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Educators in Office Inspired by students, state leaders utilize their expertise as educators to make smart choices on education issues
Interstate Compacts Bring States Together to Address Needs Occupational licensure compacts have proliferated with broad bipartisan support
Michigan Gets Social The Wolverine State is a model for the effective use of social media to connect citizens to government
EMPOWERING VOTERS New Mexico secretary of state advocates strategies to successfully engage Native voters in elections
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STRONGER TOGETHER 3 BRANCHES OF GOVERNMENT | 56 STATES AND TERRITORIES | 4 STRONG REGIONS
CSG works for you. The Council of State Governments is the nation’s largest nonpartisan organization serving all three branches of state elected and appointed officials. CSG champions excellence in state government to advance the common good.
Publisher DAVID ADKINS dadkins@csg.org
Senior Editor Gov. John Carney
Rep. Julia Howard
DELAWARE CSG National President
NORTH CAROLINA CSG National Chair
BLAIR HESS bhess@csg.org
Managing Editor
MPP Jamie West
ONTARIO CSG East Co-Chair
ONTARIO CSG East Co-Chair
Sen. Roger Victory MICHIGAN CSG Midwest Chair
Lt. Gov. Craig Blair Senate President WEST VIRGINIA CSG South Chair
Graphic Designers THERESA CARROLL tcarroll@csg.org STEPHANIE NORTHERN snorthern@csg.org
CODY PORTER cporter@csg.org
JESSICA RUSHER jrusher@csg.org
Associate Editors
TREY DELIDA tdelida@csg.org MPP Ted Arnott
LEXINGTON SOUERS lsouers@csg.org
capitolideas@csg.org
Contributing CSG Staff Writers KAITLYN BISON kbison@csg.org
DR. DAKOTA THOMAS thomas@csg.org
TRISHA DOUIN-MANNING trisha.douin@csg.org
JESSICA THOMAS jthomas@csg.org
MAGGIE MIXER maggie.mixer@csg.org
MORGAN THOMAS morgan.thomas@csg.org
ABEER SIKDER asikder@csg.org
The cover photo for this issue of CSG CAPITOL IDEAS magazine was provided by David Martinez Photography.
Assemblymember Mike Gipson CALIFORNIA CSG West Chair
CSG CAPITOL IDEAS, ISSN 2152-8489, Issue 3, Vol. 79, No. 1 – Published four times annually by The Council of State Governments, 1776 Avenue of the States, Lexington, KY 40511-8536. Opinions expressed in this magazine do not necessarily reflect the policies of The Council of State Governments nor the views of the editorial staff. Readers’ comments are welcome. Mailing lists are available for rent upon approval of a sample mailing. Contact the sales department at (800) 800-1910. Copyright 2023 by The Council of State Governments.
David Adkins CSG EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR/CEO dadkins@csg.org
David Biette
Lindsey Gray
CSG EAST DIRECTOR dbiette@csg.org
CSG SOUTH DIRECTOR lgray@csg.org
Laura Tomaka
Edgar Ruiz
CSG MIDWEST DIRECTOR ltomaka@csg.org
CSG WEST DIRECTOR eruiz@csg.org
Megan Quattlebaum CSG JUSTICE CENTER DIRECTOR mquattlebaum@csg.org
Shawn Jurgensen CSG CHIEF PUBLIC POLICY OFFICER CENTER OF INNOVATION DIRECTOR sjurgensen@csg.org
An accessible version of this publication is available upon request. Please email capitolideas@csg.org.
STAY CONNECTED twitter.com/CSGovts facebook.com/CSGovts linkedin.com/company/council-of-state-governments instagram.com/csgovts youtube.com/CSGovts
ISSUE 3 / 2023
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10 6 Bipartisan Support Drives
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Compact Growth, Success
Statehouse
Thanks to bipartisan support, legislation addressing licensure compacts has increased in recent years. These mutual agreements between states for professional licensure have grown to include 15 professions — all with compacts available for enactment. Since the beginning of 2023, states have already enacted 57 pieces of compact legislation.
Those with experience in education are taking their skills to a new classroom — their state Capitols. Pulling from lessons learned through teaching, as well as inspiration from former students and fellow teachers, a group of elected educators are using their unique points of view to bring change through legislation and communication.
10 Policy Does Not Cut
24 Social Michigan
and Paste
New Mexico Secretary of State Mary Toulouse Oliver prioritizes Native American voting rights through legislation, listening and community centered initiatives. By recognizing the unique culture and needs of communities across the state, Toulouse Oliver increased engagement among Native voters.
16 Nine Decades, Four
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Distinct Regions
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26 F E AT U R E S
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G E T TO K N O W R A L E I G H
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W H AT ’ S H A P P E N I N G
32 F I N A L FA C T S
20 Schoolhouse to
In 1937, CSG opened its first regional office in New York City — an action taken as part of strategic plans established in the CSG Articles of Organization. Offices soon followed in the District of Columbia, as well as in the Midwest, South and West. Much like states, these “laboratories of democracy,” introduced a regional presence during the first 90 years of CSG that facilitated collaboration and the creation of solutions to unique, locationspecific policy issues.
Social media has permanently altered the way our society communicates and shares information. With its constant advancements and ever-changing nature, states are struggling to maintain a strong presence. The state of Michigan’s awardwinning social media team showcases many viable solutions for states throughout the country to keep up in the digital era.
28 Living on the Edge Public assistance benefit programs offer a safety net to more than 37 million lowincome families. Yet, despite even the smallest increase in income or assets, individuals or families may be disqualified from certain programs. This sudden disqualification is a benefits cliff. During the past two years, 15 states and the District of Columbia have worked to address this issue by enacting legislation that adjusts eligibility requirements, increases eligibility requirement resources, expands job training and more.
Get to Know Raleigh Rich history, savory flavors await 2023 CSG National Conference attendees in the ‘City of Oaks’ For the past 40 years, CSG has convened state leaders, policymakers, representatives and affiliates in a homecoming-style reunion known as the CSG National Conference. As a regionally-based organization with national reach, each year the conference is held in a different state, highlighting different regions, cities and cultures found throughout the country. The forthcoming 2023 CSG National Conference has the unique distinction of coinciding with the organization’s 90th-anniversary celebration. This December, the national conference will be held in North Carolina’s capital city: Raleigh. Known for its barbecue, museums and universities, the “City of Oaks” is sure to provide a welcoming atmosphere to our members from far and wide. We look forward to having attendees share ideas and collaborate with one another, as well as celebrate the impact CSG has made over the past 90 years.
THE RESEARCH TRI A NGL E
Education and innovation are prominent in Raleigh. The city anchors what is known as "The Research Triangle." The Triangle is comprised of three of North Carolina's Tier 1 research universities — Duke University, North Carolina State University and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill — all located within minutes of one another.
STAT E C A PI TOL BU I L D I NG
When the state convention voted in 1788 to establish a Capitol, they chose a plot of land that would become Raleigh. The original state house burned down in 1831 and was replaced by the current Greek revival design.
C IT Y OF OA KS
Adorned with an abundance of red and white oak trees, Raleigh was coined the “City of Oaks” by its early founders, who intended to preserve the trees and grassy areas making up its landscape. Raleigh has continued to honor the nickname over the years, including on New Year’s Eve by lowering an oversized copper and steel acorn in Moore Square as part of its countdown celebration.
A favorite of Queen Elizabeth I, Sir Walter Raleigh explored much of the Americas, financed and established the failed colony of Roanoke and remained an outspoken leader until his beheading in 1618. A statue of Raleigh can be found outside of the Raleigh Convention Center in North Carolina.
PU LLEN PA RK
Looking for an adventure in Raleigh? The city is home to so many museums it's been nicknamed the "Smithsonian of the South." Museums range from natural sciences and art to sports and local history. The first museum opened its doors in 1818, while the North Carolina Museum of History — featuring an estimated 150,000 state-related artifacts — was founded in 1902.
BA RB E C U E
Fans of heaping plates of smoked meat doused in vinegary tomato-based sauces and coupled with sensational sides can find a way to fit barbecue into every meal in Raleigh. Home to The Pit, Sam Jones BBQ Raleigh, Clyde Cooper’s BBQ and many more, the city has an open table for all barbecue tastes.
North Carolina's first public park, Pullen Park is believed to be the 16th oldest operating amusement park in the world and the fifth oldest in the United States. Visitors can go for a train ride, spin around on the 100-year-old carousel or enjoy a paddle boat ride. From Nov. 29 to Dec. 17, the park has a special evening holiday express train ride to help visitors and locals get in the holiday spirit.
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SIR WALTER RALEIGH
S M I T H S ONI A N OF T H E SO UT H
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WHAT 'S HAPPENING AT C SG Kansas Supreme Court Staffer, CSG Toll Fellow Jurgensen Named to CSG Chief, Director Roles A 2022 Toll Fellowship alum and a former CSG National Executive Committee member, Shawn Jurgensen joins CSG as the new chief public policy officer and director of the CSG Center of Innovation. He comes to Kentucky after leaving his role as special counsel to Kansas Chief Justice Marla Luckert. Jurgensen previously served as a staff attorney in the Kansas Office of Judicial Administration and as a partner in a Kansas law firm. CLICK TO LEARN MORE.
DOL Continues Funding of CSG-led CAPE-Youth to Support Disabled Youth Employment Initiatives The U.S. Department of Labor announced the $7.5 million, five-year continuation of the Center for Advancing Policy on Employment for Youth (CAPE-Youth) in September. This policy center was established by the Office of Disability Employment Policy in 2019 to enhance national, state and local workforce systems focusing on improved outcomes for youth with disabilities, especially those from underserved communities. CSG oversees the development and management of CAPE-Youth. CLICK TO LEARN MORE.
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2023 Toll Fellowship Welcomes Top Leaders, Strengthens Bipartisan Bonds
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In August, CSG welcomed 45 state leaders from across the nation to its headquarters in Lexington, Kentucky, to participate in the 2023 CSG Henry Toll Fellowship — the nation’s premier leadership development program for state government officials. The program’s name honors Henry Wolcott Toll, a former Colorado state senator and the driving force behind the formation of CSG in 1933. CLICK TO LEARN MORE.
