Capitol Ideas is a periodic listing of story ideas and background information from new NCSL research. For more information, contact NCSL's Press Team.

Healthy Communities:  New Opportunities for Promoting Health

States can encourage healthy behaviors and lower chronic disease rates and costs through programs that address risk factors such as physical inactivity, poor nutrition and smoking. More

Evaluating School Principals

It's back to school time for many districts across the country. Effective principals are essential to improving learning. States and districts nationwide are defining and measuring principal effectiveness to improve teaching and student success. More

Planning for End-of-Life Care

Advance directive laws allow people to express their wishes regarding future health care treatments and to name an agent to speak for them when they no longer can do so. More

Redistricting Technology

New advances in technology may affect how legislators nationwide will redraw state legislative and congressional districts when detailed census data become available next year. More

Fighting Colorectal Cancer

Primary prevention activities address personal behavior and individual choices in the fight against colorectal cancer, the No. 2 cancer killer in the United States. More

Hydrogen Fuel Cells:  On-Site Energy Generation

Hydrogen fuel cells, a viable clean energy source, can be started quickly, operated indefinitely and used for standby and primary power. More

Credentialed members of the media may receive a free copy of NCSL’s LegisBriefs.All other interested parties may purchase a copy through NCSL’s bookstore. Media requests must be made through the NCSL Press Room. This publication and attached PDF are registered with the NCSL copyright and may not be reproduced, uploaded or distributed in any way in its entirety.

For a copy of NCSL's media policy, click here.