Resource Executive Committee 2024 Summer Meeting

Aug. 4, 2024 | Marriott Ballroom VI | Louisville Marriott Downtown | 4-5:30 p.m. 

1. Call to order
2. Welcome by Colin Bird, consul general of Canada.
3. Special presentations.
4. Approval of spring 2024 meeting minutes.
5. Approval of new Executive Committee members.
6. Approval of Executive Committee Task Forces.
7. Report by NCSL CEO Tim Storey.
8. Committee Reports:
   1. Budget, Finance and Rules.
   2. Outreach and Member Services.
   3. Legislative Institution.
   4. State-Federal Policy.
9. Legislative Staff Coordinating Committee report.
10. NCSL Foundation for State Legislatures report.
11. Closing remarks and other business.

To: Members of the NCSL Executive Committee
From: Tim Storey, NCSL CEO
Date: Aug. 4, 2024
Subject: Chief Executive Officer’s Report

Welcome to the 50th year of NCSL! The Legislative Summit in Louisville kicks off a year of recognizing and celebrating legislatures and the organization dedicated to their success, the National Conference of State Legislatures. On behalf of the NCSL staff, I want to express what an honor it is to be in service to the legislative institution, the cornerstone of American democracy.

Legislative Summit

We are truly fortunate to convene in the beautiful Bluegrass State for this momentous year in the life of NCSL. The Kentucky Legislature has been a tremendous partner in the planning for this upcoming week. Louisville is a vibrant and exciting city, ideally suited to host the Summit. Pre-registration for the Summit has far exceeded our expectations. We are on track to have well over 5,000 attendees—our largest Summit since COVID. That includes at least 850 legislators and close to 1,000 legislative staff. The number of Democratic and Republican legislators registered to attend is exactly the same as of this writing—talk about bipartisanship.

We take tremendous pride in being the place where so many American leaders from both parties come together to have meaningful—and civil—conversations about the issues that matter most to the American people. The NCSL Summit is America’s largest annual gathering to discuss public policy. This year’s agenda is jam-packed with sessions on nearly every hot issue that legislatures are tackling. The topic of the year is undoubtedly AI. Expect to hear a lot about the future of AI in American life, preparing you to be a leader in policymaking on that frontier issue.

Support from our NCSL Foundation partners and exhibitors is crushing previous records. The Exhibit Hall, substantially larger than last year’s, will be buzzing. I think of the Exhibit Hall as a bustling bazaar of ideas and innovation. I urge you to make time to visit the hall. As a member of the Executive Committee, please go out of your way to thank the exhibitors for being part of the Summit.

Budget and Dues

It’s been just a few weeks since the end of FY 2024, and we now have a fairly clear idea of NCSL’s financial health at the end of the fiscal year. It’s incredibly strong! We will know for sure after the audit is completed this fall. Our CFO and his team estimate that the FY 2024 general fund surplus will exceed our optimistic report in Québec and go over $2 million. That is primarily due to four big drivers. Revenues from indirect cost recovery from grants and contracts exceeded the budget by over $500,000, as did revenue from interest income. NCSL staff also did an excellent job controlling expenses and using grant funding strategically, leading to nearly $1 million in expense savings.

The best budget news came from revenue from dues. At the end of June, we received dues from our 50th state legislature for the year. This is the first time in 15 years that all 50 legislatures paid all or partial dues. The ratio of dues collected versus invoiced was 96%—also the highest in over 15 years. This is a terrific development and reflects the value that NCSL brings to legislatures in all states and territories.

In Québec, you voted to channel an additional $1 million into NCSL’s invested reserves using surplus funds plus the money budgeted for that purpose. We made that deposit at the end of July and now have over $7 million in our newly established investment portfolio. Additionally, you authorized money from the surplus to replace the 23-year-old leaky roof of the William Pound building in Denver and to replace antiquated parts of the HVAC system. Both of those major projects should be completed by September. Come visit us in Denver, and I’ll take you up to see the new roof. In other good news, FY 2025 is off to a strong start. Over 25 member jurisdictions have already submitted dues. It looks like net revenue from the Louisville Summit will be considerably higher than expected, leading me to believe that I will have more positive budget news to report when we meet in Salt Lake City in January.

NCSL’s 50th Anniversary Has Arrived

The day after the Summit ends marks the 405th anniversary of the first legislative assembly in North America when burgesses gathered in Jamestown, Va. More importantly (in my humble opinion), it was 50 years ago that legislative leaders met in Albuquerque, N.M., and voted to establish the National Conference of State Legislatures. NCSL came into existence on Jan. 1, 1975. In Louisville, we will begin a year of celebrating NCSL and focusing on the vital role of the legislative institution in American democracy. Be sure to attend the general sessions and see the debut of the 50thanniversary logo and hear about our plans to mark this incredible milestone in the life of our organization.

Conclusion

It is impossible to shine a spotlight on all the incredible accomplishments of the NCSL staff this year. The list would be far too long. However, I want to highlight one extremely successful project in particular. Angela Andrews and Carrie Maulin led a large team from across multiple programs within NCSL to reboot the Legislative Staff Management Institute (LSMI). LSMI is NCSL’s premier professional development program for senior legislative staff. The program concluded last month, and it was a proverbial “home run” thanks to months of hard work and creative thought by the NCSL staff. It was just one example of the commitment that all NCSL staff have to you and the legislative institution.

Your NCSL staff in Washington, D.C., and Denver have been doing amazing things this year. We have carried your voice to the federal government, trained thousands of your peers to be better at their jobs, answered hundreds of complex research requests, testified dozens of times on complicated topics, and executed scores of top-shelf meetings for legislators and staff. That doesn’t even include the incredible work done by the super talented people who are behind the scenes like our awesome building, accounting, meetings and IT teams. The work produced by the communications division is staggering, and on top of that, they have won numerous competitive awards for creativity and writing in recent months. I hope you appreciate how dedicated the NCSL staff are to your success and how grateful we are to all legislators, staff, Executive Committee members, and our officers for your support and guidance. NCSL’s 50th year is going to be its best ever!

To: Members of the NCSL Executive Committee
From:Speaker Pro Tempore Brian Patrick Kennedy, NCSL president
 President Pro Tempore Wayne Harper, NCSL president-elect
 Assistant Majority Leader Marcus C. Evans Jr., NCSL vice president
 Speaker Robin Vos, NCSL president emeritus
Date: Aug. 4, 2024
Subject:Executive Committee Legislator Vacancies

Pursuant to Article VIII, Section 2 of the NCSL Bylaws, the NCSL officers select Rep. Giovanni Capriglione of the Texas Legislature and Senate Assistant Majority Leader Joan Lovely of the Massachusetts General Court to fill legislator vacancies on the NCSL Executive Committee and request your approval of these selections. Rep. Capriglione will fill a
vacant at-large position. Sen. Lovely will fill the ex-officio 2025 Legislative Summit position. 

To: Members of the NCSL Executive Committee
From:Speaker Pro Tempore Brian Patrick Kennedy, NCSL president
 Sabrina Lewellen, Arkansas, NCSL staff chair
Date: Aug. 4, 2024
Subject:Executive Committee Task Forces

We propose the continuation of the following Executive Committee task forces for calendar year 2025:

• Task Force on Agriculture.
• Task Force on Artificial Intelligence, Cybersecurity and Privacy.
• Task Force on Energy Supply.
• Task Force on Health Innovations.
• Task Force on Higher Education Affordability and Student Outcomes.
• Task Force on Military and Veterans Affairs.
• Task Force on State and Local Taxation.

Aug. 4, 2024 | Marriott Ballroom VIII | Louisville Marriott Downtown | 1:30-2:30 p.m. 

Agenda

1. Welcome and introductions.
2. Fiscal year 2024 results.
3. Dues update.
4. Investment report—KeyBank Advisors.
5. Other business.

Committee Roster

NATIONAL CONFERENCE OF STATE LEGISLATURES
STATEMENT OF NET POSITION
AS OF JUNE 30, 2024 AND 2023

NATIONAL CONFERENCE OF STATE LEGISLATURES
GENERAL FUND REVENUE AND EXPENSE BY PROGRAM
FOR THE YEAR ENDED JUNE 30, 2024

NATIONAL CONFERENCE OF STATE LEGISLATURES
STATEMENT OF REVENUE AND EXPENSE
FOR THE YEARS ENDED JUNE 30, 2024 AND 2023

NATIONAL CONFERENCE OF STATE LEGISLATURES
FY 2024 APPROPRIATIONS SCHEDULE
AS OF JULY 25, 2024

NATIONAL CONFERENCE OF STATE LEGISLATURES
FY 2025 APPROPRIATIONS SCHEDULE
AS OF JULY 25, 2024

Aug. 4, 2024 | Marriott Ballroom VII | Louisville Marriott Downtown | 1:30-2:30 p.m. 

Agenda

1. Welcome and introductions.
2. Grant and contract proposals.
3. NCSL’s 50th anniversary.
4. Communications and outreach report.
5. 2024 Legislative Summit overview.
6. Discussion: Post-elections outreach.
7. Other business.

Committee Roster

To: Members of the NCSL Outreach and Member Services Committee
From:Kate Blackman, vice president of policy and research
 Natalie Wood, vice president of policy and research
Date: Aug. 4, 2024
Subject:Contracts and Grant Proposals for Approval

We are pleased to present a series of grant and contract projects for your review and approval. The Outreach and Member Services Committee has the responsibility of approving select proposed projects over $100,000.