CSG, The Turnout Launch New Open-source Technology Initiative to Increase Voter Confidence CSG is partnering with The Turnout to form the Election Technology Initiative. ETI will support and maintain open-source technologies that ease administrative and financial burdens on election offices, increase access for voters regardless of location, disability or language, and improve voter confidence in election results. ElectionGuard, the open-source software program developed by Microsoft's Democracy Forward Initiative, is the first technology to join ETI. CLICK HERE TO LEARN MORE.
CSG South
CSG South Welcomes New Chair
West Virginia Senate President Craig Blair joined the CSG South Executive Committee after being unanimously elected as the 2023-2024 chair at this year's Southern Legislative Conference. Blair has been a member of the West Virginia Senate since 2013, and was a representative from 2003-11. CSG South will host its 2024 conference July 21-25 in Blair’s home state of West Virginia at the historic Greenbrier Resort. CLICK TO LEARN MORE.
Arkansas Working to Advance Nuclear Fuel Rod Recycling Spent nuclear fuel rods present an increasing problem, with more than 276,000 produced in the U.S. since 1968, per the Energy Information Administration. Due to the presence of radiation toxic to humans, animals and the environment, innovating solutions to recycle these rods is a critical concern. Arkansas Rep. Jack Ladyman sees a lane for the Natural State to become an innovator in the space of spent fuel rod recycling centers. Similar programs in France and the Argonne National Laboratory in Illinois have successfully broken these rods into smaller pellets that can be reused in new Gen4 nuclear power plants. CLICK TO LEARN MORE.
New South Carolina Bill Accommodates Military Kids A new state law called the Military Temporary Remote School Enrollment Act requires school districts to electronically accept a parent’s military transfer orders to sign their children up for any public school or program within their community. Under existing law, families must have the necessary paperwork to enroll a child in school, such as proof of residency. Since that paperwork can be burdensome for some military families to obtain before they move, placing children in school and other programs can be tricky. The bill facilitates the transition process for military families relocating to a new South Carolina district. CLICK TO LEARN MORE.
New Jersey Lieutenant Governor Sheila Oliver.
CSG Midwest
28th Annual BILLD Program Allows New Lawmakers to Develop Legislative Skills
Five days of learning, leadership development and relationship building marked the experience of legislators taking part in the 28th annual Bowhay Institute for Legislative Leadership Development. The 2023 BILLD program was held in August in Madison, Wisconsin, with participation from a bipartisan, binational group of legislators from across the Midwest. CLICK HERE TO LEARN MORE.
MLC Chair's Initiative Addresses Food Security Across the Midwest, lots of food is being produced by farmers like Michigan Sen. Roger Victory, chair of the Midwestern Legislative Conference. Despite high volume production, there are still households without enough to eat. Victory discussed the topic during a featured session at this year's MLC as part of his 2023 MLC Chair Initiative, "Food Security: Feeding the Future." CLICK HERE TO LEARN MORE.
The fentanyl threat and legislative response in the Midwest In less than a decade’s time, the number of drug overdose deaths in the United States more than doubled, reaching nearly 107,000 by 2021. One of the striking aspects of this rise has been the increasing role played by fentanyl and other synthetic opioids. They were involved in close to 70% of all overdose deaths in 2021, compared to only 6% of the fatalities nine years earlier, according to a Commonwealth Fund analysis of federal mortality data. Anne Milgram, head of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, has said that fentanyl “ is the single deadliest drug threat our nation has ever encountered.” CLICK HERE TO LEARN MORE.
CSG East Philadelphia Hosts 31 Leaders for 2023 ELA
Federal Funding for Workforce Development: Federal Opportunities for States Continued labor shortages are putting pressure on state leaders. Since the pandemic, states have experienced a decrease in the labor force, resulting in more job openings than workers seeking employment. While America’s rising retirement-age population is a contributing factor, many jobs remain unfilled due to a lack of trained, qualified candidates. CLICK HERE TO LEARN MORE.
New Jersey Lt. Gov. Sheila Oliver died Aug. 1 after a sudden illness. She was 71. “It is with incredible sadness and a heavy heart that we announce the passing of the Honorable Sheila Y. Oliver, Lieutenant Governor of the state of New Jersey,” her family said in a statement. “She was not only a distinguished public servant but also our cherished daughter, sister, aunt, friend and hero.” CLICK HERE TO LEARN MORE.
CSG West CSG West Annual Meeting: Take Two After postponing the August meeting, California Assemblymember Mike Gipson and the CSG West team are thrilled to announce that the rescheduled 76th CSG West Meeting will convene Nov. 12-15 at the Westin Bonaventure Hotel in Los Angeles. The event will bring together lawmakers from across the 13 Western states and representatives from Canada and Mexico to collaborate on the critical issues facing the Western region. CLICK TO LEARN MORE.
Border Legislative Conference to Convene Oct. 5-7 in Ensenada, Baja California CSG West is pleased to announce that this year’s Border Legislative Conference will convene Oct. 5-7 in Ensenada, Baja California. Administered by CSG West for more than two decades, the BLC is a binational forum where legislators can exchange best practices and identify policy solutions to address the complex issues along the U.S.-Mexico border region. Membership includes state legislators from the states of California, Arizona, New Mexico and Texas in the U.S., and Baja California, Sonora, Chihuahua, Coahuila, Nuevo Leon and Tamaulipas in Mexico. CLICK TO LEARN MORE.
Interstate Housing Collaborative Features Diverse Perspectives to Address Housing Crisis CSG West has continued facilitating its “Interstate Housing Collaborative,” which virtually convenes state legislative housing committee leaders from the West. May’s event featured conversations with Nevada Assemblywoman Sandra Jauregui, who spearheaded affordable housing policy initiatives during this year’s legislative session, and Martin Muoto, CEO and founder of SoLa Impact, a “family of social impact, real estate funds” focused on preserving and creating high-quality, affordable housing in low-income communities. The June collaborative featured Tiffani McCoy, the campaign manager for Seattle’s Initiative 135, a citizen-initiated measure passed in Feb. that creates a social housing developer to acquire, develop and manage public, affordable housing in the city. CLICK TO LEARN MORE.
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CSG East welcomed 31 leaders from around the region to Philadelphia in August for the 2023 Eastern Leadership Academy. Hailing from Prince Edward Island to Puerto Rico and many states in between, this group participated in a rigorous series of skills-building sessions, building relationships and learning from each other along the way. CLICK HERE TO LEARN MORE.
New Jersey Grieves Passing of Lt. Gov. Sheila Oliver
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Bipartisan Support Drives Interstate Compact Growth, Success Fifty-seven pieces of licensure compact legislation enacted in 2023; 290 enacted since 2016.
By Jessica Thomas and Kaitlyn Bison A recent uptick in the number of newly enacted licensure compacts has come as result of support from both sides of the aisle. The rise in these compacts, which establish mutual agreement between member states for professional licensure, offer state legislatures an opportunity to safeguard state sovereignty while also ensuring the quality and safety of services.
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Since 2016, 290 pieces of licensure compact legislation have been enacted and, to date, 46 states, Washington, D.C., and three territories have enacted licensure compact legislation. A total of 15 professions currently have a compact available to states for enactment. In 2023, 57 pieces of compact legislation were enacted, with six new compacts becoming available for states to enact.
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The National Center for Interstate Compacts, housed within The Council of State Governments, played a role in the development of all active licensure compacts. Through the work of NCIC, as well as policymakers sponsoring compact-related legislation, licensees in compact member states can more quickly obtain authorization to practice and get to work in other member states.
BIPARTISAN SUPPORT FOR WORKFORCE ADVANCEMENT Compact legislation has experienced success in states with majorities from both sides of the aisle, while also having been sponsored by legislators from both parties. Support for state workforces proved to be a unifying theme among sponsors of 2023 compact legislation. Rep. Michelle Caldier, a Washington Republican elected into the House in 2014, was grateful for the bipartisan support she received when sponsoring the Dentist and Dental Hygienist Compact, which is recognized in Washington as HB 1576. Resolving workforce issues in the state, especially within health care, has been a priority. “I think trying to resolve Washington’s workforce issues is one of those things — across the board — that we acknowledge as one of the state’s goals,” Caldier said. “Breaking down the borders and allowing people from other states to come in and practice easily was one we could get a win on, so that was one of my focuses.” Bipartisan support led to the enactment of the Cosmetology Compact bill in Arizona, where the successful HB 2049 was sponsored by Republican Rep. Tim Dunn.
What is a compact? Similar to a contract, a compact establishes a formal, legal relationship among states to address common problems or promote a common agenda.
“This is a bipartisan bill that promotes the flexibility for stylists to move between states,” Dunn said. “Arizona has a lot of winter visitors, and this could provide work for them when they visit.” In Indiana, Democratic Sen. J.D. Ford coauthored both SB 251 ‚ the Interstate Medical Licensure Compact, and SB 160, the Counseling Compact. In addition to highlighting the bipartisan sponsorship of these bills, he explained ways in which he collaborated with his counterparts in the Indiana General Assembly to learn about and address community health needs.
2023 Enacted Compact Bill Sponsorship by Party 3% Nonpartisan
“Access to care isn't a partisan issue, it impacts all communities,” Ford said. “I think we were able to really come together well in that common goal with these compact bills.”
MILITARY FAMILY BENEFITS
Nebraska Sen. Carol Blood, a Democrat motivated to sponsor several compacts, believes they offer many benefits and opportunities to military families. “Interstate compacts benefit others in specific licensure areas, but the reason I started working with these compacts is because of our military families,” Blood said. “Military families tend to move every two to three years, which means new schools, new doctors, new homes and more. This is one less headache for these families to deal with.”
26% Bipartisan
39% Republican
32% Democrat
Source: National Center for Interstate Compacts
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Legislators often mention how compacts break down barriers for military families who move frequently and face challenges working in a licensed profession. Without a licensure compact, both military members and their spouses must navigate each state’s process for licensure.
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Licensure Compact Enactments by State and Territory
0 compacts 1–3 compacts 4–6 compacts 7–9 compacts 10+ compacts
Source: National Center for Interstate Compacts
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Due to the increased military support, the Department of Defense facilitated the development of interstate compacts as a mechanism for ensuring the portability of professional licenses for military spouses. In September 2020, the Department of Defense entered into a cooperative agreement with CSG to fund the creation of new interstate compacts designed to strengthen licensure portability.
