Thursday, April 6

Site Visit - Executive Breakfast Briefing
Sponsored by the State Bankers Associations and the American Bankers Association
Committee members are invited to this special briefing on privacy issues, disaster relief and predatory lending.
Space is limited; RSVP to Heather Morton (303-364-7700) by March 30^th to participate.

Presiding:
Senator Ruth TEICHMAN, Kansas and Chair, Financial Services Committee, NCSL
Speakers:
Issue Specialists, American Bankers Association, Washington, D.C. 

Federal Reserve

Transportation will be provided; rendez-vous instructions are available upon RSVP.

During this site visit to the Federal Reserve headquarters in Foggy Bottom, the Committee will receive a briefing on the Federal Reserve’s financial literacy initiatives and community outreach efforts from a member of the Board of Governors.
Space is limited; RSVP to Heather Morton (303-364-7700) by March 30^th to participate.

Presiding:
Ruth TEICHMAN, Kansas and Chair, Financial Services Committee, NCSL
Speaker:
Mark W. OLSON, Member of the Board of Governors, Federal Reserve Board, District of Columbia

11:00 am. - 12:45 pm

Transportation will be provided; details will be available upon RSVP. 

Committee members are invited to this special briefing.
During lunch, the Committee will continue it’s discussion of financial literacy programs and will learn about efforts by the American Financial Services Association.

Space is limited; RSVP to Heather Morton (303-364-7700) by March 30^th to participate.

Presiding:
Ruth TEICHMAN, Kansas and Chair, Financial Services Committee, NCSL
Speakers:
Dan IANNICOLA, Jr., Deputy Assistant Secretary for Financial Education, U.S. Department of Treasury, Washington, D.C.
Loretta ABRAMS, Vice President of Consumer Affairs, HSBC, Chicago, Illinois
Dara DUGAY, Director, Office of Financial Education, Citigroup, Washington, D.C.
M. Susie IRVINE, President & CEO, AFSA Education Foundation, Washington, D.C.

Standing Committee Session and Financial Services Academy

The ABCs of Protecting Financial Consumers
Living the American Dream today requires navigating a complex financial marketplace with more choices and potential pitfalls than ever before.  An extensive patchwork of state and federal safeguards protects financial consumers from unsafe, unfair and deceptive trade practices.  This session surveys consumer protections for banking, insurance and investments and explores how they work to promote and preserve financial security.

Presiding:
Jon HEDEGARD, Counsel, House Financial Institutions & Insurance Committee, Washington and Staff Chair, Financial Services Committee, NCSL
Speaker:
Dr. John TATOM, Director of Research, Networks Financial Institute, Associate Professor, Indiana State University

Handout:
PowerPoint

Standing Committee Session and Financial Services Academy

When I'm 64:  Savings and Investments
As more Americans join the financial mainstream, the options for saving and investing have become increasingly complex and sophisticated.  From stocks to bonds to mutual funds, from CDs and money market accounts to life insurance and annuities, these products have broken down one-time barriers that separated financial sectors to expand available services as people build assets, save for retirement and plan their estates.

Presiding:
Melissa CALDERWOOD, Principal Analyst, Legislative Research Department, Kansas and Staff Vice Chair, Financial Services Committee, NCSL
Speaker:
David W. DUNNING, Executive Vice President, Senior Managing Director, Private Client Group, National City Bank, Chicago, Illinois

Handout:
PowerPoint

Plenary Session - The 2006 National Agenda

House Minority Whip Steny Hoyer of Maryland will outline the Democratic perspective on the 2006 congressional agenda. Representative Hoyer, who was president of the Maryland Senate before coming to Congress, is speaking in place of Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton.  House Minority Whip Steny Hoyer will be joined by The Honorable George Reid, Presiding Officer of the Scottish Parliament.  The Scottish Parliament is NCSL’s newest international affiliate.  President Officer Reid brings greetings from Scotland and will comment on the National Tartan Day celebrations in the United States.

Speakers:
House Minority Whip Steny HOYER, Maryland
The Honorable George REID, Presiding Officer, Scottish Parliament

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.  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. 

6:15 pm - 7:30 pm
Ticonderoga/Yorktown

Opening Reception at the Hyatt Regency Capitol Hill

The National Conference of State Legislatures gratefully acknowledges AT&T for sponsoring this reception.

Friday, April 7

Plenary Session - The Administration's Domestic Priorities

Major changes made in the past few months to Medicaid, Medicare and welfare are of compelling interest to state legislatures.  The Honorable Michael Leavitt, Secretary, Department of Health and Human Services and former governor of Utah, will provide an update on how the Department of Health and Human Services is implementing these critical state-federal programs.

Speaker:
Secretary Michael LEAVITT, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, District of Columbia 

Standing Committee Session

Protecting Military Consumers
This session will review the issues arising regarding the financial services provided to U.S. military personnel, particularly during a time of war.

