Shows
NCSL PodcastsWorker Benefits in the New Economy | OAS Episode 239Nearly 60 million people in the U.S. fall into the broad category of independent workers. Those include contract, temporary and gig workers. Their jobs do not fall neatly into employer-connected benefit systems, so policymakers increasingly are exploring benefits that are instead attached to the worker. Several states have enacted legislation allowing portable benefits to be set up in their state. Other states have created programs that offer automatic enrollment for employees without access to an employer-sponsored plan. All those efforts are aimed at expanding the ways people save for retirement and other needs. On this ep...2025-07-2041 min
NCSL PodcastsA New Approach to Competency to Stand Trial | OAS Episode 236A core tenet of the U.S. legal system is that an accused person must be competent to stand trial, which means a defendant can understand the charges against them and assist their lawyer in preparing a defense. In practice, defendants who need to be evaluated for competency often spend long periods in confinement because of a shortage of behavioral health services. When they are finally released, it's usually without ongoing care. On this episode, we spoke with three people who are involved in efforts to reform the process used to determine a defendant's mental competency: Indiana S...2025-06-1539 min
NCSL PodcastsShortages in the Behavioral Health Workforce | OAS Episode 235Our focus on this episode is the behavioral health workforce. More than a third of the U.S. population lives in areas with shortages of psychologists, counselors and social workers, and nearly two-thirds of shortage areas are rural. Those workforce shortages occur during a period when many experts, including those at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, have concluded we have a mental health crisis. Data from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, or SAMHSA, indicates that for more than two decades half the people in need of behavioral health services in the U.S...2025-06-0830 min
NCSL PodcastsNCSL at 50: The Legislative Staff Story | OAS Episode 231This is one in a series of podcasts celebrating the 50th anniversary of the National Conference of State Legislatures. On this episode we focus on legislative staff, the approximately 30,000 professionals who keep the trains running at this nation’s legislatures.While legislative staff outnumber legislators by more than 4 to 1, their role is often poorly understood by the public and even by their own families. Yet the work they do from drafting legislation to providing bill research to keeping the IT systems running is critical to these institutions. We talked to a variety of staffers and othe...2025-04-0614 min
NCSL PodcastsHelping America Vote | OAS Episode 230A new book published jointly by NCSL and the U.S. Election Assistance Commission is aimed at serving as a resource for election administrators, secretaries of state, state legislators and legislative staff. It will be available soon in digital form on the NCSL website. “Helping America Vote: Election Administration in the United States” was the focus of this podcast and features a discussion with Commissioners Ben Hovland and Donald Palmer.The EAC was established by the Help America Vote Act of 2002, which was Congress’ response to the problems with the 2000 election. The commission’s goals include a...2025-03-3023 min
NCSL PodcastsMedicaid and the States: The Post-COVID Era | OAS Episode 229Medicaid is a program jointly funded by the federal and state governments. It provides health care coverage to nearly 80 million people, primarily those with low incomes, people who are living with disabilities or are in long-term care. On this episode we discussed the nuts and bolts of how Medicaid is financed and how states are handling some new challenges in the post-pandemic world. The pandemic affected both who Medicaid covered and the share paid by the federal and state governments. In the first segment, NCSL’s Kathryn Costanza was joined by Akeiisa Coleman from the Comm...2025-03-1647 min
NCSL PodcastsForty Years of the Women’s Legislative Network | OAS Episode 228The Women’s Legislative Network of NCSL is celebrating its 40th anniversary. Every female state legislator in the 50 states, territories and the District of Columbia belong to the Women’s Legislative Network. The network sponsors informational briefings, hosts skill building workshops for women and opportunities for female legislators to interact. Senator Dafna Michaelson Jenet, a Democrat of Colorado and the current president of the WLN, and Representative DeAnn Vaught, a Republican of Arkansas and the incoming president of the group, joined the podcast to discuss the anniversary and women in legislatures more generally.They discussed how t...2025-02-1621 min
NCSL Podcasts2025 Legislative Session Preview With Tim Storey | OAS Episode 226At the start of each year, we sit down with NCSL CEO Tim Storey to discuss the most important issues facing state legislatures in the upcoming session. While the November election did not bring big changes for state legislatures—there was minimal turnover at both the legislative and executive levels—the big change in the federal government may mean significant changes in the state-federal relationship.State budgets, which determine much of what states can do in the new year, are stable in most states and rainy day funds generally are in good shape, Storey said. But r...2025-01-0528 min
NCSL PodcastsSome Friendly Advice for New Legislators | OAS Episode 224About 1,000 new lawmakers were elected in November’s election and will be joining their legislatures in the new year. Every legislature is different, of course, but we asked two veteran legislators to offer a little advice on a few issues that likely apply in most legislatures.Sen. Karen Keiser (D) from Washington state and Rep. Walker Thomas (R) from Kentucky shared some of their experiences as new lawmakers and advice on working with the media, responding to constituents and speaking on the floor. Keiser, who is retiring at the end of this term, is the pre...2024-12-0119 min
NCSL PodcastsTackling Affordability and Outcomes in Higher Education | OAS Episode 222Recent polls find that many Americans have declining confidence in higher education, in large part because of the levels of student debt, the cost of college and concerns about uneven student outcomes. To better understand these challenges, NCSL formed a Task Force on Higher Education Affordability and Student Outcomes in 2022. The group has now issued its report. The co-chairs of the task force – Senators Ann Millner (R) of Utah and Michael Dembrow (D) of Oregon – talked with us about what they discovered. Also on the show is Austin Reid of NCSL, a federal affairs adviser in the Washi...2024-11-031h 05
NCSL PodcastsElection 2024: State Legislative Races and Ballot Measures | Oct. 27, 2024On this episode, we sat down with two election experts from NCSL to discuss the state legislative races and statewide ballot measures in the Nov. 5 election. Ben Williams, NCSL’s associate director of Elections and Redistricting, discussed the 5,508 legislative seats on ballots in 44 states, more than 78% of all legislative seats nationwide. He also explained how the outcomes could affect legislative control in the states, overall state control and veto-proof majorities in some states. Helen Brewer with NCSL explained the range of topics covered by the more than 150 statewide ballot measures voters will decide. She discussed the...2024-10-2728 min
NCSL PodcastsNCSL at 50: Evolution of the Legislature | OAS Episode 220This is one of the series of shows this year and next reflecting on the 50th anniversary of NCSL. For this episode, our focus is the legislative institution and how today’s legislatures evolved over the last 400 years.Guests include historian Pev Squire, who sketches out how legislatures developed both from the colonial assemblies and from the territorial legislatures. We also spoke with three people who have spent considerable time in legislatures and given a great deal of thought to the institution itself— Kentucky Senate President Robert Stivers, Colorado House Speaker Julie McCluskie and Raul Burciaga, who rece...2024-10-2017 min