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the flexibility to live and work in any state in the compact benefits everyone. This compact will help incentivize teachers to stay teachers because of the flexibility that is provided to move to other states.”
“[Compacts] are very positive for military partners who move to our state and people who are moving out of active service but want to continue working in a field where they are already licensed in another compact state,” said Colorado Rep. Mary Young.
As a former dentist, Caldier, like Lukens and Young, was also familiar with the compact profession she sponsored. She also recognized the need for license mobility and the need to address the shortage of dental hygienists in Washington. Although she continues to support the field of dentistry, Caldier’s support of compacts extends to other professions as a cosponsor on the Counseling Compact, the Nurse Licensure Compact and the Occupational Therapy Compact.
PROFESSIONAL PERSPECTIVES
TELEHEALTH
Many sponsors of compact legislation were licensed professionals themselves. The sponsors of Colorado HB 23-1064, the Interstate Teacher Mobility Compact, worked in the field of education and understand the barriers teachers face.
Licensure compacts for health care professions can bring an added benefit to states: access to telehealth services. Ford said that compacts can “provide us with the opportunity to have more providers move to Indiana, but also greatly expand telehealth opportunities when you can meet with specialists in other states.”
Young, a Democrat and former special education teacher and school psychologist, noted having her own experience with barriers to licensure as a teacher upon moving to Colorado. She admired efficiency and ease that compacts brought to licensure and wanted teachers moving to Colorado to remain in the profession. “With the Interstate Teacher Mobility Compact, we can ensure that teachers who want to come to Colorado can do so,” said Colorado Rep. Meghan Lukens, a Democrat and former social studies teacher. “Giving teachers
Much of the general population can benefit from the increase in telehealth that compacts present. Communities that do not have access to health care providers, as well as people with low mobility due to a lack of public transportation or low accessibility, can all benefit from a rise in telehealth. Of the 15 available licensure compacts, Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology, Psychology Interjurisdictional Compact, Counseling,
2023 State Enactments by Compact Social Work Licensure Compact Interstate Massage Compact Physician Assistant Licensure Compact Cosmetology Licensure Compact Dentist and Dental Hygienist Compact Interstate Teacher Mobility Compact
State Membership of Compacts with Telehealth Provisions
1
28
29
29
39
Social Work
Occupational Therapy
Audiology and SpeechLanguage Pathology
Counseling
Psychology Source: National Center for Interstate Compacts
Occupational Therapy and Social Work include provisions specific to telehealth. Blood offered the example of Nebraska LB 1034, the Psychology Compact, as psychology is a licensed profession. If a patient moves or travels to a different state than where their psychologist is licensed, their care can be stalled or halted. “Prior to that compact, Nebraska psychologists could not legally counsel someone over the phone if they were to have a mental health crisis in another state because that psychologist would not be licensed in that state,” Blood said. “With the compact, if the psychologist belongs [to the compact] as well as the state the patient is calling from, that psychologist can provide care for their patient.”
OPPORTUNITIES FOR INCREASED STATE INVOLVEMENT Legislators developed key takeaways throughout the process of introducing and enacting compact legislation. Attending informative events, involving key stakeholders, and working with colleagues from all parties enabled success. Several legislators noted how collaborative convenings, such as the CSG National Conference, are useful for learning from other leaders who
Pettey, a Democrat, and Washington Republican Sen. Ron Muzzall both suggest involving others, including other legislators and members of boards and professional associations. “Engage stakeholders on an individual basis and engage with Department of Defense and organizations dedicated to supporting military spouses,” said Muzzall, who introduced Washington SB 5219, the Counseling Compact. As the sponsor for Kansas SB 66, the Interstate Teacher Mobility Compact, Pettey recommended looking at compacts with an open mind. “Take note of compacts your state may already be involved in,” Pettey said. “Make sure that you talk to other legislators on either side of the aisle about the legislation that you are considering introducing, as well as talking to your state board of education and your teachers’ associations. Doing early work to make contact with other parties will be helpful for when they actually introduce [legislation].” More information on compacts can be found at the following website: compacts.csg.org. Policymakers interested in sponsoring a licensure compact can reach the National Center for Interstate Compacts via email at compacts@csg.org.
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With the rise of telehealth and telemedicine, compacts are an important tool to meet the needs of patients. As more states join compacts, the pool of providers grows, and patients access to care expands.
have sponsored compact legislation. At the 2022 CSG National Conference, Caldier learned about the Dentist and Dental Hygienist Compact while Kansas Sen. Pat Pettey was impressed by discussion on the Teacher Compact.
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EMPOWERING NATIVE VOTERS by Respecting Unique Language and Traditions
New Mexico secretary of state works collaboratively to improve elections for Tribal communities. By Lexington Souers When New Mexico Secretary of State Maggie Toulouse Oliver served as Bernalillo County clerk, she learned firsthand the challenges of translating election language. In the Navajo Nation, where Diné bizaad is spoken, no direct translation exists for Republican or Democrat. When Toulouse Oliver attended her first Navajo Nation chapter meeting, she learned more about how election and political terms may differ from community to the next. While one community may identify a Democrat as a “donkey rider,” another may use the phrase “someone who walks with a donkey.” This experience led her to prioritize word choice. “That was that was one of the big, mind-blowing things for me — how do we communicate,” Toulouse Oliver asked. “What terminology do we use even within the context of the Navajo language to make sure that that idea is communicated accurately? That is one of our big challenges.”
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Toulouse Oliver acknowledged that assimilation and language eradication occurred in many Native communities. However, some voters maintain a traditional lifestyle.
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“I have people in New Mexico that live in hogans with no running water and no electricity,” Toulouse Oliver said. “They live their very traditional way of life and that has not changed in their lifetime. So, what do we want to do? Leave these folks behind when it comes to the voting process? No, we have to come to them.” Before 1948, the New Mexico Constitution did not allow certain Native people to vote. Miguel Trujillo, a member of the Pueblo of Isleta and a World War II Marine Corps veteran, then stepped in to challenge the constitution's language. Prior to Trujillo coming forward, voting rights were denied to Natives who did not pay private property taxes on reservations despite having paid all state and federal taxes. With the right to vote eventually secured, Native voters faced limited access to voting locations and a lack of translated voting materials that included instructions, notices and even ballots. While some counties complied with federal law and Department of Justice intervention, others were slow to adapt their processes.
I have people in New Mexico that live in hogans with no running water and no electricity to the state. They live their very traditional way of life and that has not changed in their lifetime. So, what do we want to do? Leave these folks behind when it comes to the voting process? No, we have to come to them.” − Maggie Toulouse Oliver New Mexico Secretary of State
“There’s sort of a history of really needing to get with it in terms of complying with federal law,” Toulouse Oliver said. “Fast forward to today, we have one letter of agreement left in existence for one county. We have the Native Voting Task Force in my office and then we passed the Native American Voting Rights Act this year.” This year, New Mexico’s Legislature passed HB 4, covering a variety of voting rights issues including the first Native American Voting Rights Act. The bill expands a nation, tribe or pueblo’s ability to apply for amended voting locations and a secure ballot drop box, and allows voters to use government buildings as their mailing address. “We gave them the opportunity to ask for and receive a secured monitor container, also known as a drop box, for once they receive that ballot, especially if they receive it at that tribal government building,” Toulouse Oliver said. “They can also deposit the ballot back at the government building. They don’t necessarily need to send it back through the mail.” Local tribal governments were also provided much more flexibility through the bill. As a result, they can now establish the site of their polling locations, in addition to choosing where and how long early voting takes place. “We’re hoping all of those things go a long way towards really improving some of those ballot access challenges,” Toulouse Oliver said. Implementation is the secretary of state’s next major challenge. She and her office plan to provide resources to Native communities that include the new options and work to determine what is best for each community.
Otero County Clerk Robyn Holmes said the bill helps solve some challenges her county faces, such as a central address for ballot delivery. Otero County has around 12,196 Native voters who live on the Mescalero Apache Reservation. “We work as county clerks with the Secretary of State’s Office and we come up with things that we feel will help voter outreach and get people out to vote,” Holmes said. “For that, we get along very well with our secretary of state. Our legislator’s listen to us and subsequently they pass the laws.” Holmes said this hasn’t always been the case, though. However, over time, and despite party differences, clerks and legislators have been able to work together with Toulouse Oliver to communicate voters’ needs. “We’ve been very fortunate with the offices of the secretary of state and clerks working so well together. It’s not always perfect, but for the most part, we can work it out and make it work for everybody,” Holmes said. “It’s different when you have large cities in one county and then you have very small, rural counties with two people working in their offices. It’s hard to implement bills and policies and procedures exactly the same for everybody.” Toulouse Oliver recognizes that policy cannot be copied and pasted between New Mexico’s 23 federally recognized tribes, who speak eight different languages. The Native American Voting Rights Task Force was created in 2017 by the secretary of state to better connect with the needs of New Mexico’s three main tribes, including the Navajo Nation, the Pueblos and the Apache Tribes. The task force has representation from all of
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Photo credit: Alex Curtas, New Mexico Secretary of State’s Office
these groups, as well as an urban Native representative, but limits membership to a few members to remain productive. Members collaborate to inform the Secretary of State’s Office on areas of outreach and improvement, in addition to useful and appropriate language and messaging.
We don’t want to copy and paste, first of all. We don’t want to treat all of our tribal areas the same and all of the individuals because they have different cultures, different languages.” − Maggie Toulouse Oliver New Mexico Secretary of State
“We don’t want to copy and paste, first of all,” Toulouse Oliver said. “We don’t want to treat all of our tribal areas the same and all of the individuals because they have different cultures, different languages.” While Holmes doesn’t need to translate ballots, her office does translate the portion of the proclamation affecting the reservation. These translations are recorded and played through the local radio station.
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Because each tribe has a unique voting culture, including who can vote and what positions are open for election, it is important to approach each tribe with their culture in mind, according to Toulouse Oliver.