The total potential funding for all proposals documented herein is $8,208,108.

NCSL Grant Solicitation Guidelines

1. NCSL's main objective in fundraising is to pursue grants on issues important to legislators and staff. Among the measures of importance are research requests, requests for technical assistance, currently filed legislation, a federal initiative to which states must respond, priorities set by the Executive Committee, or a topic that NCSL staff foresee coming to center stage.
2. NCSL will consider topics that enhance established strengths of the organization to provide greater depth to legislators and staff as they consider increasingly complex facets of an issue.
3. When the issue is new to the organization, staff will consider how quickly it can develop expertise to ensure sustainability should future grant funding end.
4. NCSL will focus its fundraising on topics where reliable and impartial sources of information are not readily available to legislators and staff to avoid duplication of efforts. Where credible resources exist, NCSL will serve as a broker to facilitate access to information.
5. NCSL will not accept funding from a source unless it agrees that:
• NCSL will not advocate the funder's position on an issue (unless it is consistent with NCSL policy adopted under NCSL bylaws).
• NCSL will maintain total direction and editorial control over the operation and work produced under the grant.

Even when these guarantees are in place, NCSL understands that pursuing grant funding from certain sources may create a perceived conflict of interest. Staff must thoroughly assess these risks and confidently justify any such funding to NCSL's Executive Committee, which retains final authority to approve or reject any grant proposal, before proceeding with negotiations. In negotiating final grant conditions, NCSL and the funder must agree on the scope and timing of the proposal, project deliverables and budget.

New Projects Requiring Executive Committee Approval

Total Potential Funding of $4,152,658.

Previously Approved Projects

Total funding of $3,401,672. Change in status since the last report shown in bold.

Renewals

Total potential funding of $533,778.

Proposals Under $100,000

Total potential funding Of $120,000.

To: Members of the NCSL Outreach and Member Services Committee
From:Bryan Thomas, chief communications officer
Date: Aug. 4, 2024
Subject:Communications and Outreach Update

The NCSL Communications Division connects members with all the resources and opportunities the conference has to offer, while advancing the story of how state legislatures serve their constituents. This report summarizes several of the communications and outreach activities undertaken in the second quarter of 2024 (April 1 to June 30).

NCSL's 50th Anniversary

NCSL will launch its official commemoration of its 50th anniversary with the opening general session of the 2024 Legislative Summit tomorrow morning. Through a multi-faceted campaign over the next year, NCSL will tell the story of how state legislatures drive representative democracy, civility and innovation, and how NCSL is the indispensable partner in achieving all three.

NCSL continues to work across divisions and programs to plan and deliver a robust content strategy to promote the organization and the core messages of supporting representative democracy, civility and innovation. Content themed to the anniversary will launch in coordination with the 2024 Legislative Summit.

Planned content resources include (but are not limited to):

• Dedicated ncsl.org landing page to house all related content.
• Special podcast series.
• Interactive timeline.
• Special commemorative 50th-themed edition of State Legislatures magazine.
• Coffee table-style book featuring state capitols.
• "Profiles in Service" series of staff profiles, in partnership with the LSCC and professional staff associations.

As NCSL launched its anniversary celebration, states were encouraged to participate in this commemorative occasion by passing a resolution about NCSL's anniversary. Legislatures have been asked to consider taking up this resolution as soon as possible to help build momentum and excitement as we mark this important milestone. Thirty-seven states acted on resolutions between Jan. 1 and June 30, 2024. Many chambers have personalized the resolution text with details about the state's engagement with NCSL, such as legislators and staff who have served in NCSL leadership, or notable meetings held in the state.

Elections Defined Video Series

In the run-up to one of the most-watched elections in history, NCSL introduced the Elections Defined video series. This series of 12 short videos features NCSL Director of Elections and Redistricting Wendy Underhill demystifying election administration concepts and terms. The series, published in full on ncsl.org, will be promoted across social media channels between now and the November election.

Legislative Summit

Working in partnership with the meetings, IT and policy teams, the communications team will have all bases covered for the Legislative Summit.

The marketing team has driven Summit registration efforts, starting with its April 1 launch. Throughout the second quarter, NCSL sent 70 emails promoting Summit, with a total email volume of 434,000 emails. Legislators and legislative staff comprised 48% of the recipients receiving Summit promotions. Email marketing accounted for 20% of traffic to the Summit registration page with 2,243 clicks. This year's Summit digital marketing campaign included advertising on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and YouTube Ads. The digital ad campaign contributed 9% of traffic to the Summit registration page amounting to 1,036 clicks.

During the Summit, participants can look forward to a comprehensive event app that includes sessions, session resources, speaker information, sponsor details, exhibitor listings, and other event information. The ncsl.org homepage will focus on session coverage and livestreams and provide updates on the 50th-anniversary announcements made during the first general session. State Legislatures News will offer extensive coverage of the sessions for several weeks to come, while State Legislatures magazine will be available on-site. It will also serve as a Summit program, featuring agenda information, local attractions in Louisville, interviews with Kentucky leadership and more. Attendees can also obtain a limited-edition poster of the magazine cover. The NCSL Today newsletter will highlight Summit activities and the 50th-anniversary announcement from Monday to Thursday, and NCSL This Week will serve as a Summit wrap-up.

The public affairs and outreach team is planning yet another robust schedule with the engagement of all NCSL's social media channels. Look for social media walls in the convention center hallways featuring live content from both NCSL and members tagging and sharing Summit-related content. Additionally, nine sessions will be livestreamed on NCSL's Facebook and LinkedIn pages.

Following a successful partnership at the Indianapolis Legislative Summit, NCSL is again collaborating with America's Public Television Stations to host an interview booth for legislators. Legislators who sign up for a slot will be interviewed about the Summit, their legislative priorities and more. The interviews will be recorded, packaged and emailed to participants for use on social media channels and websites.

Finally, outreach plans to connect with NCSL members by hosting a new attendee orientation this afternoon, followed by a warm welcome to Louisville from Marianne Eaves, Kentucky's first female master distiller since Prohibition. Outreach will also host the always popular State Meet and Greet Coffee on Monday morning.

State of Play

In January, NCSL launched "State of Play" with our partners at A Starting Point. "State of Play" is a bipartisan civics engagement platform that features monthly interviews with two lawmakers-one Republican and one Democrat-on an issue of concern in the states. A Starting Point is the civics engagement organization co-founded by Chris Evans (who plays Captain America in the Marvel Cinematic Universe), Mark Kassen and Joe Kiani.

Through "State of Play," NCSL can facilitate conversations that help its members reach new audiences-chiefly millennial and Gen Z viewers-on a national platform. The initiative also centers state legislatures as the place where the action is happening on a host of issues of central concern to Americans.

NCSL has published six episodes, all available at ncsl.org/state-of-play. Since the last Executive Committee, we published:

• May 2024: "Tackling Social Media Regulations for Children," featuring Colorado Sen. Chris Hansen (D) and Utah Rep. Jordan Teuscher (R).
• June 2024: "Election Security Insights From Lawmakers," featuring Missouri Rep. Peggy McGaugh (R) and Maryland Sen. Cheryl Kagan (D).

Upcoming episodes will focus on disaster recovery and resilience and the minimum wage.

Member Outreach

NCSL's state liaisons facilitate information exchanges between NCSL and the legislatures they support. State liaisons maintained regular contact with legislators and staff in their states in April, May and June, promoting NCSL events, policy resources and training opportunities. Forty-eight states and territories received a visit from NCSL state liaisons in the first six months of 2024.

NCSL staff completed 341 research requests for legislators and legislative staff between April and June. NCSL made connections with 5,487 legislators and legislative staff during 115 virtual and in-state training, policy assistance or relationship-building meetings in the first six months of 2024.

Media Relations

NCSL continues to position itself as a valued source for local, regional and national media. During this reporting period, NCSL received approximately 4,900 media mentions. NCSL released two press releases during this reporting period and received more than 90 information requests with inquiries including elections, artificial intelligence, legislative processes and state budgets and more, reflective of trending media topics at the time of the requests.

Newsletters

During the second quarter, NCSL sent out 166 regularly occurring newsletters, including NCSL Today, NCSL This Week, and policy-specific newsletters, to 22,754 recipients totaling 1.57 million emails. Legislators and legislative staff comprised 59% of the recipients.

Our flagship newsletters-NCSL Today and NCSL This Week-reach nearly 20,000 people on each send. NCSL Today is a daily curated roundup of national news and NCSL resources produced Monday-Friday. NCSL This Week, published on Sundays, includes recent NCSL reports, articles, meetings, and other valuable information for members. Notable statistics during the reporting period include:

• Legislators and legislative staff made up 58% of opens and 51% of clicks.
• The newsletters received 394,677 opens and 42,870 clicks.
• Subscribers include 5,413 legislators and 6,020 legislative staff.

Digital Content

The NCSL website continues to demonstrate its significant performance, with 2.4 million pageviews during the last quarter, maintaining a steady pace year over year. NCSL's State Legislatures News continued its growth, with a 26% increase in pageviews YoY.

