Thursday, April 24

1:00 pm - 2:30 pm
Congressional A

News from Washington: An Update on Federal Issues

The committee will hear updates from experts on key labor and economic development issues at the federal level, but that have direct impact on states.  Topics will include affordable housing, the Workforce Investment Act, Family Medical Leave Act, H2A Visas and Social Security.

Presiding:
Representative Phillip Frye, North Carolina
Chair, NCSL Labor and Economic Development Committee

Speakers:
Frank Vaccarella, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Intergovernmental Relations
U.S. Department of Housing & Urban Development
Washington, D.C.
- FHASecure Handout
- FHASecure Fact Sheet
- Home Economics Brochure
- Tips for Avoiding Foreclosure

Jeannine Markoe Raymond, Director of Federal Relations
National Association of State Retirement Administrators
Washington, D.C.
- Jeannine Markoe Raymond's Presentation

Leon Sequeira, Assistant Secretary for Policy
U.S. Department of Labor
Washington, D.C.

State Purchasing Power in the International Arena

States spend billions of dollars each year to provide goods and services for the operation of state governments. These contracts, agreements, and purchase orders are of great interest to providers in other countries, and American firms are just as interested in bidding on foreign government contracts. Since the 1990s, U.S. trade negotiators have been working to match up these interests -- multilaterally through the WTO Agreement on Government Procurement (GPA) and bilaterally or regionally through free trade agreements. This session will review recent developments on procurement in light of the expiration of NCSL's World Trade Organization Negotiations Policy. In particular, speakers will address changes being negotiated in Geneva on the GPA, whether last May's "Bipartisan Trade Deal" impacted procurement talks, how states are approaching evolving procurement and trade negotiations, and their intersection with broader economic development, labor policy and other objectives.

Presiding:
Representative James Johnson, Delaware
Vice Chair, NCSL Labor and Economic Development Committee

Speakers:
Jean Grier, Senior Procurement Negotiator, Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR)
Washington, D.C.

Kay Wilkie, Director for International Policy, New York State Department of Economic Development and Chair, USTR Intergovernmental Policy Advisory Committee

Bjorn Claeson, Executive Director
SweatFree Communities
Bangor, Maine

Steering Committee

The Steering Committee is comprised of the overall standing committee officers and the legislator chair and staff chair, or their designee, of each standing committee. Members will review the committees' plans for the Fall Forum, preview any policies anticipated for debate, and make determinations regarding joint and re-referral of the policy resolutions if necessary. 

6:30 pm - 7:30 pm
Ticonderoga/Yorktown/Valley Forge

Opening Reception at Hyatt Regency

Friday, April 25

Registration

Speaker:
The Honorable Barney Frank, Massachusetts
Chair, Financial Services Committee, U.S. House of Representatives

Labor and Economic Development Committee Convenes

Business Incentives: Is it Time to Reform?
Joint with Budgets and Revenue Committee

Incentives are a tool states use to attract businesses and create jobs but have they gotten out of hand?  In the bidding wars for new businesses, are incentives sustainable for state budgets?  Do incentives create the jobs they promise?  And where does the competition end?  Join the discussion about the future of business incentives and the role states play. 

Presiding:
Representative Phillip Frye, North Carolina
Chair, NCSL Labor and Economic Development Committee

Representative Pryor Gibson, North Carolina
Vice Chair, NCSL Budgets and Revenue Committee

Speaker:
Canaan Huie, House Finance Counsel
Office of the Speaker of the House, North Carolina
Raleigh, North Carolina
-  Canaan Huie's Presentation

Reevaluating Mine Safety

Following several highly publicized mining accidents in 2007, Congress is taking another look at mine safety and whether the MINER Act of 2006 is being implemented in the way they intended.  At the same time states are also considering new mine safety legislation.  This session will focus on state and federal efforts to address new concerns about the safety of the nation’s mines. 

Presiding:
Representative Julie Fisher, Utah
Vice Chair, NCSL Labor and Economic Development Committee

Representative Brent Yonts, Kentucky
Vice Chair, NCSL Labor and Economic Development Committee

Speaker:
Robert Friend, Deputy Assistant Secretary
U.S. Department of Labor, Mine Safety Health Administration
Washington, D.C.
- Robert Friend's Presentation

Dennis O’Dell, Safety and Health Director
United Mine Workers of America
Fairfax, Virginia

Bruce Watzman, Vice President of Safety, Health and Human Resources
National Mining Association
Washington, D.C.
- Bruce Watzman's Presentation

Working Lunch: Challenges Ahead for Unemployment Insurance?

Federal and state governments play important and intertwined roles in funding unemployment benefits and administering the program.  With rising unemployment claims during periods of economic slowdown, stability of state unemployment systems is vital.   This session will provide information about recent activity at the federal and state level to ensure that this program is properly funded while effectively serving the workers and businesses of the 21^st century. 

Presiding:
Senator Bill Heath, Georgia
Vice Chair, NCSL Labor and Economic Development Committee

Speakers:
Fran Bernstein, Policy Analyst
AFSCME
Washington, D.C.
- Fran Bernstein's Presentation

Doug Holmes, President
UWC - Strategic Services on Unemployment & Workers Compensation
Washington, D.C.
- Doug Holmes' Presentation

NCSL Handout: Legislator's "Primer" on Unemployment Insurance

Labor and Economic Development Committee Business Meeting

Committee members will discuss and act on committee business, review existing policies scheduled to sunset, and discuss any new policy resolutions. Click here to view the Policies for Committee Consideration

Presiding:
Representative Phillip Frye, North Carolina
Chair, Labor and Economic Development Committee

Aviation and Economic Development
Joint with Transportation Committee

This session will examine the link between aviation and urban and rural economic development, offer an update on FAA reauthorization, and open a discussion of NCSL's expiring Aviation policy. 

Presiding:
Representative Linda Harper-Brown, Texas
Vice Chair, NCSL Transportation Committee

Andrea Wilko, Utah
Staff Vice Chair, NCSL Labor and Economic Development Committee

Speakers:
Bob Fogel, Senior Legislative Director
National Association of Counties
Washington, D.C.

James Reid
Office of U.S. Senator Jay Rockefeller
Washington, D.C.

Steering Committee

The Steering Committee will review policies reported from the standing committees and determine the calendar for Saturday’s business meeting. 

Presiding:
Senator Dorinda A. Connor, Delaware

Nelson Fox, Legislative Service Commission, Ohio
Immediate Past Staff Chair, NCSL Labor and Economic Development Committee

5:30 pm - 7:00 pm
shuttle service will begin
running at 4:45 pm

Reception at the German Ambassador's Residence

Saturday, April 26

8:00 am - 11:30 am
Regency Foyer

Registration

General Session Breakfast Program

Presiding:
Martha Carter, Nebraska Legislature

Senator Mary Margaret Haugen, Washington

Speakers:

John Bruton, European Ambassador to the United States

Councilmember Vincent C. Gray, Chairman of the Council
Washington, D.C.

10:00 am - 11:00 am
Columbia ABC

NCSL Business Meeting

Forum delegates will debate and vote on NCSL's policy statements and resolutions passed out of the committees. All Forum participants are invited to attend.

Presiding:
Representative David Clark, Utah
Chair, NCSL Standing Committee