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“There are just so many culture and language ins and outs that, as a white woman from Albuquerque, New Mexico, I am not the expert, nor am I ever going to try to be, nor am I ever going to try to superimpose what I think works in tribal areas,” Toulouse Oliver said. “I want folks to tell us what works in [their] community. What creative ideas do you have? How can we invest in those? How can we live those? That’s kind of the work that [the task force members] do.” Despite progress, Native voters continue to face challenges, including limited ballot collection services, language translation and the digital divide. A report by the Native American Rights Fund found voting barriers typically fell under 11 categories, including geography, infrastructure concerns, nontraditional addresses and IDs, and the digital divide. The 2020 report found only 66% of eligible native voters across the nation are registered.
Toulouse Oliver uses buildings of cultural importance, like chapter houses in the Navajo Nation, to help increase access to polling locations.
“We use schools, we use other public buildings where available, but even then, you’re often talking about an individual having to drive 50 to even as many as 200 miles to get to the nearest in-person polling place,” Toulouse Oliver said. “We’re trying to expand — as much as we can — mobile early voting units [that travel] to these communities to be there for two or three days to a week during the early voting period.” Because many who live on reservations receive their mail at a post office box or reside in remote, nontraditional areas without valid U.S. mailing addresses, New Mexico law allows voters to describe their addresses. “We’ve done a really good job in New Mexico for years at addressing the issue of not having a standard physical address,” Toulouse Oliver said. “You can literally draw a map, write a description or say, ‘I live three streets down from the giant cottonwood tree after you get off of the exit at Highway 85.’” While voters are able to describe their address, this can be challenging when ballots or other voting materials need to be delivered. Toulouse Oliver said mail delivery can be infrequent, or that individuals may not receive mail at their home. In New Mexico HB 4, the Legislature addressed issues regarding ballot delivery, allowing individuals to use their local tribal government building as an individual’s mailing address. Toulouse Oliver said this eases the process because the U.S. Postal Service delivers to every tribal government building in the state. “One good thing that came out of this last session was that the Legislature passed the law that on reservations they could have one location, like at their community center or wherever they designate,” Holmes said.
Tribe
Language
County
Ft. Sill Apache Tribe
Ft. Sill Apache
Luna
Jicarilla Apache Nation
Jicarilla Apache
Rio Arriba
Cochiti Pueblo
Keres
Sandoval
Santo Domingo Pueblo
Keres
Sandoval
San Felipe Pueblo
Keres
Sandoval
Santa Ana Pueblo
Keres
Sandoval
Zia Pueblo
Keres
Sandoval
Acoma Pueblo
Keres
Cibola
Laguna Pueblo
Keres
Cibola
Mescalero
Otero
Navajo Nation
Navajo
Bernalillo, Cibola, McKinley, Rio Arriba, Sandoval, San Juan, Socorro
Ohkay Owingeh
Tewa
Rio Arriba
Santa Clara Pueblo
Tewa
Rio Arriba
San Ildefonso Pueblo
Tewa
Santa Fe
Nambe Pueblo
Tewa
Santa Fe
Pojoaque Pueblo
Tewa
Santa Fe
Tesuque Pueblo
Tewa
Santa Fe
Taos Pueblo
Northern Tiwa
Taos
Picuris Pueblo
Northern Tiwa
Taos
Sandia Pueblo
Tiwa
Sandoval
Isleta Pueblo
Tiwa
Bernalillo, Valencia
Jemez Pueblo
Towa
Sandoval
Zuni Pueblo
Zuni
McKinley
Mescalero Apache Tribe
“They’ve created this law that allows our reservation to say, ‘Anybody that wants to request a ballot that was on the reservation, you can have it mailed back to our community center and we’ll get it to you,’ as opposed to going to their address where apparently they feel like they don’t get their mail all the time.”
“I think there is a particular part of the Native community that may live physically within an urban area. They live in Albuquerque, New Mexico, or Gallup, New Mexico, or Farmington, but they still consider their whole chapter and maybe their parents’ or their grandparents’ residence [to be] where they actually live, where they are from,” Toulouse Oliver said. “In many ways, it’s interesting to see our urban Native voters needing to go back to that place of origin in order to vote or to apply for and get an
Source: Native American Election Information Program, New Mexico Secretary of State’s Office
absentee ballot. The challenge there then is just going like we would do with any other group. What is what makes you interested in wanting to vote? How can we make it easier for you to register and get your ballot?” Another challenge is the size and resources available for some communities. A tribal community’s size or economic resources may lead them to be more invested in federal elections, or the opposite may be true. Toulouse Oliver added that opinions on the importance of elections may differ even within communities, increasing the challenges of civic education. Many of these smaller communities also struggle with access to broadband connectivity or phone service. This creates an additional challenge for election officials. “How do we make sure those voters have information and access to the ballot box in the same way that a voter who lives in Gallup or Shiprock,” Toulouse Oliver said. “Those are the kinds of challenges we’re trying to navigate.”
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Native voters living in urban areas face challenges that are different than those on reservations. Based on the population, some urban areas are required to have translated ballots or a translator on call. Many urban native voters have access to broadband internet and are aligned with their nonnative neighbors, but there may be more cultural challenges.
Languages of New Mexico’s Federally Recognized Tribes
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I want folks to tell us what works in [their] community. What creative ideas do you have? How can we invest in those? How can we live those? That’s kind of the work that [the task force members] do.”
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Photo credit: Philip Smith, 1LPhoto
One program tackling this chalHolmes said she does not work lenge is the Native American with a liaison, but she has built Election Information Program. close relationships with commu− Maggie Toulouse Oliver Created in 1988, the program facilnity members, like an attorney on New Mexico Secretary of State itates voter education programs the reservation. For voter drives, a in counties with the largest Native member of the New Mexico Secrepopulations. The program educates tary of State’s Office joins Holmes’ communities on the election office. process, upcoming elections, and “I’m friends with the attorney up provides election assistance for there,” Holmes said. “We make sure we have an open dialogue between both tribes and county clerks to ensure compliance with federal and us. If they need anything or if we need something, [we’re both very good state law. to accommodate each other].” Toulouse Oliver increased the number of staff to better cover the needs Looking ahead, Toulouse Oliver hopes to expand her office’s work with of Native communities. The liaisons translate necessary documents into the Native community. A facilitator will join the Native American Voting both the appropriate language and the correct media. For example, Task Force to help the group explore programs and funding for the future. publication requirements necessitate the use of radio in some communiToulouse Oliver said the successes, or failures, of this “regearing” phase ties. will determine future programs. “It’s a lot of work for two people, but they do an amazing job,” Toulouse The work of the Secretary of State’s Office with the Native community Oliver said. “They’re the ones who are physically out there in the commucan, in a larger sense, be applied to other minorities. Toulouse Oliver said nities, hearing from those tribal leaders on what they need, what we need that while not all marginalized communities may face the same chalto be doing better and what is something that they need from us versus lenges, other voters benefit from the lessons learned from listening to what is something they need from county government. Sometimes we communities’ needs and allocating appropriate resources to them. can all three work together to get something accomplished.” “As an elected official, you have to be open to saying, ‘You tell me what In counties with a larger Native population, a tribal liaison works with the you think your community needs. I’m not here to tell you what I think county clerk to provide tools or resources. As well, while not required, it needs,’” Toulouse Oliver said. “If it’s not me, who can I give tools and each Native community hires poll workers from their community. These resources to that are needed to be that person, that messenger. Not all workers provide a cultural connection and can help with any language or marginalized communities have the same challenges. [We’re] not just assistance needs. Toulouse Oliver said this lessens the stress and intimidataking that cut and paste approach.” tion of voting, especially for new or infrequent voters.
Evolving CSG/Dept. of Defense Initiative Continues Enhancing Accessibility for U.S. Military, Overseas Voters By Morgan Thomas The Overseas Voting Initiative continues to conduct research, analyze Uniformed Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act voter data, and cultivate dialogue surrounding innovative strategies to enhance voter accessibility through the act. The OVI is a collaboration between The Council of State Governments and the Department of Defense Federal Voting Assistance Program focused on improving voting access for U.S. military and overseas voters. Service members, their families and other U.S. citizens residing overseas face many challenges when trying to obtain and cast their ballots in U.S. elections. Service members deployed to remote areas, students studying abroad or government workers working abroad in difficult-to-access locations must overcome hurdles to exercise their right to vote. Mail operations can be intermittent or even nonexistent in some locations. Power, and therefore access to electronic communications, can also be unreliable. Voters facing any of these challenges are protected under the Uniformed Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act, which is also commonly referred to as UOCAVA. UOCAVA was enacted by Congress in 1986 and provides U.S. citizens and their eligible family members a legal basis for absentee voting requirements. Each U.S. citizen abroad faces unique challenges, making it difficult for both the voter and election officials. The Overseas Voting Initiative works with local and state election officials who comprise its OVI Working Group. The Working Group is divided into subgroups that focus on specific areas of interest centered on improving voting accessibility for UOCAVA voters. Through these subgroups, the OVI has conducted research, promoted technology and policies, informed
state policymakers about overseas voting issues, and shared best practices with state and local election officials and other stakeholders. Some critical areas of research include: UOCAVA balloting solutions. Improving communications and connections between UOCAVA citizens and their election offices. Making voter registration easier for UOCAVA citizens. Considering how DOD digital signature capabilities can facilitate document signing by certain UOCAVA voters. Examining how the ballot duplication process can be improved through transparent standard operating procedures and new technologies. In addition to these areas of research, the OVI has also created a data standard for the Election Administration and Voting Survey, or EAVS, Section B Data. This standard allows election officials and the Federal Voting Assistance Program to conduct a deeper analysis of UOCAVA voter behavior. The Working Group analyzes and makes recommendations for changes to EAVS Section B Data to improve the survey to serve the voters and election officials better. Now in its 10th year, the OVI has conducted more than 27 Working Group meetings in 14 states and U.S. territories, one U.S. Embassy, and visited 11 military installations. In early spring 2024, the OVI will be releasing a series of modules identifying best practices for communicating with military service members, their families and citizens living abroad.
There are
197, 989
active duty, reserve and national guard
U.S. service members currently deployed and eligible for UOCAVA protections.
With more than
eligible overseas voters we must examine ways to
simplify and improve their access to exercising their
right to vote.
2.8 million
U.S. civilians live and work overseas.
