Monday General Session
Living Legend Dolly Parton
1:30-3 p.m. | Convention Center Grand Ballroom
Dolly launched her first Imagination Library in her home county in East Tennessee. Imagination Library is a gift-giving book program that mails free, high-quality books to children from birth to age 5, no matter their family’s income. Dolly’s Imagination Library partners with local communities and state governments to provide a book each month to 1.4 million children in five countries. Hear Dolly’s captivating story and learn how you can start this program in your state.
Featured Sessions | Monday
Living to 100
7:30 a.m.-1 p.m. | Davidson B
Join policy innovators to take stock of demographic changes and discuss how systems and supports may need to change to sustain a 100-year life.
New Attendee Orientation
11 a.m.-Noon | 205 AB
Learn how to navigate the Legislative Summit at this interactive orientation session. We’ll cover the business meeting, sessions and offer other tips to make the most of your time in Nashville.
All About the Census
3:15-5 p.m. | 104 ABC
In this three-part session, hear from the U.S. Census Bureau about the kickoff, outreach, cybersecurity and other issues surrounding the census. Learn what states are doing to encourage full counts and the growing number of “complete count committees.” Finally, explore the citizenship question following the U.S. Supreme Court ruling that impedes, for now, the federal government’s ability to include the question on the 2020 census.
Social Event
Music City Country Picnic | Monday
5:30-7:30 p.m. | Walk of Fame Park
Join us in downtown Nashville, where decades of country music come to life! Experience authentic Southern cuisine in a picnic-style affair at Walk of Fame Park and enjoy the musical stylings of singer/songwriter Jeffrey Steele. Immerse yourself in country legend legacies with a tour through the Country Music Hall of Fame, open exclusively to Summit attendees!
Salute to Legislative Staff Luncheon
Cultivating Credibility
Noon-1:45 p.m. | Grand Ballroom
At a time when public mistrust of journalism and government is at an all-time high, cultivating credibility in both institutions is crucial. Evan Smith, co-founder and CEO of The Texas Tribune and former editor in chief of Texas Monthly, shares lessons learned from more than 30 years of statehouse reporting.
All Attendee Lunch
Noon-1:45 p.m. | Hall A
All Summit attendees are invited to lunch in the Exhibit Hall.
Featured Sessions | Tuesday
Disrupting Incivility
2-3:15 p.m. | 103 AB
Today’s lawmakers deal with a barrage of negativity, including sometimes poisonous personal attacks. Hear how colleagues across the country are fighting off the rising tide of incivility and using safeguards to protect themselves and the legislative institution.
First Down: Sports Betting in the States
3:30-5 p.m. | 202
Following the Supreme Court decision finding the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act unconstitutional, the decision to legalize and regulate sports betting now lies with the states—with legal, regulatory and ethical concerns that must be considered.
Watch Livestreaming
NCSL is livestreaming nine Summit sessions this year and you can watch them all on the NCSL Facebook page. See the full agenda of streaming sessions.
Tuesday’s Livestreamed Sessions
Navigating Criminal Justice Reform
10:15 a.m.-Noon | Davidson C
Whether you are just starting to work on criminal justice reform or are thinking about the next phase, this session is for you. Hear from CNN’s Van Jones, Mississippi Governor Phil Bryant (R) and others in the states who leading the reform efforts.
Redistricting Basics
2-3:15 p.m. | 209
What do legislative leaders, rank-and-file members and staff need to know about redistricting? We’ll provide the framework along with great resources.
No Time to Lose: States Transforming Their Education Systems
3:30-5 p.m. | 209
In “No Time to Lose,” NCSL's International Education Study Group warned of the effects of mediocre education systems and laid out the elements they discovered in highly effective ones. Join state policymakers as they discuss their state’s use of this blueprint to begin significant transformations in education.
Featured Sessions | Wednesday
Every Presentation Must Tell a Story
10:30-11:45 a.m. | 201
A good story paves the way for a successful presentation, whether you’re explaining why people should support your bill or presenting your data and research to policymakers. You are more effective if you develop that story before uttering your first word.
Juicing Up for Electric Vehicles
2-3:15 p.m. | 201
Electric vehicles have the potential to transform the way we fuel transportation, introducing many new energy and infrastructure challenges. Questions include who should own the infrastructure, who should regulate the sale of electricity at charging stations, and will utilities be able to handle these new demands?