By The Numbers (April 1 To June 30, 2024)

• Total views (how many times a page is visited): 2.4 million
• Total sessions (how many interactions user has with website): 1.9 million
• State Legislatures News views: 130,216
• New webpages published (January-March): 69
• State Legislatures News articles published (January-March): 73

Most-visited Webpages

• Felon Voting Rights: 148,608
• State Minimum Wages: 114,288
• NCSL Homepage: 87,114
• 2024 State Primary Election Dates: 77,332
• NCSL Search Results: 73,696
• 2024 Legislative Summit: 65,474
• Policy Research: 57,570
• Voter ID Laws: 53,261
• Four-Day School Week Overview: 40,997
• State Primary Election Types: 29,122

Most-visited State Legislatures News Articles

• Supreme Court Strikes Down Student Loan Forgiveness Program: 8,733
• Debating the Electoral College: 7,738
• Legislative Staff Week Shoutouts 2024: 7,181
• Forecasting the 2024 Presidential Election: The Data Says … Who Knows?: 4,068
• Memorial Day: Remembering Those Who Died in US Military Service: 3,164
• Supreme Court to Decide a Variety of Gun Cases This Term: 3,010
• First Amendment at Heart of 2 Supreme Court Social Media Cases: 2,755
• Donor Human Milk: More Valuable Than Gold?: 2,488
• Routine Child Vaccination Rates Lower Than Pre-Pandemic Levels: 2,387
• Navigating Two Time Zones Is a Way of Life in the Hoosier State: 2,339

Most-popular Organic Google Search Queries

• can felons vote
• ncsl
• minimum wage
• common law marriage
• 2024 united states primary elections dates
• Stand your ground law
• Arpa funds
• Election day 2024
• Right to work states
• Unemployment rate

Social Media

During this reporting period, NCSL gained 1,302 new net followers across all platforms, giving NCSL 64,686 followers. LinkedIn reported 784 new followers, while Facebook reported 298 new followers.

The total impressions (the number of times content is displayed) for this period was 771,062. About 405,000 (52.5%) of the total impressions came from Facebook while about 221,000 (28.7%) came from X and about 100,000 came (13.1%) came from LinkedIn and over 43,500 (5.7%) came from Instagram.

The total engagement was 8,602. The average engagement rate was 1.1% across all platforms. LinkedIn had the most engagements with 4,162 engagements, representing 48.4% of all engagements. X held the second most engagements with 2,653, representing 30.8% of all engagements.

NCSL received a total of 21,777 video views across the platforms, with Instagram generating 33.8% or over 7,350 of those video views and LinkedIn generating 31% or over 6,740 video views. There were also approximately 3,500 post link clicks (number of times users clicked on links from NCSL's posts) during the reporting period.

NCSL Town Hall

During this reporting period, NCSL produced two Town Halls: Legislative Staff Week and Pretrial Policy. There were 47 posts related to NCSL Town Halls, garnering over 15,000 impressions, 371 engagements and 2,959 video views across all platforms.

Podcasts

NCSL produced eight podcasts during this reporting period, including a special series aimed at legislative staff. Topics included an overview of higher education in the states, where transit and housing meet, a state budgets update and more.

In addition to NCSL's "Our American States" podcasts, a three-part podcast series was produced with NCSL Staff Chair Sabrina Lewellen, with first episode focusing on long-term effects of the pandemic and how states coped with the emergency.

Between downloads and streaming, the potential audience for this period was about 6,000 listeners.

Awards

NCSL communications staff have been honored with a series of awards for their work to connect with, and communicate to, its members. These include:

• Hermes Creative Platinum Award: Kelley Griffin, NCSL senior editor, "A Day in the Lives of 2 First-Year State Lawmakers" (State Legislatures magazine, summer 2023 edition).
• APEX 2024 Grand Award Winner: Stephen Miller, NCSL associate director, design, State Legislatures magazine (summer 2023 edition).
• Hermes Creative Gold Award: State Legislatures magazine (summer 2023 edition).
• National Association of Government Communicators First Place Award: Mick Bullock and Uyen Vong, NCSL public affairs director and associate director, NCSL Town Hall series.

Aug. 4, 2024 | Marriott Ballroom VIII | Louisville Marriott Downtown | 2:45-3:45 p.m.

Agenda

1. Welcome and introductions.
2. Notes on the Kentucky General Assembly.
3. Report on NCSL activities in support of the legislative institution.
4. Report on 2024 state actions.
5. Report from LSCC Legislative Institution Subcommittee.
6. NCSL legislative interim research.
7. Other business.

Subcommittee Roster

To: Members of the Executive Committee Legislative Institution Subcommittee
From:Natalie Wood, vice president for policy and research
 Julie George, director, Center for Legislative Strengthening
Date: Aug. 4, 2024
Subject:Legislative Institution-Focused Research, Training and Consulting: Spring-Summer 2024 Report

Promoting Legislative Institutions

It has been a busy spring and summer for the Center for Legislative Strengthening (CLS). The team tackled a variety of research requests, provided testimony, and worked on special projects for members. Artificial intelligence in the legislative environment continues to be a hot topic. Other topics the team handled included questions on legislator employment and potential conflicts of interest, legislator and staff compensation, parliamentary procedure and rules. Between April 1 and July 11, 2024, the team fielded 53 research requests.

CLS staff, along with colleagues from the Center for Results-Driven Governing and Legislative Staff Services, presented to the Oregon House Legislative Oversight, Accountability and Effectiveness Workgroup in early May. The team spoke about legislative audits and performance evaluations, performance measures, administrative oversight tools, administrative rules review, and advice and consent. Later in May, CLS was honored to have one of our team join NCSL's leaders and international teams in Ghana. NCSL provided staff from Parliament's Clerk's Office with a four-day professional development training. CLS presentations covered how to be an effective legislative staffer and "Why Protocol Matters-Unraveling Rules and Procedures."

The center wrapped up two surveys launched in the spring. The first survey updated NCSL's annual legislator compensation (salary, per diem and mileage reimbursement) data and resource page. CLS also created a legislator compensation toolkit for the NCSL website. The toolkit organizes and displays legislator compensation tables from the past five years and provides short articles on how compensation is set and how it differs by state. this issue. The second survey collected information on AI use and policies in legislatures. Data from the AI survey will assist NCSL in answering member requests for information and presenting on the use of AI by legislatures

2024 Legislative Summit

Speaking of AI, CLS is presenting at a Summit session titled "Managing and Regulating AI Use by the Legislature." This session is one of several in the "Legislative Institution" track at Summit. Other sessions organized by CLS include "By the Book: A Parliamentary Procedure Game," "Order Up! Plating Precedence," "Balancing Power: Legislative Oversight and Agency Operations," and "Strengthening an Evolving Institution."

Training, Professional Development and Special Projects

The special projects CLS started earlier in the year continue to keep the team busy. The team is nearly finished with a consulting project on staffing structures and classification and compensation. A study project regarding legislative staff collective bargaining efforts is well underway and will be complete late in the summer.

Thanks to hiring a highly capable intern this spring, CLS is researching and writing on legislative interims. The research examines the interim work of hybrid and part-time legislatures, including the number of meetings during the interim, the number of days met during the interim, and the number of interim committees. This data will contribute to NCSL's understanding of the changing nature of legislative work.

State Visits

State visits kept the team out and about this spring with trips to South Carolina and Colorado. During the South Carolina visit, both chambers passed a resolution honoring NCSL's 50th anniversary. In both states, valuable time was spent with legislative and staff leaders, providing important insights that help inform how NCSL can best serve members.

Aug. 4, 2024 | Marriott Ballroom VII | Louisville Marriott Downtown | 2:45-3:45 p.m.

Agenda

1. Welcome and introductions.
2. Review state-federal policies for consideration at the 2024 Legislative Summit.
3. Reports from NCSL Executive Committee task forces.
4. SCOTUS update.
5. Other business.

Subcommittee Roster

To: Members of the NCSL State-Federal Policy Committee
From:Molly Ramsdell, vice president, State-Federal Affairs
Date: Aug. 4, 2024
Subject:Update on State-Federal Activities

Below are highlights of NCSL's state-federal work since the May 2024 Executive Committee meeting in Québec City.

State-Federal Virtual Meetings

Throughout the spring, the Natural Resource, Energy and Environment (NREE) Committee and Transportation Committee hosted an eight-part webinar series on pressing topics, including expanding passenger rail, declining gas tax revenue, chronic wasting disease, grid modernization efforts and more.

• Access the 2024 NREE Spring Webinar series at www.ncsl.org/events/details/2024-nree-spring-webinar-series.
• Access the 2024 Transportation Webinar series at www.ncsl.org/events/details/2024-transportation-spring-webinar-series.

In mid-July NCSL hosted a briefing for members with officials from U.S. Customs and Border Protection on recent developments in immigration policy and enforcement.

In June, NCSL wrapped up a five-part monthly state-federal webinar series focused on priorities identified by the Executive Committee. They included:

• February: State-Federal Briefing: Behavioral Health.
• March: State-Federal Briefing: Rapid Fire.
• April: State-Federal Briefing: Workforce.
• May: State-Federal Briefing: SCOTUS Update.
• June: State-Federal Briefing: Federal Child Care Landscape.

NCSL hosted a successful Policy Week June 10-14, 2024. During the week, each committee met to allow members to discuss policies to be considered at the 2024 Legislative Summit.

Policies for Consideration at the 2024 Legislative Summit

The 11 NCSL standing committees are expected to consider 13 policy directives and more than 30 resolutions during the Legislative Summit. New policies include:

• Reducing child poverty by making the expanded Child Tax Credit permanent.
• Artificial intelligence in financial services.
• Recognizing the increase in consumer fraud and scams and urging action to protect the public.
• Reauthorization of the Higher Education Act.
• Supporting states during FAFSA challenges.
• Improving H-2A visa policy to end agricultural labor shortages.
• Growing outdoor recreation on public lands.
• Supporting the FDA's authority to regulate food safety.
• The 2031 World Horticulture Expo.
• Artificial intelligence.
• Liability insurance for artificial intelligence.