30 election officials who make up the working group are committed to ensuring election access for military and overseas citizen voters and have taken up the challenge of guaranteeing that these
U. S. cit ize n s’ vot e s count. Source: Federal Voting Assistance Program
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3 million
More than
15
Nine Decades,
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Four Distinct Regions
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CSG ‘laboratories of democracy’ remain steadfast champions of state leaders By Lexington Souers Regional meetings were not abnormal at the inception of The Council of State Governments. Early editions of The Book of the States act more as a diary, featuring meetings on freight rates, taxes and executive leadership, among other topics. CSG was always meant to be a “secretariat and clearing house” to ease the concerns of the states. The CSG Articles of Organization called for the creation of regional offices, the first of which opened in New York City in 1937. An office in Washington, D.C., was also opened the following year. In the years that followed, CSG opened offices in the Midwest, South and West. Former Supreme Court Justice Louis Brandeis recognized states as unique, concentrated “laboratories of democracy” that could curate solutions to specific policy issues. CSG Regional offices facilitate these laboratories by connecting states and broadening the sharing of ideas and impact for good. A New York Times editorial from 1939 touted CSG for its “fitness of the machinery for the job,” reading that “CSG is a practical machine of information and action, highly useful in a day of complex problems.” Once the Eastern Regional office opened, their leadership understood that they were a “direct branch” of the central office and acted as a liaison. As the oldest regional office, CSG East has a rich history. In 2001, CSG the East office was destroyed in the 9/11 attacks. They are now located across from the new One World Trade Center and the 9/11 Memorial and Museum. The office also serves as a parent office for the CSG Justice Center. David Biette, director of CSG East, said the Eastern Region works best when it communicates and establishes connections with members, experts and others looking to advance the common good.
These include the Council on Communities of Color, the only group of its kind affiliated with CSG, and the Eastern Trade Council. In addition to policy events, state visits and research requests, CSG East hosts the Eastern Leadership Academy and EASTrain. They also explore specific policy areas through partnerships, summits and working groups. These include organizing regional climate and energy policy summits with Princeton and Yale, to hosting in-person briefings on energy and environment policy. This year the office began work on housing policy. “In all 18 of our jurisdictions, untangling issues of housing shortages and affordability is demanding more time, energy and effort
CSG Midwest established an office in Chicago, Illinois, in 1945. The office serves 11 states, one province and several affiliated areas through policy support and research. Regional caucuses between legislators and regional compacts facilitate bipartisan communication and collaboration. As well, the region hosts the Bowhay Institute for Legislative Leadership Development, which is a region-specific program for leaders to improve their own skills as well as meeting with professional development leaders and collogues. Laura Tomaka, director of CSG Midwest, said the regional office’s work reflects the tradition and history of the region, giving the examples of agriculture and water management. Through committees, like the CSG Midwestern Legislative Conference Agriculture & Rural Affairs Committee, legislators “come together to learn about and work on state policies that help our region’s farmers feed the world while also fueling state economies.” Connecting people and ideas is the main function of CSG Midwest, Tomaka said. “Whether it’s through our policy work and policy committees, our MLC Annual Meeting, our Stateline Midwest publication, our leadership training program, or any other number of groups or convenings, our goal is to provide relevant information and tools to support state and provincial officials and aid the policymaking process,” Tomaka said. “We also serve as a place where policymakers from across the region can connect with one another to share ideas and experiences and build a regional network that supports them in the important work they are doing.” Both CSG South and CSG West opened offices in Decatur, Georgia, and San Francisco, California, respectively, in 1947. Much like the other offices, they aid in policy and research analysis and leadership development. CSG South, made up of 15 member states, hosts programs for legislative staff, agency directors and the Center of the Advancement of Leadership Skills. “I think what makes the southern regions shine and frankly, what I hear all the time is just our level of heart,” said Lindsey Gray, director of CSG South. “We hug when we see each other again after a long time. It's almost like a family reunion. I think that that's what you see is the barriers
“Notice the fitness of the machinery for the job. The commission members of state legislatures will look after the necessary laws. The administrative members will execute them. CSG is a practical machine of information and action, highly useful in a day of complex problems.” The New York Times, Jan. 20, 1939
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“Like in the national office and other regions, some of the ideas that start here go on to fundamentally shift the way leaders and citizens alike think about major issues and the solutions to them,” Biette said. “We’re proud to have facilitated those kinds of advancements in state government since 1937 and are excited about the new roles we will be able to play in the coming years.”
from lawmakers and executive staff than ever before,” Biette said. “We were excited to ramp up our housing policy work this year with two productive virtual roundtable discussions. These discussions explored key ideas to address the affordable housing crisis and strategies for building consensus to pass related legislation.”
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“I invite every state official to find a home in the CSG family. CSG will make you a better, more effective public servant and your participation will make CSG a stronger force for good.” David Adkins, CSG Executive Director/CEO
the walls between states absolutely come down. There's a camaraderie and wanting to help each state rise together.” The regional office continues to grow, with 14 staff members, increased programming and an upcoming international delegation. Additionally, CSG South added a Staff Committee to its bylaws, and plans to increase education and leadership opportunities for staff members in all three branches of government. Gray said the key to engaging and helpful programming, as well as increased camaraderie, is listening to members.
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“That level of engagement, that camaraderie, that heart, is [members] seeing that we're listening to them and we’re also implementing,” Gray said. “That's kind of our secret sauce, listening and implementing.”
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Although it may appear somewhat different, the recipe used by CSG West to engage and network members is not all that different from its regional colleagues. Those in one of the 13 CSG West member states have opportunities to connects at its Border Legislative Academy, which promotes binational leadership, and the Western Legislative Academy. Customized training is also available through the WESTrain program. There are also programs focusing on natural resources, such as the Colorado river Forum and the Legislative Council on River Governance. Programs to aid legislature staff will also be launched soon.
Ruiz added that it was important to provide a space for conversations unique to the West, allowing leaders from member states and territories, as well as Canada and Mexico, to share ideas and learn from one another while addressing a shared environmental concern. CSG West is the only region to share a border with both Canada and Mexico, leading to programing addressing economic and policy concerns that may arise. CSG National leadership has utilized the experience being a regional leader provides. The third executive director of CSG, Brevard Crihfield, served in the Washington and New York offices, as the Midwest regional representative, and used his experience as a regional leader to expand the services offered by CSG. Hebert Wiltsee replaced Crihfield as the fourth executive director following a long tenure as director of CSG South and as director of research and publications. Daniel Sprauge was director of CSG West before becoming the 8th executive director. Even the current executive director, David Adkins, formerly served as chair of CSG Midwest. “As a legislator, I served as chair of CSG Midwest. From that experience, I met and learned from incredible CSG staff members and legislative colleagues throughout the Midwest,” Adkins said. “I found at CSG a family of people, like me, who were passionate about public service and whose camaraderie helped sustain me through some dark days.”
CSG West membership spans from the Dakotas to Hawaii and Alaska, as well as the Pacific Island governments of Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands. The vastness of the region leads to unique policy challenges.
CSG National Headquarters moved to Lexington, Kentucky, in 1969. Years later, the Center of Innovation also opened to aid in research requests and focus on policy concerns throughout the states. Now, CSG serves as a harbor for state leaders and legislators across the nation and beyond, consistently providing the resources and opportunities they need to become more successful public servants.
“As an organization, our goal is to facilitate those conversations on what has or has not worked so that states can better adapt to those situations,” said Edgar Ruiz, CSG West director.
“I invite every state official to find a home in the CSG family,” Adkins said. “CSG will make you a better, more effective public servant and your participation will make CSG a stronger force for good.”
CSG Affiliated Organizations
Through affiliation with The Council of State Governments, 11 national organizations of state officials share ideas and combine efforts to accomplish mutual goals. Affiliated organizations contribute specialized expertise, information and resources to the overall mission of CSG.
American Probation and Parole Association (APPA) Executive Director / Veronica Cunningham
Association of Air Pollution Control Agencies (AAPCA) Executive Director / Jason Sloan
Cannabis Regulators Association (CANNRA) Executive Director / Gillian Schauer
Formed in 1974, the American Probation and Parole Association is a national leader in the community corrections industry. At its core, APPA works to reduce recidivism, strengthen the role of community corrections and equip more than 90,000 industry professionals with best practices.
The Association of Air Pollution Control Agencies is a national, nonprofit organization created in 2012 to aid state and local air quality agencies with the implementation of the Clean Air Act. Currently, AAPCA represents 51 state and local air pollution control agencies across 23 states.
The Cannabis Regulators Association is a nonpartisan association of officials and state leaders involved in cannabis regulation at varying levels of government working to share best practices for implementing cannabis policy. Organized in 2020, CANNRA members have aided in the implementation of cannabis policy in more than 40 states and U.S. territories.
Military Interstate Children’s Compact Commission (MIC3) Executive Director / Cherise Imai
National Association of State Facilities Administrators (NASFA) Executive Director / Marcia Stone
National Association of State Personnel Executives (NASPE) Executive Director / Leslie Scott Parker
Founded in 2008, members of the Military Interstate Children’s Compact Commission’s include state representatives from all 50 states, the District of Columbia and five ex-officio members. As the governing body of the Interstate Compact on Educational Opportunity for Military Children, MIC3 works to ease educational transitions for military-connected children attending public schools and Department of Defense schools across the nation.
The National Association of State Facilities Administrators is the nation’s only organization dedicated to addressing the unique challenges faced by state facilities professionals. Founded in 1987, members have dedicated decades of service to the planning, development, operations and maintenance of state facilities.
Established in 1977, the National Association of State Personnel Executives was created to promote communication and the exchange of information among a nationwide network of state government personnel executives. NASPE serves as a forum that allows state human resources professionals to connect and develop effective, resourceful state workforces from all corners of the nation.
Lombard, Illinois vcunningham@csg.org / appa-net.org
Lexington, Kentucky mic3info@csg.org / mic3.net
National Association of State Technology Directors (NASTD) Executive Director / Mark McCord Lexington, Kentucky nastd@csg.org / nastd.org
As a member-driven organization, the National Association of State Technology Directors is focused on promoting the effective use of information technology to advance best practices in state governments. The association was founded in 1978 and has since represented information technology professionals from all 50 states.
