Speaker Pro Tempore Brian Patrick Kennedy Speaker Pro Tempore (D) Rhode Island Rep. Brian Patrick Kennedy was first elected to the Rhode Island House of Representatives during the election of November 1988 and is a member of the Democratic majority party in the Rhode Island... Executive Committee
Posted August 17, 2023 ‘Right to Repair’ Laws Seek to Put DIYers and Manufacturers on Level Field A growing number of states are considering “right to repair” laws, which are based on the idea that manufacturers should provide the tools, software, parts and manuals needed for consumers to do their own repairs when products need... State Legislatures News, Policy, Legislative Summit, Technology and Communication
President Pro Tempore Wayne A. Harper President Pro Tempore (R) Utah Wayne A. Harper is a member of the Utah State Senate representing District 6 since Jan. 1, 2013. Harper served in the Utah House of Representatives from Jan. 1, 1997, until Dec. 31, 2012, in the... Executive Committee
Assistant Majority Leader Marcus C. Evans Jr. Representative (D) Illinois Marcus C. Evans Jr., serves as the state representative of the 33rd District of Illinois, which includes the South Side of Chicago and South Suburban Cook County. Evans is known to be a strong,... Executive Committee
Speaker Robin Vos Speaker of the Assembly (R) Wisconsin Rep. Robin Vos has served as the 75th speaker of the Wisconsin State Assembly since 2013, making him the longest-serving GOP speaker in Wisconsin history. In the preceding years, he served consecutively... Executive Committee
Posted August 16, 2023 NCSL Welcomes New Executive Officers Elected at Annual Legislative Summit Speaker Pro Tempore Brian Patrick Kennedy of Rhode Island became the 52nd president of the National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL) at the annual Legislative Summit in Indianapolis. Kennedy, a Democrat, succeeds Republican speaker Robin... Press Room
Posted August 16, 2023 States and Congress Act to Protect Judicial and Election Workers Recent laws safeguarding the personal information of judges, prosecutors and law enforcement officers, and providing for additional physical security, can be a model for election officials who face violent threats. State Legislatures News, Policy, Civil and Criminal Justice, Elections, Legislative Summit
Posted August 16, 2023 As Medicaid Unwinds, so Too Does Health Coverage for Many As pandemic-era Medicaid protections unwind, states have new requirements to continue receiving aid, including giving recipients 30 days’ notice before discontinuing and denoting good-faith effort and multiple contact methods for renewals.... State Legislatures News, Policy, Health, Legislative Summit
Posted August 16, 2023 HistoryMakers Founder Aims to Document Black Experience Julieanna Richardson created The HistoryMakers, a digital repository of video oral histories, to preserve the achievements of African Americans in politics, the arts, education, medicine and more. State Legislatures News, People, Profiles, Legislative Summit
Posted August 15, 2023 Sometimes a Step Back Is the Best Way to Move Forward A look at the leadership style of Gen. George Washington, who showed that a strategic retreat can begin a slow path to victory. State Legislatures News, News to Use, Legislative Summit
Posted August 15, 2023 Louisiana Legislature’s Website Honored with NCSL Online Democracy Award The Louisiana Legislature’s website was awarded the 2023 Online Democracy Award for being an exceptional legislative website. Press Room
Posted August 15, 2023 How Recent Controversies Have Altered the Elections Landscape The controversies emerging from recent elections underlined a wide-ranging panel discussion during the session “Election Perspectives From Across the Spectrum” at the 2023 NCSL Summit. State Legislatures News, Policy, Elections, Legislative Summit
Posted August 15, 2023 States Search for Ways to Keep Kids Safe on Social Media The risk of real-life harm is prompting states to find ways to mitigate the impact social media can have on kids, from California’s Age Appropriate Design Code Act—which seeks to help protect children’s data online—to... State Legislatures News, Policy, Health, Human Services, Legislative Summit, Technology and Communication
Sabrina N. Lewellen Deputy Director - Senate Assistant Secretary of the Senate Arkansas General Assembly Sabrina NeKay Evelyn Lewellen is the deputy director and assistant secretary of the Arkansas Senate. From 2008 to 2013, she served as the Constituency... Executive Committee
Posted August 15, 2023 NCSL Recognizes 2023 Legislative Staff Achievements Eighteen outstanding current and former legislative staff, in addition to the Texas Legislative Budget Board Staff, will be recognized by the National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL) during its 2023 Legislative Summit in... Press Room
Posted August 15, 2023 NCSL Announces Recipients of 2023 Legislative Staff Achievement Awards Nineteen outstanding current and former legislative staff and one legislative agency from 16 states have won 2023 Legislative Staff Achievement Awards for their outstanding contributions to their respective legislatures and NCSL. State Legislatures News, People, Legislative Staff, Legislative Summit, Professional Staff Associations
Posted August 14, 2023 Can’t Decide Whether to Be Honest or Nice? Try Both. Communications expert Sarita Maybin offered a number of ways to ease confrontation and difficult conversations in personal, occupational and, of course, legislative situations. State Legislatures News, News to Use, Legislative Summit
John Snyder Transportation Committee Staff Administrator Kentucky Legislative Research Commission John Snyder is the Transportation Committee staff administrator for the Kentucky Legislative Research Commission (LRC), where he oversees research, bill... Executive Committee
Posted August 14, 2023 Meet Me at the Fair The Indiana State Fair, which began in 1852, runs through Aug. 20 this year, overlapping with the NCSL Legislative Summit. The fair, which boasts the “Largest Midway in the Midwest,” is part of an American tradition that dates to the... State Legislatures News, Legislative Summit
Anne Sappenfield Anne Sappenfield serves as director of the Wisconsin Legislative Council. She leads a staff of 24 who provide committee staffing, legal and policy research to members of the Legislature. She has been active since 2006 with NCSL’s standing... Executive Committee
Posted August 13, 2023 Talking Politics With Lou Jacobson | LTIS Episode 22 Host Tim Storey’s guest on this episode is Lou Jacobson, a senior correspondent with PolitiFact and a longtime reporter with an extensive politics and policy at the state and federal level. Storey sat down with Jacobson to discuss the 2024... Podcast, Legislatures: The Inside Storey
Posted August 11, 2023 To Combat Overdose Crisis, States Bring Tough New Laws to Fight Against Fentanyl Policymakers are taking action to mitigate the distribution, manufacture and sale of fentanyl; investing in harm reduction strategies and awareness campaigns; and using opioid settlement funds to train first responders. State Legislatures News, Policy, Health
Posted August 10, 2023 CFI Committee Newsletter | August 2023 Discover the latest updates for state legislators: NCSL Legislative Summit, CFI Committee Resolutions, SAFE Banking Legislation in the 118th Congress, AI Research, Consumer Risks Posed by Employer driven Debt, FCC Proposes Rules. Newsletter, CFI Standing Committee Newsletter
Posted August 10, 2023 NCSL Releases New Report on AI Regulation in States The National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL) today released a new report, “Approaches to Regulating Artificial Intelligence: A Primer,” highlighting the current landscape of AI regulation in the U.S.; the benefits and risks of... Press Room