Meetings with Congressional and Agency Staff

NCSL staff met with:

• Officials from the Federal Communications Commission to discuss several important legislative and regulatory issues. These include: the end of the Affordable Connectivity Program; the new rule on broadband consumer labels; the new rule on the use of artificial intelligence in robo calls; digital equity grants; and net neutrality.
• Staff of Sen. Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.) to discuss the comprehensive data privacy bill introduced in April. NCSL expressed its continued concerns about language in the bill that would preempt state data privacy legislation as well as usurp states' ability to legislate and regulate in areas that traditionally rest under the oversight of states and local governments.
• Key committee staffers from House Education and Workforce Committee on WIOA Reauthorization.
• Staff of Sen. Bernie Sander (I-Vt.) staff and other Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee staff on WIOA reauthorization.
• Sen. Shelley Capito (R-W.V.) and staff, staff of Rep. Russel Fry (R-S.C.), and Rep. Dan Bishop (R-N.C.) to discuss Second Chance Act funding, which is given to states for the implementation of state reentry programs for people reentering their communities from prisons.
• Education staff director and higher education staff for Rep. Virginia Foxx (R-N.C.), who chairs the House Committee on Education and the Workforce, to discuss her College Cost Reduction Act, proposal for short-term Pell grants, and perspectives on the FAFSA challenges.
• Officials from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration to establish a relationship and ongoing communication.
• Rebecca Jones Gaston, commissioner of the Administration on Children, Youth and Families at the Administration for Children and Families within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, for a meet and greet.
• House Oversight and Accountability Reform Committee minority staff to discuss the Comprehensive Addiction Resources Emergency (CARE) Act, which would provide state and local governments with $125 billion in federal funding over 10 years.

Legislation NCSL Is Tracking

Farm Bill: The 2024 Farm Bill has largely stalled in Congress. Activity has predominantly been restricted to the release of text by the House Committee on Agriculture-the Farm, Food and National Security Act of 2024 (HR 8467)-and the release of rival frameworks by the majority and minority parties in the Senate. Senate Agriculture Committee Chairwoman Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.) released a summary of the Rural Prosperity and Food Security Act in early May, which was followed by the release and markup of the House text later in the month.

The nutrition title, which comprises roughly 82% of the Farm Bill, is a flashpoint for both sides of the aisle. There is significant disagreement over, among other things in the title, the five-year updates to the Thrifty Food Plan (TFP) which were passed as part of the 2018 Farm Bill. The TFP is the basis for calculating SNAP benefits.

Given the lack of progress and current proximity to the election, it is likely we will see another extension of the current Farm Bill into the new Congress. NCSL will continue to monitor and advocate for its priorities.

Federal Tax Legislation: The expiration of many provisions in the 2017 Tax Cut and Jobs Act next year has broad implications for economic and tax policy, including impacts on state-level policy and interests. Co-chairs of NCSL's Budgets and Revenue Committee and NCSL's Executive Committee State and Local Taxation Task Force are coordinating appropriate action to update NCSL policy and advocacy positions on behalf of state interests. These efforts place NCSL in a well-suited position for when the next Congress convenes and begins consideration of impactful legislation that will address issues such as SALT deductions, Child Tax Credit levels, standard deduction rates, affordable housing, and corporate tax policy, among other tax issues.

Higher Education Act: The Higher Education Act has not been renewed since 2008, and since then nearly all major federal policies have been created through regulation, including significant measures that have increased the costs of the student loan program. These regulations have arguably evolved the federal role into spaces traditionally held by states and have created instability due to a pattern of rules being rewritten or rescinded by a new administration or paused and blocked by courts. The NCSL Task Force on Higher Education has spent the last year examining the federal role in higher education and engaging with federal officials and experts. The task force met most recently in June and agreed to call on Congress to take action on the Higher Education Act. They agreed on a suite of bipartisan federal policies that could advance better outcomes in higher education. The NCSL Education Committee will consider its recommendations in advance of the release of the task force's final report, which will call on higher education, states, and the federal government to take action to enhance the value of higher education.

Second Chance Act Reauthorization (SCA): This bill would reauthorize the Second Chance Act, which provides grants to states used to promote the safe and successful reintegration of individuals who have been incarcerated.

Our Analysis

Below are a few state-federal items for your reading.

• NCSL's CRA Tracker (last updated July 11, 2024): The Congressional Review Act (CRA) is an oversight tool Congress can use to overturn final rules issued by federal agencies. Congress has been increasingly turning to the CRA over the past few terms, including when the 115th Congress used it to repeal 16 rules promulgated by the Obama administration and during the 117th Congress to repeal three rules promulgated by the Trump administration.
• Supreme Court Overrules Purdue Pharma Opioid Settlement, Rejects Immunity for Sacklers (July 5, 2024).
• Supreme Court Throws Out Chevron Decision, Weakening Federal Regulators (June 30, 2024).
• Supreme Court Allows Enforcement of Anticamping Laws (June 30, 2024).
• Without the ACP, What's the Outlook for Affordable Broadband? (June 28, 2024).
• Supreme Court Punts Idaho Abortion Case Back to Lower Courts (June 27, 2024).
• Supreme Court Rules for South Carolina Republicans in Voting Map Dispute (May 29, 2024).
• Supreme Court Affirms Constitutionality of CFPB Funding (May 22, 2024).
• Supreme Court Rules for South Carolina Republicans in Voting Map Dispute (May 29, 2024).
• Federal Funding Streams for Child Care and Early Childhood Education (May 13, 2024).

NCSL Letters and Comments

• NCSL Supports the Strengthening State and Tribal Child Support Act (June 6, 2024).
• State and Local Government Leaders Urge Congress to Preserve the State and Local Cyber Security Grant Program (June 5, 2024).
• Coalition letter on DHS Grant Reductions (May 10, 2024).
• NCSL Urges DOJ to Prioritize the Removal of Cannabis From Schedule I of the Controlled Substances Act (May 2, 2024).
• NCSL Supports State SNAP Program Flexibility (April 29, 2024).
• Comment on National Apprenticeship System Enhancements (March 18, 2024).
• NCSL Statement for the Record on Apprenticeships (Testimony) (Oct. 25, 2023).

To: Members of the NCSL Executive Committee
From:Speaker of the Wisconsin State Assembly Robin Vos, NCSL Foundation for State Legislatures president
Date: Aug. 4, 2024
Subject:NCSL Foundation for State Legislatures President’s Report

As we reach the conclusion of this year, I want to express my heartfelt gratitude for the privilege of serving as the president of the NCSL Foundation for State Legislatures. The efforts of the Foundation's board of directors have led to remarkable achievements in revenue growth, sponsorship engagements, outreach activities, and effective management of operating expenses. This report provides a snapshot of these accomplishments and the strong base we've built together for future success.

FY 2024 Revenue

The NCSL Foundation Board of Directors approved an unrestricted fundraising goal of $4,600,000 for fiscal year 2024. Thanks to the strong support of the private sector, the Foundation is projected to surpass this goal by more than $500,000.

I would like to highlight a few notable sponsorship updates since my last report in January. We now have 34 Capitol Circle sponsors, an increase of 13 since our meeting in Las Vegas. Combining these with our 63 Platinum sponsors, we now have a total of 97 top-level sponsors. Our gold and silver sponsorship levels continue to thrive as well. A complete list of the NCSL Foundation sponsors can be found on pages 61-63.

FY 2024 Operating Expenses

I am pleased to report that the Foundation has successfully managed its finances for FY 2024, adhering closely to the approved operating budget of $1,392,301 and the allocated $3,822,100 for awards to NCSL.

Foundation Outreach and Activities

This year has been a dynamic period for our outreach efforts and other activities. Our initiatives have bolstered our financial stability and strengthened our engagement with legislators, legislative staff and key stakeholders. Below is a summary of key activities since my last update in January:

• Bylaws Committee: The NCSL Foundation for State Legislatures, needing to update its 2016 bylaws, formed a 13-member ad hoc Bylaws Committee at the 2023 Legislative Summit. Co-chaired by Speaker Scott Saiki of Hawaii and myself, the committee included legislators, legislative staff, and private sector members of the board. The committee met three times from December 2023 to May 2024, focusing on structural and terminological changes, current law and best practices, board size, and directors' terms with support from nonprofit legal experts. The revised bylaws aim to improve governance and efficiency, including updates to board composition, officer roles and committee functions. An overview of the revised bylaws was presented to the Foundation board on July 12, and the final draft will be presented to the NCSL Executive Committee for approval on Aug. 4, 2024.
• NCSL Legislative Leaders' Symposium, June 20-22: Held in Washington, D.C., this event gathered legislative leaders to discuss the evolving dynamics of federalism. It featured presentations, discussions and a visit to Arlington National Cemetery. Key sessions covered federalism, the balance of power and effective legislative leadership. The symposium allowed leaders and Foundation sponsors to share experiences and develop strategies for navigating federal decisions impacting states. We were honored to have 59 Capitol Circle- and Platinum-level sponsors in attendance, whose support was integral to the event's success.
• Task Force Engagement: Foundation staff continue to work diligently to recruit and retain sponsors for NCSL's seven task forces, achieving significant success. Fundraising and engagement efforts for these groups have been a collaborative effort among the Foundation development staff and NCSL policy staff. This year has seen notable growth in sponsorships, particularly with the Task Force on Artificial Intelligence, Cybersecurity and Privacy. Task forces met during the Winter or Spring Executive Committee meetings, facilitated educational tours, and held other in person events, further strengthening their initiatives and engagement.