NCSL PodcastsLegislatures Focused on AI in 2024 | OAS Episode 219Artificial intelligence, most broadly thought of as the use of computer systems to perform tasks that normally require human intelligence, is being employed in a wide array of ways, from self-driving cars to health care. But concerns about the potential misuse and unintended consequences of AI is prompting legislatures around the country to study the issue and in many cases, pass legislation.In 2024, NCSL is tracking more than 400 pieces of legislation related to AI. This year at least 45 states, Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands and Washington, D.C., introduced AI bills, and 31 states, Puerto Rico and the...2024-09-2935 min
NCSL PodcastsA Lesson in Civics | OAS Episode 217Americans of all ages do not score well on surveys of civic knowledge. One recent survey found a large majority of respondents could not pass a basic civics literacy test and another indicated a third of respondents could not name all three branches of government. And testing of eighth graders in the U.S. and other industrialized countries also reported a decline in civics proficiency.The vast majority of states, however, do require at least one course in civics and every state has some form of civics education. On this podcast, guest Tammy Wehrle, the legislative education...2024-08-1821 min
NCSL PodcastsNCSL Turns 50 | OAS Episode 216This podcast is the first of several to observe the 50th anniversary of NCSL. The organization has been an integral part of the change in state legislations over the last half century. NCSL provides research to the states on myriad public policy topics, offers a unified voice in Washington where it lobbies on behalf of the states, and serves as a convener of scores of meetings every year in person and virtually to help legislators and legislative staff from across the nation share ideas and solutions. On this episode we track the development of legislatures over the last 400 years...2024-08-0418 min
NCSL PodcastsWhat I Wish I Knew | OAS Episode 214This is the third of a three-episode series exploring the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic in legislatures and how it affected state legislative staff. We sat down with Jill Reinmuth, staff director for the Office of Program Research in the Washington House; Eric Nauman, principal fiscal analyst for the Minnesota Senate; and Sabrina Lewellen, assistant Secretary of the Arkansas Senate and the current NCSL staff chair. The three legislative staff leaders discussed how procedures changed in the aftermath of the pandemic, what they learned personally about leadership and how their staff performed under the extraordinary ch...2024-07-1454 min
NCSL PodcastsWhere Transit and Housing Meet | OAS Episode 213Housing historically has been a local issue that was handled by cities and counties. The rising crisis of housing cost and availability, however, has brought more attention from state governments. States have enacted more than 700 laws in 2022 and 2023 related to housing.The focus of this podcast is the nexus of housing and transportation, and particularly transit-oriented development. We sat down with Cameron Rifkin, a policy expert at NCSL who tracks housing legislation, and Doug Shinkle, who heads NCSL’s transportation program, to discuss housing, transportation and the efforts by state legislators to take on challenges in both th...2024-06-2333 min
NCSL PodcastsMaking Higher Education Accountable | OAS Episode 212Enrollment in higher education has been on the decline for a decade, and research indicates a growing skepticism about the value of higher education. In response, many state legislatures have enacted laws aimed at creating greater accountability in higher education.To explore the issue, we sat down with Brian Bridges, the secretary of higher education in New Jersey, to discuss legislation passed in that state. A 2021 bill established new requirements for academic programs including sufficient academic quality, evidence of labor market demand, lack of duplication, and requirements for additional state resources. Another bill in 2022 created performance quality...2024-06-1628 min
NCSL PodcastsLessons Learned: Legislative Staff and the Pandemic | OAS Episode 209This podcast kicks off Legislative Staff Week, an annual NCSL effort to focus on legislative staff. This episode is part of three-podcast services focused on legislative staff that will roll out over the next couple of months.Our guests include Sabrina Lewellen, assistant secretary of the Arkansas Senate and the current NCSL staff chair; Anne Sappenfield, director of the Wisconsin Legislative Council; and Jay Hartz, director of the Kentucky Legislative Research Commission. All three joined to talk about the long-term effects of the pandemic and how their institutions coped with the emergency.They talked about...2024-05-0533 min
NCSL PodcastsNew Career Paths for Young People | OAS Episode 208College enrollment among young people has been in a steady decline, according to research from Pew. Some indicators show young people increasingly turning toward apprenticeships and other work-based learning and credential programs that help them get a good job.Indiana and Maryland have been leaders in the field and on this podcast, we sat down with two legislators intimately involved in the issue--Rep. Bob Behning (R-Ind.) and Sen. Malcolm Augustine (D-Md.)Behning said participation in an NCSL study group helped inform legislation he has pursued to ensure more options for youth employment and to destigmatize t...2024-04-2132 min
NCSL PodcastsChecking in on State Budgets | OAS Episode 207It's budget season and in the 46 states that start the new fiscal year on July 1, people are hard at work getting their budgets ready. Those state operating budgets amount to more than a trillion dollars a year. But what exactly does getting the budget ready entail? To discuss that, we sat down with Krista Lee Carsner, the executive director of the Fiscal Review Committee for the Tennessee General Assembly and the president of the National Association of Legislative Fiscal Offices. She explained the importance of accurate revenue forecasts, how the budget hearing process works on bo...2024-04-0731 min
NCSL PodcastsStates and the Deployment of New Electric Transmission Lines | OAS Episode 204A key part of modernizing the nation’s electric grid involves adding long-distance transmission lines, the power lines that carry electricity over hundreds of miles. To better understand this critical part of the electrical infrastructure, we sat down with Melissa Birchard, a senior adviser in the Grid Deployment Office of the U.S. Department of Energy. The office was created in 2022 to work on a variety of issues related to the electrical grid and, in particular, integrating power from new renewable energy projects.Melissa talked about some of the issues involved particularly in the planning and...2024-02-1832 min
NCSL PodcastsGetting Ready for Primary Season | OAS Episode 200While many voters may think of primaries as the warmup act for the general election, many races in this country at the local, state and federal level are decided by primaries. By some estimates, fewer than 40 seats in the U.S. House of Representatives are actually competitive between the parties. In most districts, whoever wins the primary in the dominant party wins the general election. The 2024 primaries are right around the corner so on this podcast, we sat down with Ben Williams, an elections expert at NCSL, to talk about the different types of primaries and why p...2023-12-1723 min
NCSL PodcastsRemote Work and State Tax Systems | OAS Episode 199The popularity of remote work soared during the pandemic, but only for those is some jobs, particularly tech focused or computer-based jobs. While exact figures are not available, some estimates are that more than 25% of the workforce still is working remotely or in a hybrid arrangement, where employees spend some time in the office and some working remotely. That’s a decline from the pandemic but still a significant portion of the workforce. On this episode, we explore the tax ramifications for states of remote work. We’re joined by Charlie Kearns, a tax attorney, and James Prive...2023-12-0325 min
NCSL PodcastsNCSL Legislator Police Academy Sparks Bipartisanship | ATA Ep. 11NCSL’s yearlong Legislator Police Academy brought together lawmakers from very different backgrounds to work across the aisle and across the country on policy topics related to police accountability. In this episode, we learn how the legislators put aside seemingly insurmountable differences and, with patience and constructive conversation, discovered plenty of common ground.2023-11-2710 min