It’s a Cliché for a Reason: Demographics is Destiny
3:30-5 p.m. | 103 AB
Our country and most of our states are changing rapidly, and legislatures are changing, too. More women serve in legislatures than ever before. Take a closer look at national and state-by-state demographic trends.
Watch Livestreaming
NCSL is livestreaming nine Summit sessions this year and you can watch them all on the NCSL Facebook page. See the full agenda of streaming sessions.
Wednesday’s Livestreamed Sessions
Family First Prevention Services Act: Reforming Foster Care
9-10:15 a.m.| 209
With passage of the Family First Prevention Services Act of 2018, state lawmakers are grappling with new federal requirements and funding changes for child welfare systems.
A New World: Blockchain and What It Means for the Digital World
10:30-11:45 a.m. | 209
Blockchain, the distributed-ledger technology originally designed for digital currencies, such as Bitcoin, to function, is growing its roots. Hear an overview of this nascent technology and proponents who believe it has enormous potential for making our world more effective, efficient and safe.
View From Rocky Top: Tennessee’s Higher Education Success
2-3:15 p.m. | 209
Tennessee has led the nation in innovative legislation to dramatically increase postsecondary attainment. Learn from Tennessee legislators and agency leaders as they discuss how more Tennesseans are accessing postsecondary education and the impact on the state’s economy and communities.
Supreme Court Roundup
3:30-5 p.m. | 209
The Supreme Court’s just-completed term contained many cases with significant ramifications for states. Issues include the separation of church and state, whether there should be a citizenship question on the 2020 census, partisan gerrymandering, and whether courts should defer to an agency’s interpretation of an ambiguous regulation.
Social Event
Boot Scootin' Block Party | Wednesday
6:30-9:30 p.m. | CC Marty Dickens Terrace and Fifth Avenue
Dust off your boots and join us for an unforgettable evening featuring country music legend Trace Adkins! A Nashville icon for more than two decades, Adkins has enjoyed more than 20 singles on the Billboard country music charts and over 11 million albums sold. Enjoy local eats and this headlining concert held exclusively for Summit attendees!
See you in Indianapolis, Aug. 10-13, 2020
Breakfasts
Legislative Staff Breakfast | Deliberate Creativity: Three Elements of Innovation
8:30-9:45 a.m. | Davidson A
Creativity is not a special talent only some of us are born with. Through engaging stories, research and examples, learn how individuals and organizations can reach new levels of innovation by becoming deliberately creative.
Breakfast for Republican Legislators
8:30-9:45 a.m. | 207 ABC
Breakfast speaker: former Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker.
Breakfast for Democratic Legislators
8:30-9:45 a.m. | 104
Breakfast speaker: Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker.
Featured Sessions | Thursday
Business Meeting: Setting the States’ Agenda
10-11 a.m. | Davidson BC
All legislators and legislative staff are encouraged to attend the annual business meeting to consider policy directives and resolutions that will guide NCSL’s advocacy efforts before Congress and the administration, elect NCSL officers and executive committee and approve the NCSL budget. All Summit attendees are welcome to observe.
Adjusting Your Game Plan
11:15 a.m.-12:15 p.m. | 106 AB
You’ve developed your plan. You know what you need. You start your project. Then, oops! You can’t get key data. Now what? Explore tips and strategies for adjusting your game plan when the important information you need isn’t readily available.
Paying the Price: Strategies to Control Health Care Costs
11:15 a.m.-12:15 p.m. | 101
The cost of health care in the United States has been a highly debated topic for consumers, employers, state and federal policymakers, and the media for years. Examine the various factors that drive health care costs.
Speaker Robin Vos of Wisconsin (R), left, is now the 47th president of NCSL, and Martha Wigton, director of the Georgia House Budget and Research Office, is the organization's new staff chair.
Watch Livestreaming
NCSL is livestreaming nine Summit sessions this year and you can watch them all on the NCSL Facebook page.
Thursday’s Livestreamed Session
Moving Forward With Autonomous Vehicles
11:15 a.m.-12:15 p.m. | 209
Autonomous vehicles picked up speed in 2018 and 2019, from testing and deployment of driverless technology to new state laws to updated federal guidance. Hear from experts working to provide a consistent regulatory framework that balances public safety with vehicle innovations that are helping pave the way for this potentially game-changing technology.