership Steering Committee Meeting

Presiding

• Senator Steve KELLEY, Minnesota
• Representative Roger ROY, Delaware

2:00 pm - 4:00 pm
Capitol Room - Lobby Level

Ancillary Group
How Can State Legislators Help Low-income Women and their Families Achieve Economic Success?
This session focuses on creative approaches to achieving family economic self-sufficiency and how state legislators play a role in creating such opportunities for women and their families. Join us for presentations and a roundtable discussion organized by the Women's Legislative Network of NCSL and the NCSL/Annie E. Casey Partnership to Strengthen Families and Neighborhoods.

Presiding

• Representative Sheryl ALLEN, Utah

Speakers

• Donna CALLEJON, Washington Area Women's Foundation, District of Columbia
• Bonnie HOWARD, Annie E. Casey Foundation, Maryland

2:00 pm - 5:00 pm
Columbia A - Ballroom Level

Ancillary Group
The Legislative Education Staff Network Fall Seminar (LESN) begins.
Separate registration is required but there is no registration fee for this two-day meeting.

2:30 pm - 3:30 pm
Concord - Ballroom Level

Ancillary Group
Identification (ID) Security and the Foundation for State Legislatures (FSL) Partnership Steering Committee Meeting

Presiding

• Senator Steve KELLEY, Minnesota
• Delegate Joe MAY, Virginia

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