Skip to main content
Aug Aug 23 26

2021 NLSSA Annual Training Conference Preliminary Agenda

  • Monday, August 23, 2021
View Event Details:

NLSSA hosts the only national training event designed exclusively for legislative staff who work in the areas of security, administrative services and tourism management. Learn new approaches, share ideas and network with your peers from other states. This conference is an opportunity to learn from your peers and share information! And there is no shortage of things to learn and discuss during this extraordinary year.

Joint Sessions:

  • Roundtable Discussion: Services and Security During the COVID-19 Pandemic
  • Communication and Teambuilding Across Agencies and Staff Roles
  • Crisis Intervention

Security Track:

  • Tour of the Montana Capitol Focusing on Security Considerations
  • Briefing about Montana Capitol Critical Infrastructure Assessment
  • Lessons Learned from Mass Demonstrations and Protests
  • Domestic Hate Groups
  • Current Trends about Physical Safety and Member Safety

Tour and Services Track:

  • Capitol Services and Historical Tour Focusing on the Art, Statutes and History of the Building.
  • Designing the New Montana Heritage Center
  • Show and Share: Tools Used to Schedule Rooms, School Groups and Large Events
  • Training Volunteers
  • Keeping Visitors and Tours Safe

Note: Breakfast is included in hotel room rate.

Monday, Aug. 23

1-5 p.m.

Registration

Great Northern HotelFoyer

2-3:30 p.m.

NLSSA Executive Board Meeting

Great Northern Hotel—Empire Builder

Presiding:
Martin Brock, chief of police, North Carolina General Assembly Police Department, and NLSSA President

3 p.m.

Trolley will depart LaQuinta for Great Northern Hotel

Trolley will not shuttle

3:30-5 p.m.

Introductions and Orientation/Roundtable Discussions for All Participants - COVID Responses and the Return to "Normal"

Great Northern Hotel—Empire Builder

Discussion Leader:
Angela Andrews, NCSL

5:30-6:30 p.m.

Optional Tour of Helena on Last Chance Tour Train

The optional tour will begin and end at the Best Western Great Northern Hotel

6:30 p.m.

Trolley will depart Great Northern Hotel for LaQuinta

Trolley will not shuttle

Evening

Evening on your own

Tuesday, Aug. 24
7:30-8:30 a.m.

Registration/Information Desk

Great Northern HotelFoyer

7:30-8:30 a.m.

Board Trolley for Capitol

Trolley will shuttle between hotel and Capitol for one hour

8:30-9:30 a.m.

Opening Ceremony and Welcome

State CapitolHouse Chamber

9:30-11:15 a.m.

Tour for Security Personnel

State Capitol

This tour of the Montana Capitol will focus on capitol security considerations. The tour leaders will be Lenore Adams, House Sergeant at Arms Brad Murfitt and Trooper Brandon Uhl.

9:30-11:15 a.m.

Tour and Programming for Services/Tour Personnel

State Capitol

The Montana Historical Society will give an in-depth tour of the Montana Capitol and its grounds. The group will meet by the security desk on the first floor of the Capitol.

9:30-10:15 a.m.—Tour of Capitol Exterior Grounds
The tour leader for this portion of the capitol tour will be Christine Brown, Historic Specialist, Montana Historical Society.

10:15-11:15 a.m.—Tour of Capitol Interior
The tour leader for this portion of the capitol tour will be Deb Mitchell, Program Specialist, Outreach and Interpretation, Montana Historical Society

11:30-11:45 a.m. Group Photo on Capitol Steps
Noon-1:15 p.m.

Lunch

State CapitolRotunda, Second Floor

Speaker:
Mike Jetty, Indian Education Specialist, Montana Office of Public Instruction

1:30-3 p.m.

Programming for Security Personnel—Critical Infrastructure-Capitol Building Assessments

State CapitolRoom 317

Speaker:
Randy Middlebrook, Protective Security Advisor for Infrastructure Protection, Federal Region VIII-Montana District, U.S. Department of Homeland Security

1:30-3 p.m.

Programming for Services/Tour Personnel—Designing the Montana Heritage Center

State Capitol - Montana Historical Society Auditorium

Speakers:
Molly Kruckenberg, Executive Director, Montana Historical Society
Denise King, Central Services Administrator, Montana Historical Society

3-4 p.m.

Plenary Session—First Amendment Auditors and Sovereign Citizens

State CapitolRoom 317

Speakers: 

Anne Dormady, Montana All Threat Intelligence Center, Montana Department of Justice

Butch Huseby, Analyst, Division of Criminal Investigation, Montana Department of Justice

4-5 p.m.

Programming for Security Personnel—Lessons Learned from Mass Demonstrations and Protests

State CapitolRoom 317

Discussion Leader:

Martin Brock, Chief, North Carolina General Assembly Police Department

4-5 p.m.