NCSL PodcastsUnderstanding the Drivers of Health Care Costs | OAS Episode 197Health care costs in the U.S. over the last 20 years have grown faster than the cost of other goods and services. Commercial health care costs, which include about half the health care market, have grown faster than Medicaid and Medicare spending. Our guest on this episode is Alyssa Vangeli, a senior consultant with Bailit Health, a consulting firm in Massachusetts where she works with states to provide health policy analysis and consulting around the commercial health market. Vangeli explained what's driving the increase in costs, which segments of the health care economy are seeing t...2023-11-0522 min
NCSL PodcastsKeeping Up With Redistricting | OAS Episode 190Redistricting of state and congressional legislative districts happens every decade following the census. But once those maps are drawn and implemented, there are still ongoing court cases and state legislation that affect redistricting. Just in recent weeks, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled on two significant redistricting cases. For this podcast, the guest is Ben Williams from NCSL, an expert on redistricting who discussed some of the interesting developments around the topic, including efforts in some states to reallocate inmate data. He talked about the recent legal developments and also about the efforts in 13 states to...2023-07-0923 min
NCSL PodcastsDarcy Luoma on Coaching, Facing Trauma and Resilience | OAS Episode 189Darcy Luoma, a coach and consultant, will speak at the Legislative Staff Breakfast at NCSL’s Legislative Summit in Indianapolis in August. Before founding her consulting business, Luoma had extensive experience working on Capitol Hill, working on two presidential campaigns and as a senior adviser to a governor. She has also worked with state legislators and staff.Luoma discussed her Thoughtfully Fit approach and how it can help legislative staff and the rest of us cope with stress. She also shared that her Summit presentation will focus on how to develop flexibility that allows you to work wel...2023-07-0222 min
NCSL PodcastsThe Growing Nursing Shortage | OAS Episode 188Even before the pandemic, there was a growing shortage of registered nurses in the majority of states. From 2020 to 2021, during the height of the pandemic, more than 100,000 registered nurses left the workforce, the largest exodus in at least 40 years. Adding to the problem, in 2019, nursing schools turned away about 80,000 qualified applicants because of too few faculty, clinical sites and preceptors, and the problem persists. Our first guest is Dr. Cynthia McCurren, a dean and professor at the School of Nursing of the University of Michigan in Flint. McCurren, who also serves as the board chair of the A...2023-06-1835 min
NCSL PodcastsExploring Policy Solutions to Mental Health Treatment | OAS Episode 186Millions of Americans experience mental health problems and frequently experience challenges finding treatment, including in the workplace.That’s the context for national task force— Mental Health Matters: National Task Force on Workforce Mental Health Policy—funded by the U.S. Department of Labor working with NCSL and the Council of State Governments (CSG).The guests on this podcast are Colorado Lt Gov Dianne Primavera (D) and Tennessee Sen. Becky Massey (R). The two are at-large co-chairs of the task force, which also includes 27 other state lawmakers from both parties.The two spoke about...2023-05-3131 min
NCSL PodcastsCedric King: A Lesson in Resilience | LTIS Episode 20On this episode, Host Tim Storey talks with Cedric King, a retired army master sergeant, speaker, and author, who will be the keynote speaker at NCSL’s Legislative Summit in Indianapolis in August.King joined the army in 1995, eventually rising to a leadership role in the elite Army Rangers. On his third combat deployment in Afghanistan in 2012, King was leading a patrol in a small village when he stepped on an improvised explosive device and suffered horrific injuries, including the loss of both his legs.He survived those wounds and just 21 months later, King did wha...2023-05-1440 min
NCSL PodcastsThe “Why” of Working for the Legislature | OAS Episode 185This is Legislative Staff Week 2023 at NCSL, and we sat down with two staffers to talk about why people come to work in the legislature and why they stay. Our guests are Anne Sappenfield, director of the Wisconsin Legislative Council and NCSL staff chair, and Heshani Wijemanne, assistant secretary of the California Senate. Sappenfield began working in the legislature in the mid-‘90s while Wijemanne has been a legislative staffer since 2016. Sappenfield and Wijemanne are both lawyers and they talked about why public service in the legislature was an attractive option after law school. They disc...2023-05-0724 min
NCSL PodcastsChildhood Vaccinations in Post-Pandemic America | OAS Episode 184Childhood vaccinations in the U.S. were steady for the decade before the pandemic, but have shown a decline for the past couple of years. We sat down with Dr. Pam Shaw, a professor of pediatrics at the University of Kansas Medical Center, who explained some of the reasons for that decline. She also discussed other disruptions to vaccinations and some of the challenges to getting children vaccinated, particularly those who were uninsured.Also on the show is Shannon Kolman, who follows vaccine policy for NCSL. She notes the large number of vaccine related bills introduced in...2023-04-1626 min
NCSL PodcastsThe Missouri 11: Bipartisan Senate Women Team Up | ATA Episode 2Contact Host and Producer Kelley Griffin, Sr. Editor at NCSLkelley.griffin@ncsl.org
2022-12-1813 min
NCSL PodcastsGrappling With the Traffic Safety Crisis | OAS Episode 171Resources2020 Traffic Safety Trends Report, NCSLAutonomous Vehicles State Bill Tracking Database, NCSLBicycle and Pedestrian Safety Webpage, NCSLDrunken Driving Webpage, NCSLInfrastructure Investment and Jobs Act: Implementation and Key Resources, NCSLMarijuana-Impaired Driving Webpage, NCSLNational Highway Traffic Safety AdministrationNCSL Transportation Webpage, NCSLNHTSA Statement on Traffic FatalitiesRon Thaniel bioTraffic Safety State Bill Tracking Database, NCSLTransportation Podcasts, NCSL
2022-09-2523 min
NCSL PodcastsMeeting Threats to Our Energy Security | OAS Episode 170ResourcesEnergy Emergencies: The State Legislative Role in Planning and Response, NCSLFEMA Funding for Energy Resilience: Highlighting the Role of State Legislatures, NCSLNCSL Energy Homepage NCSL Energy Resilience webinarsOffice of Cybersecurity, Energy Security, and Emergency Response, DOEStates Turn to Microgrids to Bolster Energy Resilience, NCSL
2022-09-0420 min
NCSL PodcastsShining a Light on Drug Prices OAS Episode 169ResourcesPrescription Drugs Update: State Efforts to Boost Access and Lower Costs, NCSLPrescription Drug State Bill Tracking Database, NCSL
2022-08-2826 min
NCSL PodcastsThe Critical Role of Public Health Data OAS Episode 167ResourcesCouncil of State and Tribal EpidemiologistsUsing Data Exchange to Improve Public Health, NCSLState Public Health Legislation Database, NCSL
2022-08-1424 min
NCSL PodcastsDigging Into Cannabis Policy OAS Episode 163ResourcesCannabis decriminalization overview, NCSLCannabis Public Policy ConsultingState cannabis policy enactment database, 2022, NCSLState medical cannabis laws, NCSL
2022-07-1729 min
NCSL PodcastsTackling Prescription Drug Costs OAS Episode 160ResourcesState Policy Options and Pharmacy Benefit Managers, NCSLPrescription Drug Trends: Pharmacy Benefit Manager Reform, Affordability Boards and More, NCSL
2022-06-1918 min
NCSL PodcastsHow Two States Took On the Cost of Insulin | OAS episode 1512022 State Prescription Drug Policy Trends, NCSLDelegate Matthew Rohrbach, West Virginia Legislature websiteDiabetes State Mandates and Insulin Copayment Caps, NCSLLegisbrief Decreasing Drug Costs Through Generics and Biosimilars, NCSLPrescription Drug Policy Work Group Report, NCSLPrescription Drug State Bill Tracking Database, NCSL
2022-02-1319 min
NCSL PodcastsSorting Through the Stimulus | OAS Episode 150ResourcesARPA State Fiscal Recovery Fund Allocations, NCSL databaseFiscal Policy homepage, NCSLHow States Are Spending Their Stimulus Funds, NCSL
2022-01-2334 min
NCSL PodcastsState of State Legislatures 2022 | OAS Episode 149RESOURCES2022 State Legislative CalendarNCSL Experts Predict the Top Issues and Policy Trends for 2022NCSL Town Hall on the 2022 Legislative Sessions
2022-01-0935 min
NCSL PodcastsHow States Are Planning for an Aging Population | OAS Episode 148Our American States
The U.S. population is aging. In a little more than a decade, people 65 and older will outnumber children. Those older adults face economic, social and other challenges including the need for an array of long-term services.
