By Laura D. Rose
A network of legislators committed to promoting civility in legislative discourse was launched during a training session just before the start of the 2015 Legislative Summit in Seattle.
The National Network of State Legislators Committed to Civil Governance had 34 legislators from 16 states participating in the session and another 15 who connected online. More organizational efforts, including a mission statement, are in the works.
The session, conducted by the National Institute for Civil Discourse (NICD), was attended by Gabrielle Giffords, who represented Arizona's 8th congressional district for five years until she was severely injured during an assasination attempt in 2012.
Giffords, who was accompanied by her husband, astronaut Mark Kelly, presented the inaugural Gabrielle Giffords awards for civility in state legislatures to Representative Sam Hunt (D) and Representative Hans Zeiger (R), both of Washington state.
Representative Hans Zeiger (center) received the Gabrielle Giffords Award for Civility in State Legislatures. Also pictured (from left) are Carolyn Lukensmeyer of NICD, Kelly, Giffords and Ted Celeste of NICD.
Representative Sam Hunt received the Gabrielle Giffords Award for Civility in State Legislatures.
Laura Rose is group director in NCSL's Legislative Management program.
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