In closing, I want to extend my deepest gratitude to the Foundation's board for its tireless dedication and unwavering support throughout this year. This year has been marked by significant achievements and milestones, all made possible by our collective efforts. As we look ahead to the coming year, I am confident that the groundwork we have laid together will serve as a strong platform for continued success and innovation. Thank you for the opportunity to serve as president of the NCSL Foundation for State Legislatures.

To: Members of the NCSL Executive Committee
From:Speaker of the Wisconsin State Assembly Robin Vos, NCSL Foundation for State Legislatures president
Date: Aug. 4, 2024
Subject:Revised and Amended NCSL Foundation Bylaws

The NCSL Foundation for State Legislatures bylaws were last amended in 2016 by the NCSL Executive Committee in Chicago. Recognizing the need for an update, the NCSL Foundation board of directors formed a Bylaws Committee at the NCSL 2023 Legislative Summit in Indianapolis. This committee was tasked with reviewing the existing bylaws and suggesting improvements, focusing on the board size, board member terms and updating terminology. 

After several meetings during the past year, the committee revised the bylaws to increase participation and improve the governance, clarity, and operational efficiency of the NCSL Foundation for State Legislatures, aligning its practices with contemporary standards and legal requirements. The final draft of the proposed bylaws follows. Highlights include:

• Structural and terminological updates.
• Defined composition of officers and terms of the board of directors.
• Increased size of the board to expand participation.
• Creation of a new vice president elect position to ensure continuity of the vice president role.
• More detailed guidelines on committee compositions.

In accordance with the bylaws of the NCSL Foundation, I respectfully present the revised NCSL Foundation for State Legislatures bylaws to the NCSL Executive Committee for consideration and approval. 

ARTICLE I

NAME AND PURPOSE

Section 1.1          Name. The name of the corporation is NCSL Foundation for State Legislatures, a Colorado non-profit corporation (the “Foundation”).

Section 1.2          Registered Office and Agent. The Foundation shall have and continuously maintain in the State of Colorado a registered office and a registered agent whose office is identical with that registered office and may have such other offices within or without the State of Colorado as the Board of Directors may from time to time determine.

Section 1.3          Purposes. The Foundation is organized to operate exclusively for charitable, scientific and educational purposes as set forth in its Articles of Incorporation.       

Section 1.4          Rules. The following rules shall conclusively bind the Foundation and all persons acting for or on behalf of it:

(a)          The Foundation is organized and shall be operated exclusively for charitable, education, and scientific purposes, as defined under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”), and no part of the net earnings of the Foundation shall inure to the benefit of, or be distributable to, its Directors, officers or other private persons, except that the Foundation shall be authorized and empowered to pay reasonable compensation for services rendered, including, without limitation, to its officers and directors, and to make payments and distributions in furtherance of the purposes set forth herein.

(b)          No substantial part of the activities of the Foundation shall be the carrying on of propaganda, or otherwise attempting, to influence legislation, and the Foundation shall not participate in, or intervene in (including the publishing or distribution of statements) any political campaign on behalf of or in opposition to any candidate for public office.

(c)           The Foundation shall not carry on any other activities not permitted to be carried on (i) by a corporation exempt from federal income tax under Section 501(c)(3) of the Code, or the corresponding provision of any future United States internal revenue statute or (ii) by a corporation, contributions to which are deductible under Section 170(c)(2) of the Code or the corresponding provision of any future United States internal revenue statute.

ARTICLE II

MEMBERS

The Foundation shall have no members.

ARTICLE III

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Section 3.1          General Powers. The affairs of the Foundation shall be managed by a board of directors (hereinafter, the “Board” or “Board of Directors”), which shall supervise, control and direct the business and affairs of the Foundation; shall determine its policies or changes therein within the limits of these Bylaws; shall actively promote its purposes; and shall have discretion in the disbursement of its funds. The Board of Directors may adopt such rules and regulations for the conduct of its business as shall be deemed advisable and may, in the execution of the powers granted, appoint such agents as it may consider necessary.

Section 3.2          Number. The Board of Directors shall be composed of fifty-seven (57) members as follows:

(a)          The seven (7) officers of the National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL);

(b)          Fifteen (15) currently serving legislators and seven (7) currently serving legislative staff at least six (6) of whom shall be current or former members of the NCSL Executive Committee; and      

(c)           Twenty-eight (28) non-NCSL members (including the Vice-President and Vice-President Elect) (collectively, the “Supporting Directors”).

Section 3.3          Term of Office. Directors shall serve the following terms in office:

(a)          The Officers of NCSL shall serve for the greater of their term in office in NCSL or up to seven (7) consecutive years;

(b)          The Vice-President and Vice-President Elect shall serve for the duration of their term in such offices;

(c)           All other Board members shall serve one (1) year terms;

(d)          Directors (with the exception of the NCSL officers) may not serve more than three (3) consecutive terms; and

(e)          Despite the expiration of their term, Directors shall serve until the next meeting at which directors are elected, or until their death, resignation, or removal.

The terms of Directors shall commence immediately following the conclusion of the NCSL Legislative Summit and shall terminate at the conclusion of the next NCSL Legislative Summit. The terms of Directors shall be staggered (to the extent possible) to provide continuity of service, such that approximately one-third (1/3) of the total number of Directors take office each year. To create the staggered rotation of Directors, the Board may initially elect Directors (other than the officers of NCSL) to one (1), two (2) or three (3) year terms. Notwithstanding anything set forth herein to the contrary, Directors serving on the Board at the time of the adoption of these amended and restated bylaws may serve up to three (3) additional consecutive terms in office.

Section 3.4          Qualifications.

(a)          With the exception of the Supporting Directors, all Directors must be members in good standing of the NCSL.

(b)          All Supporting Directors must be full-time employees of a corporation, organization, or other entity that has contributed to the Foundation (either as a donor or sponsor) during such Supporting Director’s term on the Foundation Board. If a Supporting Director ceases to be qualified to hold office at any time during their term, they will have a period of 6-months in which to become qualified (the “grace period”). Supporting Directors failing to meet the requirements for office upon conclusion of the grace period will automatically be removed from the Board.

Section 3.5          Nominations and Election. Directors are elected by the NCSL Executive Committee from amongst a slate of qualified candidates recommended by the Nominating Committee.

Section 3.6          Regular Meetings. The Board of Directors shall provide by resolution the time, date and place, either within or without the State of Colorado, for the holding of an Annual Meeting and additional regular meetings without notice other than such resolution. The Annual Meeting shall occur during the NCSL Legislative Summit.

Section 3.7          Special Meetings. Special meetings of the Board of Directors may be held at any time on the call of the President, or upon a written request to the President by any three (3) of the Directors. Notice of any special meeting of the Board must state the time, date, and place of the meeting and must be delivered at least three (3) days prior to the date of such meeting by written or printed notice delivered personally, by mail, fax or email to each Director at their address as shown in the records of the Foundation.

Section 3.8          Notice of Directors’ Meetings. Meetings of the board of directors shall be held upon such notice as the bylaws may prescribe. Attendance of a director at any meeting shall constitute a waiver of notice of such meeting except where a director attends a meeting for the express purpose of objecting to the transaction of any business because the meeting is not lawfully called or convened. Unless provided otherwise in the articles of incorporation or the bylaws, neither the business to be transacted at, nor the purpose of, any regular or special meeting of the board of directors need be specified in the notice or waiver of notice of such meeting.

Section 3.9          Quorum and Manner of Acting. A majority of the Directors shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business at any meeting of the Board. The act of a majority of the Directors present at the meeting at which a quorum is present shall be the act of the Board unless the act of a greater number is required by law, the Articles of Incorporation, or these Bylaws.

Section 3.10        Vacancies. Any vacancy occurring in the Board of Directors for any reason may be filled by the NCSL Executive Committee at its next meeting from amongst a slate of qualified candidates presented by the Nominating Committee. A Director appointed to fill a vacancy shall serve for the unexpired term of their predecessor in office.

Section 3.11        Resignation and Removal. A Director may resign at any time upon written notice to the Board of Directors. A Director may be removed by the NCSL Executive Committee whenever, in its judgment, the best interests of the Foundation would be served thereby.

Section 3.12 Attendance. Directors failing to attend two (2) consecutive Foundation meetings (including regular and special board meetings and committee meetings) will automatically be removed from the Foundation Board of Directors.

Section 3.13       Meeting by Communications Equipment. Directors may participate in and act at any meeting of the Board through the use of a conference telephone, video conference or any other means of communication by which all persons participating in the meeting can communicate with each other. Participation in such meeting shall constitute attendance and presence in person at the meeting of the person or persons so participating. Notwithstanding anything set forth to the contrary in these Bylaws, any regular or special meeting to be held by means of remote communication (i.e., by conference call, video conference or other means) may be held upon a minimum of twenty-four (24) hours prior notice.

ARTICLE IV

OFFICERS

 Section 4.1          Officers. The officers of the Foundation shall be a President, Vice-President, Vice-President Elect, and a Secretary-Treasurer (collectively, the “Officers” and each an “Officer”). In addition, the Board of Directors shall elect or appoint such other officers as it deems desirable, who shall have the authority to perform the duties prescribed from time to time by the Board of Directors.

 Section 4.2          Qualifications and Election.