Lexington, Kentucky jsloan@csg.org / cleanairact.org
Lexington, Kentucky nasfa@csg.org / nasfa.net
info@cann-ra.org / cann-ra.org
Lexington, Kentucky lscott@csg.org / naspe.net
National Emergency Management Association (NEMA) Executive Director / Trina Sheets Lexington, Kentucky tsheets@csg.org / nemaweb.org
The National Emergency Management Association is a nonpartisan, nonprofit association dedicated to strengthening the nation’s public safety. NEMA serves as a safety resource for all 50 states, the District of Columbia and eight U.S. territories. Since the association was established in 1974, NEMA has been equipping state leaders with best practices to prepare for, respond to and recover from disasters, emergencies and threats to public security.
Women in Government Executive Director / Meredith Martino
District of Columbia sido@csg.org / sidoamerica.org
District of Columbia mmartino@womeningovernment.org womeningovernment.org
Designed to support governors’ international trade agendas, the State International Development Organizations serves and represents all 50 state trade agencies to the federal government. Since 2000, SIDO has shared innovative ideas and resources to enhance the skills of state trade professionals to better serve American exporters and international investors.
For more than 30 years, Women in Government has convened state legislators and amplified the work of women in state government. Through meetings and conferences, the organization provides resources for state legislators to leverage complex policy issues and encourages networking with fellow female lawmakers.
District of Columbia kromero@nhcsl.org / nhcsl.org
The National Hispanic Caucus of State Legislators represents more than 300 Hispanic state legislators, spanning the U.S., Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands. The organization was founded in 1989 and has served as a resource and network for Hispanic state leaders who advocate for their community.
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State International Development Organizations (SIDO) Executive Director / Andy Karellas
National Hispanic Caucus of State Legislators (NHCSL) Executive Director / Kenneth Romero
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S TAT E H O U S E Elected educators’ policy work places students first By Maggie Mixer and Abeer Sikder
From classrooms to Capitols, a nationwide community of state leaders serve as educational advocates on their chamber floors. They drew inspiration from real-world experiences and outstanding students that left lasting impacts during their previous — and even ongoing — careers as teachers, professors and school administrators. Despite having a diverse set of backgrounds and experiences, the policy work of nine state legislators is rooted in one common cause: students. Kentucky Rep. Kim Banta, a former teacher, principal and assistant superintendent, noted that educators are deeply in touch with their communities and the day-to-day challenges faced by students and their families. “Teaching is an amazing boot camp for most other things that you can do in life that might be stressful or difficult,” Banta said. “[Educators] have their fingers on the pulse of what the struggles are, what problems people are having ... because you see every single segment of society [in schools].” The 17-year teaching career of California Sen. Susan Rubio went beyond the classroom, as she helped students and their families navigate housing and food insecurity, language barriers and more. “As an educator, I was exposed to so many of the issues our community members were facing,” Rubio said. “Early on, a few families came to me for support and help outside the classroom, letting me know they didn’t have funding for supplies … and I would try to connect them with [other] resources [too].” Rubio said soon after she learned the true scale of the problem “and, as a teacher, [she] could only do so much.” Rubio decided she wanted to help her community from a broader platform. With access to more resources, she launched her first political campaign. Prior to joining the California Senate, she served Baldwin Park, California, for 13 years as a city clerk and city council member. Other state leaders, such as Virginia Sen. Ghazala Hashmi, were driven to run for office due to specific challenges experienced in the classroom as an educator. Hashmi, who was professor at Reynolds Community College in Richmond, Virginia, also founded the college’s Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning. After teaching for nearly 30 years, she put her name on the ballot because she “saw the state government pulling funding and resources away from students and families, and [she] knew that we could do better for thousands of deserving students.” Current and former students have been a continuous source of inspiration for these elected officials. While most gave up being full time educators to hold elected office, many still teach part time or make guest appearances at their district’s schools and agree that it remains one of the best parts of their jobs. Indiana Sen. Andrea Hunley, who taught high school English before her 10 years as a principal, recounted being inspired by students organizing against gun violence, high schoolers’ talented navigation of artificial intelligence programs and a third-grade class’s sit-in protest for more recess time. According to Hunley, students’ creativity and enterprise are “leaps and bounds ahead of us” and ahead of the legislation currently in place.
Kim Banta Representative kentucky
Susan Rubio Senator california
Ghazala Hashmi Senator virginia
Andrea Hunley Senator indiana
— Rep. Kim Banta, Kentucky
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“Teaching is an amazing boot camp for most other things that you can do in life that might be stressful or difficult. [Educators] have their fingers on the pulse of what the struggles are, what problems people are having ... because you see every single segment of society [in schools].”
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Dave Argall Senator pennsylvania
Hunley’s experiences drove her not only to serve as an elected official but to also always focus on creating broad and innovative policy because “we’re legislating for the future and for future generations.” “It’s like our legislation never caught up to where our kids are,” Hunley said. “If we legislate in a way that we think like teachers … we plant seeds for today so that they can bloom tomorrow. We would legislate very differently as we think about generational impact, which is what teachers do every single day.” Once elected, many of these legislators continued to draw substantive lessons, as well as inspiration, from their time as educators. Among the most important skills, though, was interacting and communicating with others in an effective manner.
Fady Qaddoura Senator indiana
Hashmi compared serving constituents and students, discussing the importance of being “timely, responsive and informed about how to resolve constituent concerns.” She added that it has improved her ability to engage with colleagues as she strives to “focus on the nuances of arguments” and “bring as much background and information as [she] can to influence the understanding of others.” Pennsylvania Sen. Dave Argall took a unique path compared to most other legislators, entering elected office before becoming an educator. While serving in the Pennsylvania House of Representatives and later in the Senate, he took night classes for 13 years to earn his master’s degree and doctorate in public administration. As an instructor, Argall returned to teach night classes as a state and community college instructor. It was there he acquired the ability to concisely present complicated issues to his constituents. “When you’re meeting with college students one night a week for 15 weeks, you learn how to condense a lot of information.” Argall said. “I think that practice has been really helpful to me [when] meeting with constituents at town hall meetings.”
Jeff Taylor Senator iowa
Listening respectfully is another side of communication legislators learned from their classroom experiences. Indiana Sen. Fady Qaddoura teaches courses on civic engagement and executive leadership as an adjunct faculty member in Indianapolis. In his experience, receiving critique on projects in academia as a doctoral student and researcher taught him the important role that diverse perspectives play in the process of creating high-quality work. “[This perspective] helps us build bridges of trust among legislators to understand that when we raise a question or concern, it is not politically motivated,” Qaddoura said. “It comes from a genuine concern about the policy that is being debated or discussed.” Qaddoura’s approach helped shape how he interacts with other senators and last year contributed to colleagues nominating him for the Indiana Senate’s annual civility award.
Dave Considine Representative
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wisconsin
22
Similarly, Iowa Sen. Jeff Taylor — even as a member of a majority caucus — said he works to listen to everyone on the Senate floor. After many years as a professor, academic and author, he believes that there is always more to be learned from others. “I make it clear [to students] that they’re free to disagree if they don’t see things the way I see it; I’m not going to hold it against them,” Taylor said. “I think I borrow that approach of fairness and objectivity from the classroom while on the Senate floor and in committee meetings.” Rubio found that her experiences listening to and balancing the different perspectives of 30 students in a classroom greatly informed her ability to “create policy that’s sensitive to everyone’s needs.” In a large, diverse state like California, this crucial skill has helped her understand where her community fits in massive, statewide bills.
Sherae’a Moore Representative delaware
Many legislators who held administrative positions, like principals and superintendents, reflected on how listening was one of many skills they learned as educators that improved their ability to collaborate, especially with colleagues across the aisle. Banta and several of her colleagues with backgrounds in education work hard to build consensus, which she attributed to their experiences in education environments where “it was never my way or the highway.” “We [educators] tend to listen a little bit better and we tend to be problem solvers and we try to get everybody on board,” Banta said. “You always have to work with people and come to some kind of consensus [as a principal] and I think that transfers right into this job.”
Evidence-based policymaking is crucial for achieving effective and equitable outcomes and [limiting] unintended consequences. By being on the front lines, we understand that the educational systems are intricate, involving multiple stakeholders and layers of governance. This experience prepares us to navigate complex policy landscapes as we are the ones witnessing the impact of policies directly in the classroom.”
— Rep. Sherae'a Moore, Delaware
Wisconsin Rep. Dave Considine described how the goal of educational environments and improvement, not perfection, informed his approach to collaboration. Considine, a special education teacher for nearly 30 years, credits the patience he has brought to the Legislature for enabling him to stay focused on moving forward — no matter how slowly. “[Politics can be] a step forward, then maybe a step or two back, and then another big step forward, and then maybe half a step back,” Considine said, drawing parallels to his teaching tenure. “You don’t change behaviors overnight. That was my specialty, and so I’m used to that.” For many legislators, education offered an avenue to acquire strategies now utilized for policy development. Curriculum development is among those strategies. Often data driven, this specific process is one that helped prepare many of the nine legislators for life in office. According to Delaware Rep. Sherae’a Moore, a former English teacher, datadriven curriculum development “translates well into the legislative process.” “Evidence-based policymaking is crucial for achieving effective and equitable outcomes and [limiting] unintended consequences,” Moore said. “By being on the front lines, we understand that the educational systems are intricate, involving multiple stakeholders and layers of governance. This experience prepares us to navigate complex policy landscapes as we are the ones witnessing the impact of policies directly in the classroom.” Moore has integrated this approach into her work in the statehouse by using “data to drive any type of decision making, before [she] even drafts legislation,” to ensure that the policies she proposes fit the needs of her constituents.
For Argall, the perspective of his predecessor impacted his approach to identifying and creatively addressing problems. In 2003, After seeing the “very tight correlation” between the availability of good jobs and a community’s education level as a community college instructor, he organized the conversion of an abandoned junior high school into a community college center. “The building had been around since, I think, the 1920s, and was just sitting kind of sad, empty and beginning to deteriorate,” Argall said.