Presiding:
Jon HEDEGARD, Counsel, House Financial Institutions & Insurance Committee, Washington and Staff Chair, Financial Services Committee, NCSL
Speakers:
Commissioner John OXENDINE, Department of Insurance, Georgia
Ray SPRINGSTEEN, Vice President of Member Services, Service Credit Union, New Hampshire
Financial Readiness Campaign, U.S. Department of Defense, Virginia (invited)

Handouts:
Service Credt Union PowerPoint

Standing Committee Session

Committee Business Meeting
The Committee will review the policies still needing attention before the end of the Conference Year, discuss issues for future Committee hearings and attention, and constitute the Insurance Market Conduct Subcommittee initiated at the 2005 Fall Forum in Chicago.

Presiding:
Senator Ruth TEICHMAN, Kansas and Chair, Financial Services Committee, NCSL

Standing Committee Session

Reducing the Number of Uninsured Motorists
Joint with the Transportation Committee
States continue to grapple with the issue of uninsured motorists.  The number of uninsured motorists on the road has been estimated as high as 20 percent.  This session will examine how states and insurance companies are attempting to reduce the number of uninsured drivers.

Presiding:
Senator Ruth TEICHMAN, Kansas and Chair, Financial Services Committee, NCSL
Speakers:
Corey BUFFO, General Counsel, Department of Motor Vehicles, Washington, D.C.
Libby CLAPP, Chief Information Officer, Department of Motor Vehicles, Washington, D.C.
James J. WHITTLE, Assistant General Counsel, American Insurance Association, Washington, D.C.

Standing Committee Session

Shoring Up Flood Insurance
The National Flood Insurance Program has been devastated by the past years’ hurricane seasons and other natural disasters.  This session will review the program, efforts on Capitol Hill to shore it up or reform it, and states’ interests in these efforts.

Presiding:
Melissa CALDERWOOD, Principal Analyst, Legislative Research Department, Kansas and Staff Vice Chair, Financial Services Committee, NCSL
Speakers:
Mark CALABRIA, Staff, U.S. Senate Banking Committee, Washington, D.C.
David MAURSTAD, Acting Director and Federal Insurance Administrator, Mitigation Division, Federal Emergency Management Agency, Washington, D.C.
Brett PALMER, Managing Director, National Association of Insurance Commissioners, Washington, D.C. 

Standing Committee Session

Will You be Using Your Stored Value Card Today?
Cosponsored by the FSL Banking Partners Project
Stored value cards--including gift cards, payroll cards and government benefit cards--are one of the fastest growing products in the financial services industry.  What are the different types of stored value cards and how do they work?  Although often viewed as an alternative to a traditional checking account particularly for the unbanked, a stored value card may not offer all of the same consumer protections.  This session will compare and contrast the different stored value cards.  Come to this session to learn how to distinguish between these products and how they are currently regulated.

Presiding:
Representative Donna STONE, Delaware and Chair, FSL Banking Partners Project
Jon HEDEGARD, Counsel, House Financial Institutions & Insurance Committee, Washington and Staff Chair, Financial Services Committee, NCSL
Speakers:
James DEMERS, Executive Director, National Card Coalition, Concord, New Hampshire
Jean Ann FOX, Director of Consumer Protection, Consumer Federation of America, Washington, D.C.
Kymberly MESSERSMITH, Vice President, State Government Affairs, American Express, Washington, D.C.

Handouts:
Gift Cards and Gift Certificates Legislation and Statutes

5:15 pm - 6:15 pm 
Columbia B

Steering Committee Meeting

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

6:30 pm - 8:00 pm

Reception at the National Museum of the American Indian

Note:  Transportation to and from the reception will be provided. Badges must be worn.

Saturday, April 8

Special Briefings

The States and Global Climate Change
State and local governments have been the leaders in addressing climate change. This session will look at some of these recent approaches, as well as various proposed federal initiatives.

Avian Flu and Public Health Preparedness
Responding to a public health crisis is a joint responsibility of state, federal and local governments. Is the country prepared for a pandemic? What steps can state legislators and other officials take to deal effectively with avian flu and other public health crises?

Policy Forum and Business Meeting
During this plenary meeting, Forum delegates will debate and vote on NCSL’s Policy Statements and Resolutions passed out of Committee this Spring Forum. Legislators are encouraged to attend.

Closing Plenary Luncheon

America's Fiscal Future
The country's long-term fiscal future is affected by the tough—and not-so-tough—choices that national officials make day-by-day and month-by-month. All of these decisions have direct impact on the integrity of state budgets. A respected critic of fiscal policy will describe what's needed to secure our financial future.

Speaker:
David WALKER, Comptroller General of the United States