With NCSL’s 50th anniversary around the corner, I’ve been reflecting on the last five decades of state legislatures and how we’ve grown up together.
In some ways, legislatures look just as they did back in 1975. They include about the same number of legislators—who now represent a whole lot more constituents. They’re still made up of dedicated individuals— both legislators and staff—who come to the job with a commitment to serving their states. And they’re still wrangling over some of the same issues.
I recently spent some time flipping through the first issues of State Legislatures magazine, a publication that was born alongside NCSL. It’s no surprise that legislatures today are tackling some of the same topics they did in the 1970s and ’80s—debates over taxes and spending, different ideas about how to regulate drugs and alcohol, and the perennial challenge of unfunded mandates from the federal government. Those first magazines even included articles on abortion and gun control—issues that remain hot 50 years on.
“Although there are plenty of similarities between today’s legislatures and the ones in 1975, there has been significant evolution since then.”
—Tim Storey
Other issues have changed, but even there we see common threads. Just as legislatures were tackling the dawn of the computer era in the ’70s, they’re now working on policies around generative artificial intelligence, a subject we’ll spend a lot of time on this week at the Legislative Summit.
As an aside, I would note that not all topics have endured: The first issue of State Legislatures declared, “Conversion to metric is inevitable”—a prediction that proved inches, feet and miles off the mark.
Although there are plenty of similarities between today’s legislatures and the ones in 1975, there has been significant evolution since then. The professionalization of legislatures brought more highly talented staff into legislative service and many new staff agencies. Legislatures are far more diverse today than in 1975, in every sense of the word. Fewer than 5% of legislators were women in 1975 compared with nearly 35% today. Smoked-filled rooms? Those are gone now that every capitol is a smoke-free workplace.
Transparency is light years from where it once was. Most states stream sessions and committee hearings live. And in our era of social media and smartphones, legislatures are more connected and accessible to constituents than ever.
NCSL has played an important part in those changes. From providing unparalleled policy research, to advocating for legislatures’ priorities in Washington, to providing world-class training to staff and legislators alike, NCSL has helped legislatures become stronger as fundamental democratic institutions.
The role of state legislatures is more important than ever. With Congress gridlocked, states are where American public policy is made and challenges are addressed.
Legislatures continue to be the best-performing examples of representative democracy, ensuring government reflects the priorities of the constituents it serves. And in an era of bitter polarization, legislatures continue to be models of bipartisanship and civility, where people come together and solve problems.
And that is what makes NCSL’s work to inform, engage and connect legislators and staff indispensable. It’s why we’re here for this Summit in Louisville. This week, you will hear from policy experts, network with your peers and take advantage of professional development. You will return to your districts and capitols with new skills, knowledge and connections that will undoubtedly enhance your service—whether as a legislator, a staff member or an advocate.
The Summit offers an opportunity to share challenges and ideas with your colleagues from across the nation, to talk about what works—and what needs to change. As you connect, I invite you to think about the next 50 years and what you will do to help the legislative institution evolve and grow even stronger.
Tim Storey is NCSL’s chief executive officer.