Through the combined efforts of the community college, the local government, Argall’s office and a private foundation, they not only converted the building into a new education center but also funded the incoming class’s tuition. “I can still see the faces of the parents when [former Pennsylvania Gov. Mark Schweiker] made the announcement about free tuition for two years,” Argall said. “The parents understood the power of that moment and we literally changed lives that day.” The project helped “breathe new life” into local students’ futures and the surrounding community, a central goal of Argall’s efforts around Pennsylvania, which have also included a series of anti-blight laws. The transition from education to elected office was not necessarily a career switch for these nine legislators. Rather, it presented a new side of the same path of service that they were already walking. Education placed them on the front lines of their communities and helped teach them how to effectively work with and for others — lessons that they have brought into elected office to continue to serve current and future generations. “We give that level of support to our kids because we genuinely, and in a loving and compassionate way, want our kids to be better than us,” Qaddoura said. “Imagine if you can extend that feeling — to give them the best of who you are so that they can live better lives — to the rest of the population and to your fellow citizens.”
An accompanying article, "Educators to Executives," is available on CSG State Talk and features state executive perspectives on the educational system, student mental health and fostering new educational opportunities. To view it and other insightful articles, please visit csg.org/state-talk.
Educators to Executives
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Educational experiences can also form legislators’ outlooks on the connections between different issues. Argall described sharing the view of his predecessor — another long-time educator — on the “spaghetti bowl theory of government” that “everything is related to everything.”
“Sometimes in this job, you just need to bring the right people to the table.”
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Social Michigan Facing social media’s rapid advancement, the Great Lakes state sets the tone with support from a multitude of resources and strategies By Trey Delida
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It’s
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safe to say that social media has impacted nearly everyone’s day-to-day lives, both personally and professionally. This decades old technology — now dating back to 1997 — has permanently altered the way we communicate, share and receive information.
“We believe governance is an important element to a strong and proactive social media program,” Belanger said. “Over the years we have developed numerous statewide resources that support our program and provide guidance to our agency teams as they manage their accounts.”
As rapid advancements in the field continue, government organizations remain in pursuit of fully understanding social media, its ever-changing nature and all it has to offer, while simultaneously trying to reap the benefits of its dominance in society.
Through such resources, Belanger’s team established a statewide social media standard, developed social media guidelines and best practices, hosted routine trainings, and standardized many processes across the state that were once decentralized across agencies.
In 2023, there are approximately 308 million social media users in the United States alone. So, how do state governments intend to continue navigating this growing, dynamic juggernaut?
“From a centralized governance perspective, our program resources and processes have been helpful in establishing a baseline for our staff and our activities on social media,” Belanger said. “We reference these resources daily as our teams share content and engage with residents across the state, nation and globe.”
When looking at the states, there is one that seems to have its finger on the pulse. Boasting millions of followers across its platforms, the state of Michigan’s award-winning social media program utilizes a plethora of tools to engage, support and provide processes for staff managing social media accounts across its many state departments. Michigan was ahead of the curb when it came to embracing social media, even adopting a statewide “Social Media Day,” celebrated annually on June 30. The Great Lakes state was one of the first states to adopt a centralized social media strategy for its executive branch departments, which now supports more than 300 staff managing more than 800 state-affiliated accounts across 11 different platforms. According to Andrew Belanger, statewide social media director and digital content administrator with the state of Michigan, the state’s centralized governance strategy for social media has been key to fostering a proactive statewide digital footprint.
Michigan was one of the first to establish statewide social media policies, issuing its “Social Media Standard” in 2011. That particular document created guidelines for any state-affiliated account and established best practices for creating and using state-affiliated social media accounts. The standard outlines everything state social media professionals may need, including how to request an account, properly deactivate or close an account, and how to recognize content that may be at risk for violating community and state guidelines. “In addition to our social media standard, we created a social media guidelines book containing things that are subject to change based on platform functionality and best practice,” Belanger said. “The guidelines book addresses and outlines processes, shares tips and tricks and best practices, and helps guide staff as they manage their accounts and share content.”
Michigan State Capitol
Belanger added the state also developed statewide social media community guidelines and a customer use policy that identifies criteria for content moderation. The criteria are used for staff who are monitoring and engaging with user-generated content that may potentially violate state policy or the terms and conditions of a specific platform.
media has led to him being featured in publications like USA Today, the New York Times, the Washington Post, U.S. News World & Report and more. One of Belanger’s first projects was to establish a social media governance board. Now known as Michigan’s Statewide Social Media Governance Council, the council, comprised of members from all state departments and agencies, support him in guiding policy, branding, best practice, education and scaling of social media for the state.
“We found that it’s really important to have that regular touchpoint with all of our teams so Andrew Belanger they can provide feedback and Statewide Social Media Director, State of Michigan suggestions on policy, training and best practice,” Belanger said. “During our council meetings, we also have dedicated time set aside to Since 2016, Belanger has overseen the state’s entire social media program, provide support and discuss content collaboration, and how we can best partner on interagency campaigns and high-level messaging coming out including branding, best practices, training and enforcing statewide social media policies and standards. His support of government social of the governor’s office.”
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“Standardizing our community guidelines and customer use policy across agencies was a game changer for our agencies,” Belanger stated. “Independent of where staff work and what programs and services they support, our application of consistent statewide guidelines, and criteria, helps promote a unified user experience as users reach out and engage with us across agencies, platforms and accounts.”
“For a successful social media program, it’s important to have leadership buy-in and understand the value and the benefits that social media can provide. Being able to enhance transparency, communication, customer service, collaboration and information exchange in real-time and in times of crisis can help humanize the people, programs and services that government agencies provide.
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Social Media Day in Michigan
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2023 Social Media Day in Michigan Activities Share the Social Media Day in Michigan proclamation on social media using hashtag #SMDay and #SMDayMI.
As part of Michigan’s effort to provide structure and support for agencies across the state, they are regularly reviewing and updating their approach to ensure they adhere to industry best practices. They continually monitor policies, standards and practices in other states, the federal government, and those of community partners and local governments. “We are always looking for opportunities to improve our standards, guidelines and strategies to best meet our business needs and the needs of our constituents,” Belanger said. “Through the council, our collaborative approach to social governance, our commitment to service delivery and our focus continues to be on our users. We seek to provide users with the information they need on the platforms where they feel most comfortable.” With streamlined processes in place, partnered with open lines of communication, Michigan maintains consistency with its digital footprint while ensuring the people who are running these social media accounts are equipped with the information, they need to create successful, on-brand content. Consistent messaging is essential for public sector institutions. In a world where news can break to millions of people at any given moment, it is important for states to be able to tell their story and be able to share dependable information in real-time.
Read and share our blog post looking at the use of social media in state government.
Watch and share our #MiGovSocial | Making Government More Accessible Through Social Media (2023) video.
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Review the “What Does #PureMichigan Mean to You” video and share your thoughts on social media using hashtag #SMDayMI.
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Connect with a friend, family member or online community and engage in meaningful conversation.
Social media is used as a daily source of news by 50% of Gen Z, 44% of millennials, 39% of Generation X and 24% of Boomers, according to a Morning Consult poll published in August 2022 and later reported by Statista. That same source reported that U.S. Congress members were utilizing social platforms heavily, sending out 477,586 posts on X, formerly Twitter, in 2021.
Government Social Media Professional Association
…
The benefits of social media, when used appropriately, are boundless. Specifically, in the public sector, it has the potential to be one of the most effective ways to reach your community. Even if your state has not yet founded these processes for social media, organizations like the Government Social Media Professional Association, or GSM, are a great resource for sharing ideas across state lines. GSM was founded in 2015 and is the first professional association dedicated to government social media professionals who work in the United States and Canada. The association provides an open network for social media professionals to share ideas and best practices. GSM also provides specialized trainings, online resources, and more for members.
“Social media has played an important role in government communications over the last decade — we’ve seen it,” Belanger said. “Now, more than ever, we see the immediate impact it can have in disseminating information in real time. Whether it’s in times of crisis, a natural disaster, a public safety situation or public health emergency, social media will continue to play an important role in government communications.” Belanger credits state leadership for recognizing social media’s value, which allowed Michigan to become one of the first states to embrace social media and roll out their policies.
“The platforms and the strategies we use may change, but the idea of connecting and exchanging information, engaging with our constituents, is not going to go away,” Belanger said. “We need to adapt and evolve as the social landscape continues to change.
“For a successful social media program, it’s important to have leadership buy-in and understand the value and the benefits that social media can provide,” Belanger said. “Being able to enhance transparency, communication, customer service, collaboration and information exchange in realtime and in times of crisis can help humanize the people, programs and services that government agencies provide.” When it comes to developing these processes, Belanger said it starts by bringing people together, asking questions and sharing information. “If you’re not having conversations with your team, other agencies or departments, start having them,” Belanger said. “Start by asking questions: What are other agencies doing? What do they have in place? How can we partner and collaborate?” These questions can be a starting point for reviewing or updating your agency’s social media resources. As Belanger put it, social media is here and it isn’t going away anytime soon. Just like organizations and businesses across the globe, there is potential for governments to leverage this technology to connect and better serve their public. “The platforms and the strategies we use may change, but the idea of connecting and exchanging information, engaging with our constituents, is not going to go away,” Belanger said. “We need to adapt and evolve as the social landscape continues to change.”
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Michigan State Senate Chamber
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Living on the Edge State policies aim to mitigate benefits cliffs, maintain public assistance benefits.
By Trisha Douin-Manning and Dr. Dakota Thomas For more than 37 million low-income families, public assistance benefit programs help meet their basic needs and serve as an economic safety net. However, public assistance benefits are often conditional on specific income levels and assets. When individuals or families see an increase in their income or assets — even a small increase — they may find themselves suddenly disqualified from certain programs. This can ultimately result in families placing themselves in a worse situation, despite receiving higher pay. This sudden disqualification is called a benefits cliff.
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An individual receiving a small raise at work, with wages increasing from $10 to $10.50 per hour, may become ineligible for public benefits or experience a sudden loss or decrease in benefits. As a result, they must pay out of pocket for expenses associated with these benefits. Left unaddressed, benefits cliffs can result in the stagnation of an individual’s career. In certain situations, individuals may be forced to turn down higher paying work to maintain access to benefits.