Policymakers in a number of states are considering comprehensive approaches to support older adults. A few states have created what are termed master plans for aging that outline how the state can take on challenges in housing, transportation, health care, and other sectors.
Th guests on this podcast are Holly Riley...2021-12-1927 min
NCSL PodcastsThe Critical Role of Newborn Screening | OAS Episode 147Our American States
Newborn screening in the U.S. is the practice of testing every child in the country for a number of disorders, many of which can be addressed if caught early. States are in charge of newborn screening and receive advice from federal agencies.
On this podcast, Peter Kyriacopoulos, the director for public policy at the Association of Public Health Laboratories, discusses how the screening works, how it differs from state to state, the role public health laboratories play and the challenges they face. He also explains how the recommended uniform screening panel...2021-12-0523 min
NCSL PodcastsPolicing Policy: How Two Legislatures Responded | Episode 143Our American States
The death of George Floyd in Minneapolis in May 2020 sparked a cascade of state legislation affecting policing policy. There were more than 3,000 bills that were considered in legislatures, and more than 400 were signed into law.
The legislation came from both sides of the aisle. For this podcast, we spoke with Rep. Leslie Herod, a Democract from Colorado, and Sen. Whitney Westerfield, a Republican from Kentucky.
Herod discusses legislation she sponsored shortly after Floyd’s death that was one of the first pieces of legislation enacted in the nation. She also ta...2021-10-1735 min
NCSL Podcasts2021 Legislative Summit Preview | OAS Episode 142Our American States
NCSL’s Legislative Summit is back Nov. 3-5 in Tampa, Fla.
On this podcast, we talk with three of NCSL’s experts about some of the sessions coming up at the Summit.
Natalie Wood, director of NCSL’s Center for Legislative Strengthening, discusses a session on legislative oversight during an emergency, lessons learned by legislatures during the pandemic and why tension between the executive and legislative branches is actually a sign of a healthy state government.
The second guest is Erica MacKellar, a fiscal expert from NCSL, who previe...2021-09-2619 min
NCSL PodcastsRedistricting: Numbers Are In, Race is On | OAS Episode 141Our American States
Redistricting is finally upon us. The once-a-decade process uses data from the census to draw congressional and state legislative districts in the states. Legislatures are in charge of redistricting, though commissions also play a role in some states.
Delayed data from the U.S. Census Bureau has left states behind in the process compared to earlier cycles. On this podcast, Wendy Underhill, who oversees election and redistricting issues at NCSL, talks about how the delays have affected states, what they did to prepare, new tools citizens can use to make their voices...2021-09-1923 min
NCSL PodcastsBuilding Democracy: The Story of State Legislatures | Episode 6Overview
NCSL’s Our American States podcast presents a special six-part series, “Building Democracy: The Story of Legislatures.” This new mini-series covers the history, characters and stories of state legislatures in America, from the beginnings in Jamestown, to the present day and into the future.
Each episode in the series will contain interviews with experts from inside and outside the legislative world to provide a comprehensive view of historical events and their legacy in today’s legislatures. Extras will include extended guest interview clips, articles in NCSL’s State Legislatures magazine, blogs and resources for those who...2021-09-0130 min
NCSL PodcastsFree College? It’s More Complicated Than That | OAS Episode 140Our American States
The cost of higher education, the amount of student loan debt, the percentage of students who receive degrees and other related issues have been debated in legislatures and on the campaign trail. Proposals for a new federal state-partnership on higher education and for free community college are among the issues being debated.
On this podcast we hear from Kevin Carey and Jason Delisle, both experts on higher education policy. Carey is the vice president for education policy and knowledge management at New America, a policy research organization. Delisle is a senior policy...2021-08-2228 min
NCSL PodcastsHelping Health Care Workers Cope | OAS Episode 139The crushing strain of caring for patients the last year and half of pandemic has taken a toll on health care workers. Legislatures play an important role in this area by creating laws for licensure and regulation.
On the podcast to discuss the workforce and how to help health care workers cope with the current challenges is Dr. Luis Padilla, the associate administrator for health workforce at the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA). Padilla also serves as director of the National Health Service Corps.
Padilla discusses how HRSA supports states in strengthening the workforce...2021-08-1522 min
NCSL PodcastsNew Era of Cancer Diagnosis and Treatment | OAS Episode 138One of the most promising areas of cancer treatment involves identifying the cancer a person has and using therapies targeted at just that cancer. This field of precision medicine or targeted medicine is not well understood by most lawmakers or the general public.
On the podcast to discuss this emerging field is Dr. Carl Morrison, a molecular biologist and pathologist who is the senior vice president of Scientific Development and Integrative Medicine at the Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center in Buffalo, N.Y. He is one of the nation’s leading researchers in the field.
Ou...2021-08-0819 min
NCSL PodcastsExploring Civility | OAS Episode 136Civility in politics seems to be a subject of almost constant discussion. Our guest today has written and spoken extensively on the topic. Teresa M. Bejan is an associate professor of political theory and fellow of Oriel College at the University of Oxford. She is the author of “Mere Civility: Disagreement and the Limits of Toleration,” published in 2017.
