Wednesday, December 8

7:00 am-6:00 pm

Registration

8:00 am-5:00 pm

12:30 pm-2:30 pm

Fiscal Leaders Seminar

Committee Session & Lunch

Committee Sessions and Lunch: State-Federal Update: The Outlook for 2005
Grand Ballroom F, 2nd Floor 

What can state legislatures expect from 109^th Congress and the Bush Administration in 2005.  How will decisions made during the 108^th Congress effect state actions in 2005?  What issues will drive the state legislative agenda on labor, workforce and pension issues?  What is the role of workforce policy in advancing low income working families into the financial mainstream? This session will explore these issues, including updates from staff and a roundtable discussion of legislators and staff.

Speakers:  
Gerri Madrid-Davis, Senior Committee Director
State-Federal Relations, NCSL Washington Office

Tamra Spielvogel, Policy Associate
State-Federal Relations, NCSL Washington Office

Justin Marks, Policy Associate
Legislative Information Services, NCSL Denver Office

2:30 pm-3:45 pm

State Employee Retiree Health Benefits Under MMA:  Options, Opportunities and Peril

The MMA includes incentives for employers, including state and local governments, to maintain their existing retiree health benefits programs.  This creates new options, opportunities and perils for state governments.  This session will review the options, the opportunities and yes, the perils of this new program. (This session is being put on by the Health Committee)

2:45 pm-5:00 pm

Please join us on a site visit to the St. Pius X Family Resource Center that is managed by the Chatham-Savannah Youth Futures Authority (http://www.youthfutures.com/) and is often referred to as the "hub of the community." Located in downtown Savannah and housed in a former high school building, the Center provides an array of social services and activities designed to support families in the community. A  "one-stop shop" for service includes an array of services to the children and families of the community.  Please contact Gerri Madrid-Davis if you would like to participate in the tour at 202-624-8670.

4:00 pm-5:00 pm

How to reform the nation's health care system has been a prominent and divisive element of this year's presidential campaign.  The election's results will clearly shape the debate over health care in the 109th Congress.  This program looks at what the nation can expect on the health reform front in the future.

4:00 pm-5:00 pm

Steering Committee Meeting
Harbor Ballroom B, Ground Floor

4:00 pm-5:00 pm

Reception at the Savannah International Trade and Convention Center
Chatham Ballroom Foyer, 2nd Floor

Thursday, December 9

7:00 am-5:00 pm

Registration

8:00 am-9:30 am

Plenary Breakfast
Grand Ballroom A-C, 2nd Floor

9:45 am-5:00 pm

9:45 am-11:15am

Committee Sessions

Military Families and Workplace Issues
Grand Ballroom F, 2nd Floor

With the largest military mobilization in decades, states have offered a host of family support services and benefits to the families of National Guard, Reserve and Armed Forces members who have been called to active duty.  These benefits include tax preferences, state employment benefits and work supports for families and children but some argue that more can be done.  Some states are rethinking unemployment eligibility requirements that make many “trailing spouses” ineligible for unemployment.  This session will explore ways in which state legislatures can improve the lives of active military personnel and their families and will also include a review of recently proposed DOL rules related to military reemployment.

Speakers:  
Angela M. Manos, COL- USAG Commander
Fort McPherson, GA

Thomas Hinton, State Liaison, Office of State Liaison, 
United States Department of Defense, Arlington, VA

Rebecca Smith, West Coast Coordinator, UI Safety Net Project
National Employment Law Project (NELP), Olympia, WA

11:15 pm-1:00 p.m.

1:15 pm-2:45 pm

2:45 pm-4:45 pm

5:15 pm-6:00 pm

All committee officers should plan to attend this meeting as policy statements reported out of committee will be reviewed and calendars for the Policy Forum will be determined.

6:30 pm - 7:30 pm

Reception at Westin
Grand Ballroom A-C, 2nd Floor

Friday, December 10

Special Briefings

The Incredibly Shrinking State Authority: The Causes and Consequences of Preemption in the Federal System Grand Ballroom E, 2nd Floor Federal proposals, that were once sporadic and episodic, now preempt states' authority and restrict their ability to experiment and innovate.  What are the causes of this alarming development in education, insurance, environment, telecommunications and health care.  What are  the consequences and what can be done about them will be examined in this special briefing.

Funding Homeland Security: Untangling a Gordian Knot Harbor Ballroom A, Ground Floor The task force created by Homeland Security Secretary Tom Ridge has developed a set of practical recommendations designed to alleviate concerns on how to move the critical homeland security money expeditiously through the funding pipeline. This briefing will review the funding, recommendations and examine congressional proposals on these issues.

Quality Health Care: An Impossible Task Without a Team Harbor Ballroom B, Ground Floor The issue of health care workforce shortages has been pushed to the forefront of state legislative agendas.  The nation faces shortages of physicians, nurses and a broad range of other professionals, paraprofessionals, therapists and support staff.  This briefing looks at innovative approaches to protect and improve the health care delivery system by preserving adequate levels of health care workers.

Business Meeting
Harbor Ballroom A, Ground Floor

Closing Plenary:  As the Dust Settles:  An Analysis of the 2004 National and State Elections
Grand Ballroom A-C, 2nd Floor

1:30 pm

Adjournment