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A benefits cliff may impact individuals and families and their access to programs that assist with food costs, cash assistance benefits, child care, health care and housing. Oftentimes, these programs have unique eligibility requirements. A family can remain eligible for one program and be disqualified from another. Given the complexity of eligibility, families may not know whether an increase in their income will trigger a loss in benefits. Several states have begun addressing benefits cliffs through policy reforms, including providing individuals with additional resources on benefit eligibility, passing legislation permitting transition off public benefits rather than immediate disqualification, and modifying eligibility requirements for individuals receiving public benefits.
STATE ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS FOR PUBLIC ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS The federal government funds several public assistance programs, such as Medicaid, Temporary Assistance for Needy Families, the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, and the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children, otherwise known as WIC. States administer these programs and have a great amount of discretion in how to set up public benefits, in addition to sometimes adopting different thresholds for income or other eligibility requirements for different programs. Medicaid, a federal- and state-funded health coverage program, determines eligibility by the total income of the family. Depending on the state and size of the family, the maximum income allowed varies considerably. For example, families with children younger than age 5 may have different income requirements as compared to adult individuals seeking coverage. To qualify for assistance, a family of two with one child between ages 1-5 is allowed to maintain a total income of no more than $27,000 to $50,000 per year. Eligibility guidelines for participants of the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, are largely at the discretion of their states, where programs are administered and may be modified. Applicants of the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families grant may qualify as long as they earn no more than 1,500 per month. SNAP applicant are allowed to earn monthly assistance ranging from $1,500 to $2,150. The Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children, or WIC, is a federally-funded discretionary nutrition program for eligible pregnant women, new mothers and children aged 5 years or younger.
“WIC income eligibility guidelines are adjusted annually to reflect 185% of the federal poverty guidelines. In Michigan, the increased income levels were implemented June 1 to allow more families to qualify for WIC,” said Bagya Lakshmi V. Kodur, the Michigan WIC program’s section manager of data and system management. “Michigan has seen a steady increase in caseload and redemption of benefits since the beginning of this year. Some of this increase could be attributed to the changes in the renewal requirements for Medicaid, SNAP or other public assistance programs that make a client adjunctively eligible for WIC.”
The annual income limit for WIC participation for a family of two in the 48 contiguous states is $36,482. ALASKA’S LIMIT IS $45,584 | HAWAII’S LIMIT IS $41,958
Generally, individuals participating in programs such as SNAP, Medicaid or Temporary Assistance for Needy Families automatically meet the income eligibility criteria. However, states may slightly vary in eligibility requirements and income thresholds, with one example for WIC participation including between 100% to 185% of the federal poverty guidelines. Depending on the state of residence, WIC participants’ average yearly income may vary, and range anywhere from $8,000 to $29,000 per year.
Medicaid Annual Income Limits, 2023
$35,550–$49,250 >$49,250 Source: The Council of State Governments Map: Trisha Douin-Manning and Dr. Dakota Thomas
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<$29,500 $29,550–$35,500
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STATE POLICY REFORMS TO ADDRESS BENEFITS CLIFFS Since 2021, 15 states and the District of Columbia enacted legislation to address the benefits cliff issue. Some states developed policies to support families and individuals through increasing economic stability and sufficiency during transitional periods when a program beneficiary no longer qualifies for participation. Such policies can help mitigate the detrimental effects of benefits loss on a beneficiary’s financial, physical and mental well-being. Adoption of new public assistance eligibility requirements, expansion of job training, and improving access to information about benefits and their requirements are a few examples of approaches states have used to mitigate benefits cliffs.
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More specifically, 10 states have eased or aligned eligibility levels across programs. In Indiana, public assistance programs like the Child Development Fund and Temporary Assistance for Needy Families are subject to less restrictive income and asset requirements. States have also focused on relieving the burden by educating those impacted directly, bringing awareness of the issue to employers and the public, researching causes and effects, and working with employers and lawmakers to decrease the prevalence of benefits cliffs.
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As states address the benefits cliff issue, legislation has emerged to help provide transitional benefits. Texas legislators created a “self-sufficiency fund” within their general fund to be used by colleges, organizations and extension agents to help provide job training programs for low-income individuals. Program-specific policies adopted by states have provided additional help as individuals transition to self-sufficiency. In Nebraska, those who experience loss of child care benefits due to income increases are eligible for transitional child care assistance through LB 485 (2021). The bill, which was approved by the governor in May 2021, increased income eligibility limits of both the Child Care Subsidy program — increasing from 130% to 185% of the federal poverty level — and transitional child care — increasing from 185% to 200% of the federal poverty level. Ahead of the bill’s advancement from general file in April 2021, Nebraska Sen. Tony Vargas voiced his support for it to the state Legislature’s Health and Human Services Committee.
“Many working families are not in a position where we can voluntarily choose to have a parent leave the workplace to stay home with the kids,” Vargas said. “Nebraska has an opportunity to make sure that we’re getting back in competition with states like Colorado and Kansas, both of which have adopted the 185% threshold.” In several states, policies have been implemented to help those who receive SNAP benefits and Temporary Assistance for Needy Families. For instance: Washington — Those no longer eligible for Temporary Assistance for Needy Families can receive up to five months of transitional assistance through the grant. Virginia — Individuals participating in the Full Employment Program are eligible to receive Temporary Assistance for Needy Families benefits. Maine — The use of “asset tests” was eliminated for SNAP applicants. The state discovered that providing families with the Earned Income Tax Credit at the state and federal levels helped ease the cliff effect. Massachusetts — All program rules and requirements were simplified and aligned to reduce the cliff effect when individuals experience a transition away from public benefits. District of Columbia — As a response to the economic effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Career Mobility Action Plan pilot program was established to aid in career development and mobility. Organizations have also worked to help states address the benefits cliff issue. The Federal Bank of Atlanta conducted thorough research to develop a tool for individuals receiving or eligible for public assistance. The Career Ladder Identifier and Financial Forecaster tool allows individuals to see predicted results of career changes on income and benefit eligibility. Several states have adopted this tool or similar calculator tools to help individuals understand their benefit eligibility.
Public Assistance Benefit Programs
Map 1: TANF Monthly Income Limits, July 2020
MEDICAID Medicaid is a federal- and state-funded health coverage program, providing health coverage benefits to millions of low-income Americans. The Medicaid program is administered by the states using federal guidance. States use federal poverty guidelines to determine eligibility, but they may modify their income eligibility requirements. States are required by federal law to provide coverage for eligible children. Under the Affordable Care Act of 2010, eligibility for children was extended to at least 133% of the federal poverty level in every state. States may choose to cover children at higher income levels, which can depend on a child’s age.
<$500 $510–$700 $800–$1,000 $1,015–$1,500 $1,550 or more
TEMPORARY ASSISTANCE FOR NEEDY FAMILIES Temporary Assistance for Needy Families, or TANF, is a federally-funded block grant that states can use to provide cash assistance to needy families with children, though spending for other purposes is allowed. States have adopted a variety of definitions for who qualifies as “needy,” as well as other eligibility requirements for applicants and recipients. The total dollar amount of assets applicants are allowed to maintain in order to qualify for assistance varies from $1,000 to $7,000, while some states have no limit on assets at all. The total monthly income grant applicants are allowed to earn while still qualifying for assistance varies from less than $500 to more than $1,500 per month (see Map 1).
Map 2: SNAP Monthly Income Limits, 2023
<$1,500 $1,550–$2,100 >$2,150
SUPPLEMENTAL NUTRITION ASSISTANCE PROGRAM
Map 3: WIC—Average Income by State, 2023
WOMEN, INFANTS, AND CHILDREN The Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children, or WIC, is a federally-funded discretionary nutrition program for eligible pregnant women, new mothers and children aged 5 years or younger. Participants in the program receive vouchers for specific WIC approved foods, which seek to help individuals at “nutritional risk,” according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture Food and Nutrition Service. States may opt to use the maximum federal income guidelines but may also set lower income standards for participation (see Map 3).
<$18,000 $18,000–$19,999 $20,000–$21,999 $22,000–$24,000 >$25,000
Source: The Council of State Governments | Maps: Trisha Douin-Manning and Dr Dakota Thomas
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The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, which is also known as SNAP, EBT or “food stamps,” is a federal program that provides funds to individuals to purchase food. Nearly two-thirds of SNAP recipients are families with children. SNAP eligibility is established at the federal level through federal poverty guidelines, but at the state level — where it is administered — there is opportunity to adjust qualification standards for benefits. Although SNAP eligibility is mostly uniform across the nation, states can tailor specific aspects of their program. For SNAP applicants, states income guidelines vary for applicants and recipients. The total dollar amount of gross monthly income a SNAP applicant is allowed to earn while still qualifying for assistance varies from $1,500 to $2,150 per month (see Map 2).
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Professional Practice
Article 1, Section 10, Clause 3
of the U.S. Constitution permits states to enter into interstate compacts with each other.
Makes Perfect
The Council of State Governments National Center for Interstate Compacts plays an integral part in the development of all active licensure compacts. Compacts, much like a contract, establish a formal, legal relationship among states to address common problems or promote a common agenda. The work of NCIC and sponsors of compact-related legislation enables licensees in compact member states to more quickly obtain authorization to practice and get to work in other member states.
Some of the very first compacts were developed to solve border disputes between states. Many of these compacts helped states avoid significant wars with each other during the 19th century.
Many significant policy accomplishments of the 20th and 21st centuries have been a result of interstate compacts. Among them are the driver’s license, the the New York City and District of Columbia metro transportation systems, and numerous conservation districts and interstate parks across the U.S.
50 states,
FIFTEEN
occupational licensure compacts are ready for state enactment.
territories and the District of Columbia
feature one or more licensure compacts.
40 states,
territories and the District of Columbia
have three or more licensure compacts.
There are 291 total pieces of enacted interstate licensure compact legislation.
The Interstate Medical Licensure Compact, the Nursing Licensure Compact and the Psychology Interjurisdictional Compact all have 40 or more states joined. 32
The Virginia and Maryland Compacts of 1785, designating water rights of the Potomac River and Chesapeake Bay, was one of the first non-boundary compacts. Negotiations for this compact were facilitated by former President George Washington at Mt. Vernon.
In 2023, 57 pieces of licensure compact legislation were enacted.
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