Bejan will be the keynote speaker at NCSL’s online Base Camp event on Aug. 4 at 11 a.m. ET.
In this podcast, she talks about how civility works in politics, the difference between civility and talking about civili...2021-07-1816 min
NCSL PodcastsPrice Transparency in Health Care | OAS Episode 132There is an increasing focus at the state and federal level on policies to require greater cost transparency in health care. While there’s debate about how effective these policies are, the goal is to allow comparison shopping on the part of consumers and employers with the aim of controlling the increasing cost of health care.
The guest on the podcast is an expert in the area of health data and analytics. Niall Brennan is the president and CEO of the Health Care Cost Institute, a nonprofit that focuses on data to analyze key issues affecting the U...2021-06-0726 min
NCSL PodcastsUnderstanding the Minimum Wage | OAS Episode 131The federal minimum wage has been a hot topic this year and was debated during discussion of the 2021 Raise the Wage Act before Congress. The wage has been $7.25 an hour since 2009, and proponents of an increase say it is not adequate given the rising cost of living. Opponents argue an increase will place an undue burden on businesses, especially small businesses just coming out of the pandemic.
Many businesses have set higher minimum wages and 29 states and Washington, D.C., also have rates above the federal minimum.
On the podcast to discuss the topic are...2021-05-2424 min
NCSL PodcastsCOVID-19 and Employment for People With Disabilities | OAS Episode 130As people slowly head back to the workplace as the pandemic begins to fade, there is concern about whether people with disabilities will face steeper hurdles to employment. In the recovery following the Great Recession, for example, employment growth for people with disabilities lagged years behind those without disabilities.
Illinois Senator Dan McConchie, the Senate minority leader, is one of the guests on the podcast. McConchie, who lost the use of his legs following a traffic accident more than a decade ago, has been a strong advocate for enforcement of the accessibility requirements in the Americans with...2021-05-1623 min
NCSL PodcastsChildren, Mental Health and Schools | OAS Episode 128Sending kids back to the classroom is a goal across the country for many reasons. Along with concerns about falling behind academically and parents’ need to have children in school, experts also are concerned about mental and behavioral health needs. Studies indicate children in need of such services are much more likely to receive them at school.
Our guests include Craig Wethington with the Minnesota Department of Education. He discusses how his state has used collaborative improvement and innovation networks, or CoIINs, to improve the quality of school mental health services. He also talks about a community su...2021-04-1930 min
NCSL PodcastsUnderstanding the Quad Caucus | OAS Episode 126The Quad Caucus is a coalition of the four national caucuses of color representing Asian-Pacific American, Black, Native American and Hispanic legislators. Combined, the four groups represent more than 1,400 state lawmakers. The group came together in 2012 with the support of NCSL and the W.K. Kellogg Foundation and is focused on promoting equitable outcomes in all communities focusing on people of color in the areas of health, education, economic security and justice.
On this podcast we talk with Washington Rep. Sharon Tomiko Santos (D) and Kansas Rep. Barbara Ballard (D). Both are veteran legislators and longtime members...2021-04-0538 min
NCSL PodcastsBuilding Democracy: The Story of Legislatures | Episode 5Overview
NCSL’s Our American States podcast presents a special six-part series, “Building Democracy: The Story of Legislatures.” This new mini-series covers the history, characters and stories of state legislatures in America, from the beginnings in Jamestown, to the present day and into the future.
Each episode in the series will contain interviews with experts from inside and outside the legislative world to provide a comprehensive view of historical events and their legacy in today’s legislatures. Extras will include extended guest interview clips, articles in NCSL’s State Legislatures magazine, blogs and resources for those who...2021-03-1734 min
NCSL PodcastsTrends in State Immigration Law | OAS Episode 125A new report from NCSL, “Immigrant Policy Project: Report on State Immigration Laws, 2020,” summarizes state laws and resolutions enacted between January and December 2020 and trends in immigration legislation throughout the year.
The report’s author, Ann Morse, is federal affairs counsel for NCSL’s Immigrant Policy Project and a longtime observer of state legislation related to immigrants. Morse is the guest on this podcast.
Morse discusses the findings in the report, including a trend to address occupational licensing laws to reduce barriers to employment for foreign trained professionals who are in the country legally. She also tal...2021-03-1414 min
NCSL PodcastsCensus Delays and Redistricting | OAS Episode 124The U.S. census is an enormous once-a-decade undertaking aimed at counting everyone in the country. Despite its scope and importance, the census rarely makes headlines. This past year, however, upset virtually everything in society and the census was no exception. The data state legislatures rely on for redistricting congressional and state legislative seats will not be available until Sept. 30, six months later than usual.
James Whitehorne, chief of the Redistricting and Voting Rights Data Office at U.S. Census Bureau, is the first guest on the podcast. Whitehorne discusses how the pandemic affected the bureau’s ab...2021-03-0724 min
NCSL PodcastsEnding HIV/AIDS in the U.S. | OAS Episode 121HIV/AIDS has killed about 700,000 people in the U.S. since it first emerged more than 40 years ago. But deaths have dropped dramatically since the mid-‘90s as new treatments have beome available. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services in 2019 launched the Ending the HIV Epidemic Initiative that aims to eliminate the disease in this country.
On this podcast, we talk with Dr. Jonathan Mermin, director of the National Center for HIV/AIDS, Viral Hepatitis, STD and TB Prevention at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. He discusses the range of treatments available to...2021-02-0828 min
NCSL PodcastsStates and COVID-19 Vaccine Distribution | OAS Episode 119Every state in the country is involved in distributing and administering the two COVID-19 vaccines now approved for use by the US. Food and Drug Administration. Each state is working with a plan that it created in consultation with the federal government.
On this podcast we discuss how those plans were created, how they’ve had to change as the pandemic has progressed and what lies ahead.
Our guests are Hemi Tewarson, an expert in state plans to distribute the COVID-19 vaccines. She is a visiting senior policy fellow at the Margolis Center for Health po...2021-01-1831 min
NCSL PodcastsThe Fiscal Challenge of Emerging Gene Therapies | OAS Episode 118A new category of gene therapies is offering life-changing treatments to people with some forms of cancer and other rare disorders. These revolutionary treatments, however, come with a large price tag, sometimes exceeding millions of dollars for a single patient. Often, these costs fall on state Medicaid systems.
On this podcast we discuss how states are dealing with this challenge. One of our guests is Anne Winter, a Medicaid strategist with the national research and consulting firm Health Management Associates. Winter, who has particular expertise in pharmacy benefit management, discusses some of the strategies state are employing.2021-01-1125 min
NCSL PodcastsState of State Legislatures 2021 | OAS Episode 117After a year like no other, legislators face some unprecedented challenges when they return to work in the 2021 sessions. COVID-19 and its effects on every aspect of society—the economy, the health care, education, criminal justice and more—will be front and center for every legislature in the nation.