(a)          Officers are elected by the Foundation Board of Directors from amongst a slate of qualified candidates recommended by the Nominating Committee;

(b)          Only current members of the Board of Directors are eligible to serve as Officers of the Foundation;

(c)           The Vice-President and Vice-President Elect must be current Supporting Directors; and

(d)          Officer elections are held at the Annual Meeting of the Board and may be held at any regular or special meeting of the Board, as determined by the Board.

Section 4.3          President. The NCSL President Emeritus shall be the President of the Foundation and shall preside at all meetings of the Board of Directors. The President shall, in general, supervise and control all the affairs of the Foundation, subject to the direction and control of the Board of Directors. The President may sign any deeds, mortgages, bonds, contracts or other instruments, which the Board of Directors has authorized to be executed, except documents the execution of which shall be expressly delegated by law, the Articles of Incorporation, these Bylaws, or the Board of Directors to some other officer or agent of the Foundation. The President shall, in general, perform all duties customarily incident to the office of president and such other duties as may be prescribed from time to time by the Board of Directors. In the event of the President’s inability or refusal to act or the office of President Emeritus of NCSL is vacant, the NCSL Executive Committee shall appoint someone of the same political party to serve the unexpired term of the President.

Section 4.4          Vice-President. The Vice President shall serve a two (2) year term in office. The Vice-President shall assist the President in the discharge of the duties of the President as the President may direct and shall perform such other duties as may be assigned from time to time by the President or the Board of Directors.

Section 4.5          Vice-President Elect. The Vice-President Elect shall be elected by and from among the Supporting Directors to serve a two (2) year term. The Vice-President Elect shall assist the Vice-President in the discharge of the duties of the Vice-President as the Vice-President may direct and shall perform such other duties as may be assigned from time to time by the Vice-President or the Board of Directors. The Vice-President Elect shall automatically succeed to the office of Vice-President upon the conclusion of the Vice-President’s term in office.

Section 4.6          Secretary-Treasurer. The NCSL Immediate Past Staff Chair shall be the Secretary-Treasurer of the Foundation. The Secretary-Treasurer shall have the responsibility of keeping minutes of the meetings of the Board of Directors in one or more books maintained for that purpose; shall see that all notices are duly given in accordance with applicable law, the Articles of Incorporation and these Bylaws; and shall be the custodian of all records and reports of the Foundation. The Secretary-Treasurer shall be the principal accounting and financial officer of the Foundation and have charge of and be responsible for the maintenance of adequate books of account for the Foundation; shall have charge and custody of all funds and securities of the Foundation, and be responsible therefor, and for the receipt and disbursement thereof; shall deposit all funds and securities of the Foundation in such banks, trusts or other depositories as may be designated by the Board; shall have an annual audit or review (as directed by the Board) of the Foundation’s books conducted by a certified public accounting firm; and in general shall perform all of the duties customarily incident to the office of treasurer and such other duties as from time to time may be assigned by the President or the Board of Directors. The duties of the Secretary-Treasurer may be assigned by the Board in whole or in part to the CEO or such other person(s) as the Board may designate.

Section 4.7          Resignation. Any Officer may resign at any time by giving written notice to the Board of Directors. Such resignation shall take effect upon delivery of written notice unless a different effective date is specified in the notice. If the resignation is effective on a future date, the Board may, in its discretion, accelerate the effective date of such resignation.

Section 4.8          Removal. Any of the Officers of the Foundation other than President or Secretary-Treasurer may be removed by the Directors, but such removal shall be without prejudice to the contract rights, if any, of the person so removed. Election or appointment of an Officer shall not of itself create any contract rights.

Section 4.9          Vacancies. Any vacancy in any Officer position other than President or Secretary-Treasurer because of death, resignation, removal, disqualification or any other cause, shall be filled by the persons authorized to elect that Officer position.

ARTICLE V

COMMITTEES

Section 5.1          Nominating Committee. The Nominating Committee shall be comprised of the NCSL President and Staff Chair and of a member of the Board appointed by the President of the Foundation not otherwise up for election. The Nominating Committee shall recommend candidates to serve as Officers and Directors of the Foundation (other than the offices of President, Secretary-Treasurer, and Vice-President) for election by the NCSL Executive Committee or Foundation Board (as applicable) pursuant to Article III, Section 3.5 and Article IV, Section 4.2.

Section 5.2          Board Committees. The Board of Directors, by resolution adopted by a majority of the Directors then in office, may designate one or more committees, each of which shall consist of a majority or more Directors, which to the extent provided in said resolution shall have and exercise the authority of the Board of Directors in the management of the Foundation and be charged with certain duties as outlined in general policies and procedures adopted by the Board; provided, however, that the designation of such committees and the delegation thereto of authority shall not operate to relieve the Board of Directors or any individual Directors of any responsibility imposed by law.

Section 5.3          Other Committees, Task Forces, and Advisory Bodies. Other committees not having and exercising the authority of the Board of Directors in the management of the Foundation may be designated by a resolution adopted by a majority of the Directors present at a meeting at which a quorum is present. Except as otherwise provided in such resolution, members of each such committee need not be Directors of the Foundation. The Board of Directors shall appoint the members thereof, including one member to serve as chair of the committee.

Section 5.4          Quorum and Manner of Acting. Unless otherwise provided in these Bylaws, or unless the appointment by the Board requires a greater number, a majority of any committee shall constitute a quorum, and the act of a majority of committee members present and voting at a meeting at which a quorum is present shall be the act of the committee.

Section 5.5          Participation at Meetings by Conference Phone or other Communications Equipment. Committee members may participate in and act at any committee meeting using a conference telephone, video conference or other communications equipment by means of which all persons participating in the meeting can communicate with each other. Participation in such meeting shall constitute attendance and presence in person at the meeting of the person or persons so participating.

Section 5.6          Meetings of Committees. Subject to action by the Board of Directors, each committee by majority vote of its members shall determine the time and place of meetings and the notice required therefor.

Section 5.7          Policies and Procedures. The Board of Directors shall adopt general policies and procedures for the operation of the Board and all committees.

ARTICLE VI

EXECUTIVE AND STAFF

The administrative and day-to-day operation of the Foundation shall be the responsibility of NCSL’s Chief Executive Officer. They shall have the title of CEO and the authority to execute contracts on behalf of the Foundation and as approved by the Board of Directors. The CEO (or their designee(s)) may carry out the duties of the Secretary-Treasurer and perform such other duties as may be specified by the Board. The CEO shall employ and may terminate the employment of members of the staff necessary to carry out the work of the Foundation. The CEO shall be invited to attend and participate, without vote, in all regular and special meetings of the Board of Directors, except those held in executive session.

ARTICLE VII

FINANCE

Section 7.1          Contracts. The Board of Directors may authorize any officer or officers, agent or agents of the Foundation, in addition to the officers so authorized by these Bylaws, to enter into any contract or execute and deliver any instrument in the name of and on behalf of the Foundation, and such authority may be general or confined to specific instances.

Section 7.2          Checks, Drafts, Etc. All checks, drafts or other orders for the payment of money, notes or other evidences of indebtedness issued in the name of the Foundation shall be signed by such officer or officers, agent or agents of the Foundation and in such manner as shall from time to time be determined by resolution of the Board of Directors. In the absence of such determination by the Board of Directors, such instruments shall be signed the President and countersigned by the Secretary-Treasurer.

Section 7.3          Deposits. All funds of the Foundation shall be deposited to the credit of the Foundation in such banks, trust companies, or other depositories as the Board of Directors may select.

Section 7.4          Bonding. The Board of Directors may provide for the bonding of such officers and employees of the Foundation as it may from time to time determine.

Section 7.5          Gifts. The Board of Directors may accept on behalf of the Foundation any contribution, gift, bequest or devise for the general purposes or for any special purpose of the Foundation.

Section 7.6          Books and Records. The Foundation shall keep correct and complete books and records of account and shall also keep minutes of the proceedings of the Board of Directors and any committees having the authority of the Board of Directors. The books and accounts of the Foundation shall be audited or reviewed annually by an independent certified public accountant.

Section 7.7          Fiscal Year. The fiscal year of the Foundation shall be determined from time to time by the Board of Directors.

ARTICLE VIII

INDEMNIFICATION OF DIRECTORS, OFFICERS, EMPLOYEES AND AGENTS

The Foundation shall indemnify all officers, Directors, employees, committee members and other volunteers of the Foundation to the full extent permitted by law and shall be entitled to purchase insurance for such indemnification of officers, Directors, employees, committee members and other volunteers to the full extent as determined from time to time by the Board of Directors of the Foundation.

ARTICLE IX

WAIVER OF NOTICE

Whenever any notice is required to be given under applicable law, the Articles of Incorporation or these Bylaws, a waiver thereof in writing signed by the person or persons entitled to such notice, whether before or after the time stated therein, shall be deemed equivalent to the giving of such notice.

ARTICLE X

AMENDMENTS

These Bylaws may be altered, amended or repealed and new Bylaws may be adopted by an affirmative vote of a majority of the members of the NCSL Executive Committee present and voting at any meeting of the NCSL Executive Committee at which a quorum is present. Amendments may be proposed by the Board of Directors or by the NCSL Executive Committee.