Programming for Services/Tour Personnel—Roundtable on Managing Tours and the Public During Renovations and COVID

State Capitol - Montana Historical Society Auditorium

Discussion Leaders:
Virginia Drew, Director, State House Visitors Center, New Hampshire
Deb Mitchell, Program Specialist, Outreach and Interpretation, Montana Historical Society

5-6:30 p.m.

Reception at Montana Historical Society

Montana Historical Society

6-7 p.m.

Board Trolley to Hotel

Trolley will shuttle between Historical Society and both hotels for one hour. The last shuttle will depart at 7:00 p.m.

Wednesday, Aug. 25
8 a.m. 

Trolley Departs LaQuinta for the Great Northern Hotel

The trolley will not shuttle between hotels

8:30-10 a.m.

Plenary Session—Teambuilding, Collaboration & Communication

Great Northern HotelEmpire Builder

Remarks by NCSL Staff Officers:

Martha Wigton, NCSL Staff Chair

J.J. Gentry, NCSL Staff Vice Chair 

Speaker:
Patrick Sullivan, Director, Montana Professional Development Center

10-10:15 a.m.

Coffee Break

10:15-11:30 a.m.

Roundtable Discussions for Security Personnel—Domestic Hate Groups

Great Northern Hotel—Empire Builder

Speaker:
Martin Brock, chief of police, North Carolina General Assembly Police Department

10:15-11:30 a.m.

Roundtable Discussions for Services/Tour Personnel—Gift Shop Management

Great Northern HotelIron Horse

Discussion Leader:
Kathy Barton, Gift Shop Manager, ZooMontana

11:45 a.m.-1:15 p.m.

Lunch

Great Northern HotelEmpire Builder

Sponsored by Motorola

1:30-2:45 p.m.

Roundtable Discussions for Security Personnel—Current Trends on Physical Safety and Member Safety

Great Nothern Hotel—Empire Builder

Speakers:
Richard Webb, South Carolina Senate
Claude McMillan, South Carolina Senate

1:30-2:45 p.m.

Roundtable Discussions for Services/Tour Personnel—Volunteer Training and Safety

Great Northern HotelIron Horse

Discussion Leader:
Virginia Drew, Director, State House Visitors Center, New Hampshire

2:45-3 p.m.

Break

3-5 p.m.

Plenary Session—Building Communication to Better Use All of Your Eyes and Ears

Great Northern HotelEmpire Builder

Discussion Leader:
Michelle O'Brien, Special Projects Coordinator, Idaho Legislative Services Office

5 p.m.

Trolley Departs Great Northern for the LaQuinta

Trolley will not shuttle between the hotels

Evening

Dinner on your own

Thursday, Aug. 26
8:30-9:15 a.m.

NLSSA Regional Meetings

Great Northern Hotel

Region 1—Iron Horse—Lenore Adams, Region 1 Chair

Alaska, American Samoa, Arizona, California, Colorado, Guam, Hawaii, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Northern Mariana Is., Oregon, Utah, Washington and Wyoming


Region 2—Western Star—Todd Ashby, Region 2 Chair

Arkansas, Illinois, Indiana Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Texas and Wisconsin


Region 3—Lobby—Virginia Drew, Region 3 Vice Chair 

Connecticut, Delaware, Maine, Massachusetts, Maryland, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island and Vermont


Region 4—Empire Builder—Dustin Morgan, Region 4 Chair

Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Mississippi, North Carolina, Puerto Rico, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virgin Islands, Virginia, Washington, D.C. and West Virginia

9:30-10:15 a.m.

NLSSA Annual Business Meeting/Election of Officers

Great Northern HotelEmpire Builder

Presiding:
Martin Brock, chief of police, North Carolina General Assembly Police Department, and NLSSA President

10:15-10:30 a.m. Coffee Break
10:30 a.m.-Noon

Plenary SessionCrisis Intervention and De-Escalation Techniques

Great Northern HotelEmpire Builder

Speakers:
Greg Holmlund, Corporal, Lewis and Clark County Sheriff’s Office
Shane Hildenstab, Captain, Lewis and Clark County Sheriff’s Office

12:15-1:30 p.m.

Lunch

Great Northern HotelEmpire Builder

1:30-3 p.m.

Plenary SessionInsights on Jan 6th  

Great Nothern HotelEmpire Builder

Moderator:
Rod Welsh, Executive Director, Texas State Preservation Board

Speaker:
Terry Gainer, former Chief of the U.S. Capitol Police and former U.S. Senate Sergeant at Arms

3-6 p.m.

Afternoon on your own

6-7 p.m.

State Dinner Reception

Great Northern HotelEmpire Builder

6-10 p.m.

State Dinner and Awards Ceremony

Great Northern HotelEmpire Builder

Presiding:
Martin Brock, chief of police, North Carolina General Assembly Police Department, and NLSSA President

9 p.m. or upon close of State Dinner

Trolley Departs Great Northern for LaQuinta

The trolley will not shuttle between the hotels

Sponsors
Loading
  • Contact NCSL

  • For more information on this topic, use this form to reach NCSL staff.