Tim Storey, executive director of NCSL, is the guest on the podcast and offers his perspective on what it all means. We discussed how legislatures will meet, what their priority lists look like, how budgets are shaping up and what a new administration in Washington, D.C., means for...2021-01-0423 min
NCSL PodcastsTime to Redistrict | OAS Episode 116Possibly the most underreported story during the November 2020 election was the effect it would have on redistricting, the once-a-decade effort to draw congressional and state legislative districts.
On the podcast, Ben Williams, an NCSL policy expert on redistricting, explains how the election sets up legislatures to start the redistricting process, and discusses when the U.S. Census Bureau will supply states with the data they need to do both reapportionment and redistricting. He also fills us in on upcoming three-day redistricting seminar offered by NCSL that will take legislators and legislative staff through the various challenges involved...2020-12-1728 min
NCSL PodcastsSome Sage Advice for New Legislators | OAS Episode 115As the 2021 legislative sessions begin, about 15% of the lawmakers will be first timers. As with any new job, a little advice from more seasoned colleagues can be helpful.
On this podcast, I’m joined by Alabama Representative Debbie Wood and former Maine Representative Matt Moonen. They bring different perspectives. Wood, a Republican, was elected in 2018, and is completing her first term. Moonen, a Democrat, was first elected in 2012 and retired this year because of term limits. He served as House majority leader.
They talked about what surprised them the most when they first arrived in th...2020-12-1416 min
NCSL PodcastsCDC and States Working to Reduce Maternal Mortality | OAS Episode 114An estimated 700 women will die from pregnancy-related complications in the U.S. this year, and most of those deaths are preventable. In addition, Black and Indigenous women are two to three times more likely to die of pregnancy related issues than White women.
On this podcast, the focus is on maternal mortality. I talk with Dr. Wanda Barfield, the director of the Division of Reproductive Health at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. She discusses efforts by the CDC to reduce the number of deaths, including sharing strategies with state legislators as they try to craft...2020-12-0723 min
NCSL PodcastsBuilding Democracy: The Story of Legislatures | Episode 4Overview
NCSL’s Our American States podcast presents a special six-part series, “Building Democracy: The Story of Legislatures.” This new mini-series covers the history, characters and stories of state legislatures in America, from the beginnings in Jamestown, to the present day and into the future.
Each episode in the series will contain interviews with experts from inside and outside the legislative world to provide a comprehensive view of historical events and their legacy in today’s legislatures. Extras will include extended guest interview clips, articles in NCSL’s State Legislatures magazine, blogs and resources for those who...2020-11-1935 min
NCSL Podcasts2020 Election: Big State Legislative Takeaways | OAS Episode 113The presidential election, understandably, has drawn much of the attention of the media and the public following Election Day. But there also were more than 6,000 state legislators on the ballot and more than 120 statewide ballot measures. Some would argue those elections will have more effect on the life of the average American than those at the top of the ticket.
One of those people is Tim Storey, executive director of NCSL and a close observer of state legislative contests for decades. Even after the election, policymakers in Washington, D.C., are likely to remain gridlocked and the...2020-11-1523 min
NCSL PodcastsClean Slate Streamlines Process to Clear Criminal Records | OAS Episode 112Clean slate is a policy model that uses technology to automatically clear criminal records, usually for nonviolent misdemeanors, if a person stays crime free for a certain period of time. The first such law in the nation passed in Pennsylvania in 2018. It was cosponsored by Representatives Jordan Harris (D) and Sheryl Delozier (R).
On this podcast, we talk with Harris about what prompted him to pursue the legislation and how it has worked so far in his state. Our other guest on the program is Anne Teigen, a policy expert at NCSL who tracks clean slate and...2020-11-0918 minNCSL PodcastsElection 2020: State Legislative Races and Statewide Ballot Measures | OAS Episode 110While there is intense focus on the presidential contest and the fate of the U.S. Senate as Election Day approaches, critical contests are also underway for the control of state legislative chambers.
We’re pleased to have Tim Storey, the executive director of NCSL, as one of the guests on this podcast. Storey has been observing these elections for decades and shares his thoughts on the prospects for a blue wave, how many legislative chambers are likely to change control and if we’re likely to see a change in overall state control.
Also join...2020-10-1924 minNCSL PodcastsState, Federal Policies Aim to Ease Transition Out of Foster Care | OAS Episode 108Today’s podcast is focused on foster care and specifically on the challenges faced by young people as they transition out of the foster care system.
Our guests are Levi Smith Jr., a 23-year-old senior at Georgia State University studying social work. Levi spent 10 years in foster care and discusses the challenges faced by older youth as they transition out of that system. Our second guest is Georgia Rep. Katie Dempsey (R), who has been involved with various pieces of legislation affecting youth in foster care during her 13 years in the legislature.
In the second se...2020-10-0526 minNCSL PodcastsData Privacy, State Legislation and the Pandemic | OAS Episode 107Consumer concern about data privacy has been mounting for the last few years in light of numerous data breaches. Many people also are aware of recent major governmental actions to protect privacy. One of the most far-reaching was Europe’s General Data Protection Regulation, passed in May 2018. The California Consumer Privacy Act, passed in 2018, went into effect this year and was by far the most comprehensive law enacted in any state.
This podcast focuses on data privacy and features a discussion with Ted Claypoole, an attorney with Womble Bond Dickinson in Atlanta and one of the nation’s to...2020-09-2118 minNCSL PodcastsKeeping Kids Up to Date on Vaccines | OAS Episode 106Today’s podcast focuses on childhood vaccinations and a troubling drop in the rate of routine immunizations for children in the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Our first guest is Dr. Melinda Wharton, the director of the Immunization Services Division at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Dr. Wharton, one of the nation’s preeminent experts on vaccine policy, discusses the reasons behind the drop, the steps the CDC is taking to help states bolster the immunization rate, the importance of keeping children on a vaccine schedule and what state lawmakers can do to help. She...2020-09-1420 min
NCSL PodcastsBuilding Democracy: The Story of Legislatures | Episode 3Overview
NCSL’s Our American States podcast presents a special six-part series, “Building Democracy: The Story of Legislatures.” This new mini-series covers the history, characters and stories of state legislatures in America, from the beginnings in Jamestown, to the present day and into the future.
Each episode in the series will contain interviews with experts from inside and outside the legislative world to provide a comprehensive view of historical events and their legacy in today’s legislatures. Extras will include extended guest interview clips, articles in NCSL’s State Legislatures magazine, blogs and resources for those who...2020-09-0837 minNCSL PodcastsCOVID-19: A New Approach to Back to School | OAS Episode 105Today’s podcast looks at how K-12 schools can reopen safely amid an ongoing pandemic and what that might look like for the foreseeable future.