ARTICLE XI

DISSOLUTION

In the event of the dissolution of the Foundation, the Board of Directors shall, after paying or making provision for the payment of all the liabilities of the Foundation, dispose of all the remaining assets of the Foundation (except any assets held by the Foundation upon condition requiring return, transfer or other conveyance in the event of dissolution, which assets shall be returned, transferred or conveyed in accordance with such requirements) exclusively for the purposes of the Foundation in such manner, to NCSL if qualified to receive them or to such other organization or organizations as shall at the time qualify as a tax-exempt organization or organizations under Section 501(c)(3) of the Code or the corresponding provisions of any future United States Internal Revenue statute, as the Board of Directors shall determine. Any such assets not so disposed of shall be disposed of by the court of general jurisdiction of the county in which the principal office of the Foundation is then located, exclusively for such purposes in such manner, or to such organization or organizations, which are organized and operated exclusively for such purposes, as said court shall determine.

May 18, 2024 | Parliament Building Of Québec | Québec City, Québec

The following officers and members were present:

Officers

• Speaker Pro Tempore Brian Patrick Kennedy, Rhode Island, NCSL president
• Senate President Pro Tempore Wayne Harper, Utah, NCSL president-elect
• Assistant House Majority Leader Marcus Evans Jr., Illinois, NCSL vice president
• Speaker Robin Vos, Wisconsin, president emeritus
• Sabrina Lewellen, Arkansas, NCSL staff chair
• John Snyder, Kentucky, NCSL staff vice chair
• Anne Sappenfield, Wisconsin, immediate past staff chair

Members

• Cecilia Aguiar-Curry, California
• Tyler August, Wisconsin
• Natalie Castle, Colorado
• Lonnie Edgar, Mississippi
• Deborah Ferguson, Arkansas
• Miriam Fordham, Kentucky
• Roger Goodman, Washington
• Aurora Hauke, Alaska
• Sonya Harper, Illinois
• Bill Hansell, Oregon
• Doug Himes, Tennessee
• Briggs Hopson III, Mississippi
• Senate President Matt Huffman, Ohio
• Jennifer Jackson, Texas
• Eric Katz, New York
• Terry G. Kilgore, Virginia
• MNA Mathieu Lemay, Québec
• John T. McDonald, New York
• Sam McKenzie, Tennessee
• Ann Millner, Utah
• Eric Nauman, Minnesota
• Rich Olsen, West Virginia
• Speaker Sherman Packard, New Hampshire
• Jill Reinmuth, Washington
• Melissa Renick, Kansas
• Dan Saddler, Alaska
• Paul Smith, New Hampshire
• Senate President Robert Stivers, Kentucky
• Ben Toma, Arizona
• Betsy Theroux, Georgia
• Will Tracy, Arkansas
• Erica Warren, Kentucky
• Whitney Westerfield, Kentucky

Forty members were in attendance. A quorum was present.

Welcome and Introductions

Speaker Pro Tem Brian Patrick Kennedy opened the May 2024 Executive Committee meeting in Québec City by welcoming attendees and thanking them for their efforts in traveling to the event. He expressed gratitude to the Québec hosts, especially MNA Mathieu Lemay, for their involvement in organizing the meeting.

NCSL’s CEO Tim Storey confirmed that a quorum was present and provided housekeeping reminders. He emphasized the importance of speaking into microphones for recording purposes and instructed attendees to raise their hands when giving reports to aid the sound recording. Storey mentioned that votes would be taken on the budget proposal and other committee matters and reminded everyone to have their Executive Committee books ready.

Kennedy concluded the announcements by informing attendees about a reception with guided tours starting at 5 p.m., where they would learn about the room's parliamentary uses. He highlighted the strong partnership with the National Assembly of Québec and invited Lemay to speak.

Remarks by MNA Lemay

Mathieu Lemay, MNA of the National Assembly of Québec, welcomed attendees to Québec City in French, with an English interpreter translating his remarks. He expressed honor in hosting not only the NCSL Executive Committee meeting but also five of its working groups in Québec City.

Lemay highlighted the historical significance of the Québec Parliament Building, a national historic monument built in the Second Empire architectural style. He emphasized Québec’s status as the only French-speaking parliament in North America and described the unique democratic role of the Blue Room, where Québec's legislative decisions have shaped its distinct society more than 128 years.

Acknowledging shared ties with the United States in trade, economics, politics and culture, Lemay stressed the importance of enhancing bilateral relations. He underscored the role of organizations like NCSL in fostering global engagement while preserving local legislative strengths.

In conclusion, Mathieu invited attendees to a cultural reception at the Parlementaire restaurant, aiming to showcase Québecois culture and strengthen international friendships.

Kennedy expressed gratitude to Lemay and welcomed international guests, including delegations from Ghana and Alberta. He introduced NCSL's new affiliate program aimed at expanding membership and fostering educational exchanges. He also thanked the NCSL Legislative Summit 2024 Host Committee for its gifts and introduced Kentucky Senate President Robert Stivers to speak on behalf of his state's legislators and staff.

Stivers highlighted the preparations for the upcoming NCSL Summit in Louisville, Ky. He invited attendees to register for the Summit, proudly sharing that over 1,500 people, including 340 legislators and 300 legislative staff, had already registered. Stivers noted that the registration numbers surpassed those of previous Summits in various cities and mentioned that 80% of the Exhibit Hall was filled. He outlined the planned events, including policy and professional development sessions, and a reception at The Kentucky Center for the Arts. Stivers humorously mentioned Kentucky's ownership of the Ohio River and concluded by inviting attendees to experience the state's hospitality, including its famous Bourbon Trail, while thanking the NCSL staff and organizers.

Approval of Minutes And Memo

Kennedy transitioned the meeting to official business, starting with the approval of the previous meeting's minutes, located on page 61 of the provided books. Wisconsin Speaker Robin Vos made the motion to approve the minutes, and New Hampshire Speaker Sherman Packard seconded it. The minutes were approved by a voice vote.

Kennedy then introduced and welcomed Assemblywoman Cecilia Aguiar-Curry from California as the newest member of the Executive Committee. Vos moved to adopt her addition to the committee, and another speaker seconded. The committee approved her membership by a voice vote, and Kennedy expressed his anticipation of her contributions to the committee. Aguiar-Curry responded with a thank you.

CEO Report

Kennedy introduced Storey to deliver a five-minute report. Storey began by highlighting the new Executive Committee books, which featured improved organization and design. He praised the NCSL communications team for its efforts in overhauling the book.

Storey provided several key updates, including an increase in research requests, which he described as a core service highly valued by NCSL members, and a significant rise in web traffic. He emphasized the growing demand for training, with more than 4,500 legislators and staff trained so far this year. He also noted the completion of 42 state liaison visits, enhancing the connection between NCSL and state legislatures.

Storey acknowledged the upcoming NCSL Summit in Louisville, reporting strong early registration numbers and significant progress in Summit preparations. He highlighted the importance of the Summit as a major public policy gathering and encouraged attendees to invite others.

Additionally, he mentioned the financial health of NCSL, including a projected substantial surplus and a growing reserve fund managed by KeyBank Investors. He concluded by expressing pride in the NCSL staff's dedication and commitment to supporting state legislatures and thanked the Executive Committee for its continued support.

Kennedy thanked Storey for his report.

Report from the Budget, Finance and Rules Committee

Kennedy invited Utah President Pro Tem Wayne Harper, NCSL president-elect, to present the report from the Budget, Finance and Rules Committee. Harper began by highlighting the positive state of NCSL's budget for 2024. With one month remaining in the fiscal year, the budget is trending positively, and a surplus of approximately $1 million is projected. This surplus is due to meeting target income from appropriations collections, strong grant support, and higher-than-expected interest income.

Harper announced that NCSL would make a $500,000 contribution to the operating reserve fund, as designated in the budget, and an additional $500,000 to the surplus, which will be used for deferred maintenance on the NCSL building in Denver, including HVAC and roof repairs. He noted that the investments made by KeyBank Advisors in NCSL's reserve fund have yielded positive returns, with the fund up by about $110,000.

Moving on to the 2025 budget, Harper directed attention to pages 13-15 of the budget book for a summary and pages 26-95 for detailed programmatic budgets. The proposed 2025 general fund budget is $19.8 million, with total revenue projected at $20.2 million. This includes a previously approved 4% increase in dues for member jurisdictions, yielding about $12.9 million. The NCSL Legislative Summit in Louisville is expected to bring in about $3.6 million, with estimated expenses of $2.3 million.

Harper mentioned that the fiscal year 2025 expenses are mostly a continuation of the 2024 budget, with additional allocations for building repairs in Denver. The budget includes a 2% cost of living increase for staff and a 3% merit increase, along with inflationary increases for IT, building maintenance and travel expenses. Additionally, $465,000 is designated for the reserve fund for the next year.

After providing an overview, Harper moved for the Executive Committee to adopt the proposed budget as the NCSL general fund budget for fiscal year 2025. The motion was seconded, and with no further discussion, it was approved unanimously.

Harper concluded with an update on the Working Group on Dues, which had its second meeting earlier that day. He mentioned that a final report on dues would be presented at the Executive Committee meeting in Louisville, wrapping up his report.

Report from the Committee on Outreach and Member Services

Kennedy invited Illinois Rep. Marcus Evans Jr., NCSL vice president, and NCSL Staff Chair Sabrina Lewellen to present the report from the Committee on Outreach and Member Services. Evans highlighted the committee's review of six proposed grants, initially stated as totaling $3 million but later corrected to $6 million. These grants required Executive Committee approval. He noted the success of NCSL's new communications and outreach work, particularly the "State of Play" series in partnership with A Starting Point, which has helped reach new and younger audiences about the vital work of state legislatures. NCSL’s website traffic has seen significant growth due to high-quality content, and the organization continues to perform well on social media.