Our first guest is Dr. Carissa Moffat Miller, the executive director of the Council of Chief State School Officers (CSCCSO). Dr. Miller’s organization works with state education leaders around the nation and offers a national perspective on how schools are reopening.
Our second guest is Dr. Kristi Wilson, president of the American Association of School Administrators, which is the organization of school superintendents around the nation. She is also the...2020-09-0723 minNCSL PodcastsTraffic Safety: Legislative Trends and the Effects of the Pandemic | OAS Episode 104The focus of today’s podcast is transportation safety and the type of legislation states have enacted to address concerns in that area.
Our guests are two NCSL staffers, Doug Shinkle, who directs the Transportation Program, and Samantha Bloch, an NCSL transportation and traffic safety policy expert.
We discussed a range of topics—school bus safety, hand-held devices, alcohol and drug impaired driving. I also asked them to share their thoughts on how the COVID-19 pandemic might change some aspects of transportation and how states may respond.
2020-08-1734 minNCSL PodcastsCOVID-19: Contact Tracing, the CDC and the States | OAS Episode 103Today’s podcast focuses on contact tracing, a longtime tool used by public health officials. During this pandemic, contact tracers identify people infected with the coronavirus and then contact others they’ve interacted with recently. Contact tracers then help people get testing and offer support for self-isolating.
While every state receives some funding from the federal government to support contact tracing, states have the flexibility to manage their contact tracing plans differently. At least 17 states and the District of Columbia have introduced legislation related to contact tracing, with at least and 11 states and D.C. having enacted thes...2020-08-1019 minNCSL PodcastsCOVID-19: Connecting Behavioral and Public Health | OAS Episode 102This podcast focuses on how states can ensure that their public health systems are connecting people with physical and behavioral health services in an integrated system, an issue made even more urgent by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Our guests include:
Karmen Hanson, a health policy expert from NCSL.
New Jersey Assemblyman Herb Conaway (D), a longtime legislator, physician and a county director of health.
Dr. Anne Zink, chief medical officer for the state of Alaska.
Resources
NCSL Behavioral Health Overview
Bridging the Gap: Connecting Behavioral and Public Health
Interconnecting Behavioral and Public Health...2020-08-0336 minNCSL PodcastsPodcast Hits the Century Mark | OAS Episode 100Today’s podcast is the 100th episode of “Our American States,” a milestone we marked by bringing back the original host of the podcast, Gene Rose, and recalling some of our favorite moments from the last 3 ½ years. Those included interviews with political consultant Frank Luntz, historian Doris Kearns Goodwin, former Florida Governor Jeb Bush and Matthew Desmond, who wrote “Evictions,” which won the Pulitzer Prize for nonfiction.
We review some of the major policy issues that the podcast has covered, including how states have reacted to the COVID-19 crisis. We also share some clips from memorable interviews with a numb...2020-07-1323 minNCSL PodcastsCOVID-19: Searching for a Vaccine | OAS Episode 99This podcast is one in a series NCSL is producing about states and the coronavirus pandemic. You can find links to podcasts, webinars and other resources at www.ncsl.org/coronavirus
Today’s topic could hardly be of greater interest: the hunt for a COVID-19 vaccine.
And at the forefront of that effort are the world’s pharmaceutical companies, which are pursuing multiple initiatives to find a vaccine.
To discuss that effort is today’s guest, Clement Lewin, associate vice president for Vaccines R&D Strategy at the pharmaceutical firm Sanofi Pasteur. Lewin, who ho...2020-07-0615 minNCSL PodcastsCOVID-19: Jeb Bush on Leadership, Federalism and the Challenges for States | OAS Episode 98This podcast is another in a series NCSL is producing about states and the coronavirus pandemic. You can find links to podcasts, webinars and other resources at www.ncsl.org/coronavirus.
Today we’re talking with former Florida Governor Jeb Bush. Bush recently wrote an op-ed article for the Wall Street Journal about leadership, federalism and the challenges facing states after COVID-19. We asked the governor to expand on those ideas and the tough task state lawmakers have ahead of them. We also asked the governor, whose signature policy area has been education ever since he was go...2020-06-2217 minNCSL PodcastsCOVID-19: States, the CDC and Suicide Prevention | Episode 97This podcast is another in a series NCSL is producing to focus on how states are responding to the coronavirus pandemic. You can find links to podcasts, webinars and other resources at www.ncsl.org/coronavirus.
Our topic for this podcast is a sobering one: suicide. The rate of suicide in the U.S. is one of the highest among wealthy nations. Nearly 50,000 people took their own lives in the U.S. in 2018. The COVID-19 pandemic has increased concern among experts that the nation may face an increase in suicides as people struggle during the crisis.
2020-06-1523 minNCSL PodcastsCOVID-19: Juvenile Justice Reform and the Pandemic | Episode 96This podcast is one in a series NCSL is producing to focus on how states are responding to the coronavirus pandemic. You can find links to podcasts, webinars and other resources at www.ncsl.org/coronavirus.
Today our focus is on the U.S. juvenile justice system. Efforts to reform the system have been going on for the past 20 years, driven by research, court decisions and other factors. We’re going to talk about where the reform efforts stood before the pandemic, how COVID-19 has affected juvenile justice and how the health crisis may change the system do...2020-06-0828 minNCSL PodcastsCOVID-19: Campaigning and Voting Amid a Pandemic | Episode 95This podcast is one in a series NCSL is producing to focus on how states are taking action in response to the coronavirus pandemic. You can find links to podcasts, webinars and other resources at www.ncsl.org/coronavirus.
Elections in the age of the pandemic are getting a lot of attention lately, with much of the talk focusing on mail-in balloting for November. But there is a lot more than mail-in ballots to discuss, including election administration, cybersecurity, campaigns amid a pandemic, misinformation, turnout and more. And there are more than 6,000 state legislative seats on the...2020-05-1818 minNCSL PodcastsCOVID-19: Coronavirus Modeling and Reopening the Economy | Episode 94This podcast is one in a series NCSL is producing to focus on how states are taking action in response to the coronavirus pandemic. You can find links to sign up for these webinars and view archived versions along with links to a wide range of other resources at www.ncsl.org/coronavirus.
Today we’re talking with Dr. Nirav Shah, a senior scholar at Stanford University’s Clinical Excellence Research Center and former commissioner for the New York State Department of Health. Dr. Shah discussed the myriad COVID-19 models, how to understand them and how they can...2020-05-1122 minNCSL PodcastsLegislative Staff Week: Readiness and Resilience in a PandemicThis podcast is part of Legislative Staff Week, NCSL’s effort to recognize the crucial work of legislative staff across the nation. It is also one in a series NCSL is producing to focus on how states are taking action in response to the coronavirus pandemic. You can find links to podcasts, webinars and other resources at www.ncsl.org/coronavirus.
Today we’re talking with Laree Kiely, president and chief wisdom officer at the We Will consulting firm in California. She is an expert on leadership and management and talked with “Our American States” about readiness and resi...2020-05-0428 min
NCSL PodcastsBuilding Democracy: The Story of Legislatures | Episode 2Overview
NCSL’s Our American States podcast presents a special six-part series, “Building Democracy: The Story of Legislatures.” This new mini-series covers the history, characters and stories of state legislatures in America, from the beginnings in Jamestown, to the present day and into the future.
Each episode in the series will contain interviews with experts from inside and outside the legislative world to provide a comprehensive view of historical events and their legacy in today’s legislatures. Extras will include extended guest interview clips, articles in NCSL’s State Legislatures magazine, blogs and resources for those who...2020-04-3042 minNCSL PodcastsCOVID-19: An Update From NCSL’s Executive Director | OAS Episode 92This podcast is one in a series NCSL is producing to focus on how states are taking action in response to the coronavirus pandemic. The podcasts and a new webinar series look at public health responses, workplace issues, education and childcare, the economy, elections and continuity of government.
You can find links to sign up for these webinars and view archived versions along with links to a wide range of other resources at www.ncsl.org/coronavirus.
Today we’re talking with Tim Storey, the executive director of NCSL. Tim and other NCSL staffers have be...2020-04-2726 minNCSL PodcastsCOVID-19: Feeding Kids During the Pandemic | OAS Episode 91This podcast is one in a series NCSL is producing to focus on how states are taking action in response to the coronavirus pandemic. The podcasts and a new webinar series look at public health responses, workplace issues, education and childcare, the economy, elections and continuity of government.
Today’s podcast started with a simple question: How are we feeding the 22 million children who get free or reduced-cost meals every day at school? To help answer it, we’re first talking with Carolyn Vega, senior manager for Share Our Strength’s No Kid Hungry campaign, who offers a nati...2020-04-2027 minNCSL PodcastsCOVID-19: Health Care in Rural America | OAS Episode 90This podcast is one in a series NCSL is producing to focus on how states are taking action in response to the coronavirus pandemic. The podcasts and a new webinar series look at public health responses, workplace issues, education and childcare, the economy, elections and continuity of government.
On today’s episode, the focus is on rural health care.
Our first guest is Alana Knudson, co-director of the Walsh Center for Rural Health Analysis, part of NORC at the University of Chicago. She’ll give us a national overview of rural health care and its chal...2020-04-1326 minNCSL PodcastsCOVID-19: State and Federal Responses to Education and Child Care | OAS Episode 89This podcast is one in a series NCSL is producing to focus on how states are taking action in response to the coronavirus pandemic. The podcasts and a new webinar series look at public health responses, workplace issues, education and childcare, the economy, elections and continuity of government.
On today’s episode, we talk with two NCSL experts about how the COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted schools and child care and how the state and federal governments are responding.
Our first guest in Austin Reid, the director of NCSL’s Education Standing Committee and an expert on f...2020-04-0622 minNCSL PodcastsCOVID-19: Communicating in a Crisis | OAS Episode 88This podcast is one in a series NCSL is producing to focus on how states are taking action in response to the coronavirus pandemic. The podcasts and a new webinar series look at public health responses, workplace issues, education and childcare, the economy, elections and continuity of government.
On today’s episode, we talk with two legislative veterans about communicating in a crisis.
Our first guest is Kit Beyer, director of communications for Wisconsin Assembly Speaker Robin Vos, who is also president of NCSL. Beyer shares her experiences in the current crisis and some advice ho...2020-04-0223 minNCSL PodcastsCOVID-19: State Public Health and Fiscal Responses | OAS Episode 87This podcast is one in a series NCSL is producing to focus on how states are taking action in response to the coronavirus pandemic. The podcasts and a new webinar series look at public health responses, workplace issues, education and childcare, the economy, elections and continuity of government.
On today’s episode, we talk with two NCSL experts.
Tahra Johnson, a member of NCSL’s Health Program, discusses actions states have taken in the public health arena and the still daunting challenges ahead.
Erica MacKellar from NCSL’s Fiscal Program reports on the blizza...2020-03-3021 minNCSL PodcastsCOVID-19 | Continuity of State Government and Elections | OAS Episode 86This podcast is the first in a series NCSL is producing to focus on how states are taking action in response to the coronavirus pandemic. The podcasts and a new webinar series will look at public health responses, workplace issues, education and childcare, the economy, elections and continuity of government.
On today’s episode, we talk with two NCSL experts. Natalie Wood, director of NCSL’s Center for Legislative Strengthening, discusses steps legislatures have taken in response to the pandemic and specific actions they’ve taken to ensure legislative operations can continue. Our second guest is Wendy Underh...2020-03-2315 minNCSL PodcastsReady, Set, Count: Kicking Off the Census | OAS Episode 85The U.S. Census, the once-a-decade count of everyone in the country, starts this month. Coming right up is Census Day, April 1, by which time everyone should have received a notification to fill out the census. When you respond you tell the census bureau where you live on April 1.
To discuss the stakes in the census—everything from federal money to redistricting—we check in with Wendy Underhill, NCSL’s program director for Elections and Redistricting. Later in the show, we talk with Kathleen Styles, chief of decennial communications and stakeholder relations at the U.S. Census Bureau...2020-03-1221 minNCSL PodcastsA Mountain of Money: Tackling Student Debt | OAS Episode 84The level of student debt in this country is of mounting concern to state legislators. The more than $1.6 trillion owed by more than 44 million people is starting to affect when people buy homes, get married and make other major life decisions.
On this episode, we talk with two NCSL experts, Sunny Deye and Andrew Smalley, about the scope of the problem and steps states are taking to address it. In our second segment, we talk with Winston Berkman-Breen, who is the student advocate and director of consumer advocacy for the New York State Department of Financial Services...2020-02-2726 min
NCSL PodcastsBuilding Democracy: The Story of Legislatures | Episode 1Overview
NCSL’s Our American States podcast presents a special six-part series, “Building Democracy: The Story of Legislatures.” This new mini-series covers the history, characters and stories of state legislatures in America, from the beginnings in Jamestown, to the present day and into the future.
Each episode in the series will contain interviews with experts from inside and outside the legislative world to provide a comprehensive view of historical events and their legacy in today’s legislatures. Extras will include extended guest interview clips, articles in NCSL’s State Legislatures magazine, blogs and resources for those who...2020-01-2332 minNCSL PodcastsEnd of an ERA at NCSL: Bill Pound Retires | OAS Episode 71For the last 32 years, the National Conference of State Legislatures was led by Executive Director William Pound. He worked for NCSL for 44 years, starting soon after the organization was started in Denver. He retired in mid-July and is being honored at NCSL’s Legislative Summit in Nashville this week.
We asked him to share his thoughts on legislatures, legislators, state legislative staff and other areas of interest. He provides us with a history lesson of the organization and reflects on his tenure as the leader of one of the country’s best known and respected public interest grou...2019-08-0821 min