Evans reported that NCSL made 34 state liaison visits in the first three months of the year and completed 565 research requests for legislators and legislative staff. The organization engaged with over 4,500 legislators and staff through 88 virtual and in-state training sessions, policy assistance and relationship-building meetings. He highlighted the high enthusiasm for the 2024 NCSL Legislative Summit in Louisville, noting that registration numbers are outpacing those for previous Summits in Indianapolis, Denver, Tampa and Nashville.

Lewellen reported on the 50th anniversary celebration, noting strong enthusiasm nationwide. The official kickoff will occur at the NCSL Legislative Summit in Louisville, with observances running through next summer’s summit in Boston. She shared that 35 states, including Arkansas, have passed resolutions recognizing NCSL’s 50th anniversary, and she acknowledged the efforts of NCSL’s outreach team and state liaisons in promoting the celebration.

After the reports, Evans emphasized the importance of the Committee on Outreach and Member Services and encouraged members to bring colleagues to the Louisville Summit to enhance legislative effectiveness through NCSL's resources and training. He then moved to adopt the now $6 million in grants. The motion was seconded and approved unanimously.

Report from the Legislative Institution Subcommittee

Kennedy introduced Natalie Castle and Jennifer Jackson to present the report from the Legislative Institution Subcommittee. Castle began by describing the committee members' introductions, during which they shared traditions from their state legislatures, such as ice cream socials, kickball games, and a bouncing ball made of rubber bands in Colorado.

The committee received a presentation from Clovis Roussy, a parliamentary law attorney from the Parliamentary City and Procedure Directorate, on the history, organizational structure, and procedures of the National Assembly of Québec. Castle highlighted the similarities between Québec's constitution and that of the United Kingdom, noting that King Charles is the head of state in Canada, represented by the lieutenant governor in Québec. The National Assembly, consisting of 125 members from four political parties, operates under a parliamentary system where the government must maintain the confidence of the Assembly to govern.

Following Roussy's presentation, Natalie Wood, vice president of policy research for NCSL, provided an update on the services provided by the Center for Legislative Strengthening between January and May. She announced Julie George as the new director, replacing her previous role, and shared that there has been increasing interest from state legislatures in legislative oversight, separation of powers and performance evaluation. Additionally, Wood noted heightened interest in the use of artificial intelligence in legislatures, legislative compensation, collective bargaining for legislative staff, and accessibility of applications and digital documents.

John Mahoney, program manager for NCSL’s Leaders and International Program, presented on the establishment of a new International Legislative Advisory Council focused on state legislative and international relations. This council will include one legislator and one staff member from each international affiliate, as well as at least one legislator and one legislative staff member from the United States, appointed by the NCSL president and staff chair. The council's purposes include suggesting nominations for the international representative on the Executive Committee, promoting global cooperation, and strengthening international ties between national or subnational governments and state legislatures.

Castle reported that there was significant interest among the subcommittee members in international relationships. Stivers emphasized the growing interest from international governments and suggested expanding NCSL's international work. Washington Rep. Roger Goodman inquired about NCSL's relationship with Ireland, while Utah Sen. Ann Millner recommended building out international relationships in a substantive way that demonstrates value to constituents. Packard shared that New Hampshire has started inviting international delegations to speak to its legislature.

Finally, Jennifer Jackson provided an update on the ongoing work of the LSCC Legislative Institution subcommittee, which focuses on updating documents about the legislative institution, including the model code of conduct for staff and other personnel policies. Completion of these updates is targeted for early next year.

Report from the State Federal Activities Committee

Kennedy introduced John Snyder, NCSL vice staff chair and staff chair for the State Federal Activities Committee, to give a report on the session held that afternoon. He began by recognizing the fellow officers of the committee, noting that Majority Leader Bob Duff from Connecticut and Speaker Pro Tem Jon Eubanks from Arkansas were unable to attend due to personal and travel issues, respectively. Snyder, standing in for staff chair Rich Olsen from West Virginia, led the meeting efficiently, ending 15 minutes early.

The first agenda item was the report on the rollout of the new expanded set of standing committees, which is now complete. The Executive Committee approved the expansion from eight to 11 at last year's Summit, and the redistribution of the state-federal policies for the split committees was approved in January. NCSL has since launched several engagement activities, including a series of state-federal monthly briefings on priority issues identified in January and a new committee community platform, Breezio, which is also being used by the professional staff associations.

NCSL is prioritizing opportunities for standing committee members to attend invitational meetings. Several NCSL staff presented updates on NCSL's work on federal priorities for state legislatures. Notably, the NCSL Task Force on Artificial Intelligence, Cybersecurity and Privacy is developing best practices for states. Staff are monitoring federal legislation with potential state preemption issues, although such legislation is unlikely to move this year.

Snyder highlighted the impending funding shortfall for the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP), established in 2021 to provide affordable high-speed internet to 23 million low-income individuals and families. Efforts are underway in Congress to secure additional funding. NCSL supports this program and encourages members to urge their congressional delegations to take action.

Another looming issue is the expiration of several tax cuts from the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, set to begin in 2025. NCSL's State and Local Task Force and Budgets and Revenue Committee will examine the impact of these expiring tax cuts and develop a new resolution for consideration at the Summit outlining NCSL's tax priorities.

The committee also discussed potential new topics for the State-Federal Relations Committee, including the national debt's potential impact on state budgets, a concern raised by several members, including Vos.

Molly Ramsdell, NCSL’s vice president of state-federal affairs, provided a preview of state federal policies to be discussed at the Summit, and reminded everyone of Policy Week during the week of June 10, where each standing committee hosts a virtual meeting to review current policies for the Summit. The deadline to submit new policy directives or amendments to existing directives is July 8. A detailed summary of NCSL's work in D.C. starts on page 52 of the Executive Committee book.

Snyder concluded his report with no questions from the committee.

Report from the Legislative Staff Coordinating Committee (LSCC)

Kennedy introduced Lewellen to deliver the report from the LSCC. She began by providing updates from the Professional Staff Association Officers Work Group. She highlighted the success of the staff exchange program, which saw participation from seven of the nine professional staff associations in hosting visits. Also, nine fall professional development meetings are in the planning phase and will commence in early September.

The Standing Committees Work Group is using the new Breezio platform for communications, continuing to focus on the new standing committee structure and professional development opportunities for staff officers. Lewellen then shifted to 50th anniversary efforts, noting that NCSL staff continues to support these initiatives. The celebration will kick off in Louisville, running through the next year and culminating at the Summit in Boston. She emphasized the enthusiastic response from across the country, with 35 states having taken legislative action to recognize the anniversary, including her home state of Arkansas.

The Strategic Planning Work Group, led by Snyder, plans to establish a special work group on artificial intelligence during his term and continues to work on his goals. The Information Technology, Social Media, E-Learning and Outreach Subcommittee reported on the continued rollout and updates of the Breezio platform. They also provided updates on Summit registration numbers and a wrap-up of staff week. A legislative staff-focused webpage was the fourth most-visited page on the NCSL website last week, with a record number of 2,173 shoutouts for legislative staff from 37 states. Connecticut emerged as the winner of the shoutout competition, narrowly beating Michigan and West Virginia, and will celebrate with an ice cream party for its staff.

The Legislative Institution Subcommittee shared favored traditions from chambers across the country and discussed the legislative institution track for the upcoming Summit sessions. They also reported on updates for publications such as the Legislative Litigation Toolkit, the Model Code of Conduct, and a legislative staff personnel manual. Lastly, the Programs and Professional Development Subcommittee continues to focus on its goals, providing updated information on the senior staff director program and the delivery of this year's Legislative Staff Management Institute, which will take place in July in Denver. They also shared plans for 2025 and 2026.

Lewellen concluded her report and invited any questions from the committee.

Report from the NCSL Foundation of State Legislatures

Kennedy invited Vos to deliver the report from the NCSL Foundation. He began by acknowledging record-breaking support from the private sector, noting a significant increase in fundraising efforts over the past five years. He highlighted the achievement of raising $4.6 million this year, nearly doubling the goal set in 2019. Vos expressed gratitude to the private sector sponsors present, inviting them to stand and be recognized for their contributions.

He specifically mentioned that there are now 28 Capital Circle sponsors, including America's Credit Unions, Exxon, Carrier Corp, Chevron and Cenovus Energy. The number of Platinum sponsors has reached 66, with Lykos Therapeutics being a recent addition. Additionally, there are 11 new Gold sponsors and nine new Silver-level sponsors this year, bringing the total number of sponsors to 286—a record high. Vos underscored the importance of private sector support in strengthening NCSL and acknowledged the efforts of NCSL staff in facilitating these partnerships.

Transitioning to other updates, Vos mentioned ongoing efforts of the Foundation Bylaws Committee, which will propose changes to increase board participation and set term limits for directors. He announced that these proposals will be discussed further at the upcoming meeting in Louisville on Aug. 4.

Vos concluded his report, inviting questions from the committee and passing the floor back to Kennedy.

Conclusion and Other Business

Kennedy thanked Vos for his report and invited any questions. He expressed appreciation for Christine Csizmadia’s leadership and looked forward to future collaboration. Moving to other business, Kennedy acknowledged the gift packages from Québec.

He reminded attendees about the next Legislative Summit in Louisville, beginning Aug. 4, highlighting its importance for board members and task force participants. Kennedy closed the meeting with thanks to Québec for hosting and announced plans for a group photo before adjourning the session.