CSG Executive Director/CEO David Adkins and Illinois Sen. Elgie Sims Jr., 2026 CSG Immediate Past National Chair, joined fellow leaders of the “Big 7” state and local government associations on April 20 in Oklahoma City for a State and Local Leadership Summit focused on the future of American federalism and intergovernmental collaboration.
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On July 26, 1788, New York became the 11th colony to ratify the U.S. Constitution. With its port and central location among the other colonies, New York played a pivotal role during the American Revolution. In one of the war’s first major battles, British forces defeated the Continental Army in present-day Brooklyn, forcing Gen. George Washington to withdraw his troops via a daring nighttime retreat — a feat historians would later count as one of Washington’s greatest military accomplishments.
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States are taking an increasingly central role in shaping the life sciences sector. To support state leaders in navigating these evolving responsibilities, CSG has released “The Biotech Frontier: How States Are Partnering with Industry to Advance Patient Care and Biotechnology,” the fifth installment of its nonpartisan 50‑State Scan Research series.
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On June 21, 1788, New Hampshire became the ninth American colony to ratify the U.S. Constitution. Although no major American Revolution battles were fought in New Hampshire, it was the first colony to declare its independence, adopting the first state constitution in 1776, which predated the U.S. Declaration of Independence by several months.
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On March 4, 1791, Vermont became the first state admitted to the Union after the original 13 colonies. Prior to joining the United States, Vermont operated as an independent nation, minting its own currency, running a postal service and forming its own military, the Green Mountain Boys. During the American Revolution, a contingent of Green Mountain Boys, led by Ethan Allen, crossed Lake Champlain and captured Fort Ticonderoga in a night raid. It was a gambit that would prove crucial later in the war.
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On May 23, 1788, South Carolina became the eighth American colony to ratify the U.S. Constitution. During the American Revolution, South Carolina was a critical battleground, characterized by guerrilla warfare, and the site of more skirmishes and battles with British troops than any other colony. South Carolina’s nickname, the “Palmetto State,” stems from one of its most pivotal clashes: the Battle of Sullivan’s Island.
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A new national survey shows that more than half of American adults are not aware that colorectal cancer is the leading cause of cancer deaths in both men and women under the age of 50. The survey, commissioned by the Colorectal Cancer Alliance, shows a stubborn gap in public understanding, a misconception that could delay prevention or diagnosis of one of the most preventable cancers.
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Women legislators are wielding greater influence in state government.
Consider the statistics: In 2016, there were 1,805 women serving in state legislatures. By 2025, the number of women lawmakers had jumped to 2,451 – the highest mark in our nation’s history. One factor that may help explain the rise in female leadership, according to several long-term women lawmakers, is the growing role played around the country by women’s legislative caucuses.
A national, multi-state software collaborative addressing shared government policy and operational challenges is joining CSG under its National Center for Interstate Compacts (NCIC), transitioning from the Beeck Center for Social Impact + Innovation at Georgetown University.
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On April 28, 1788, Maryland became the seventh American colony to ratify the U.S. Constitution. Although no major battles were fought on Maryland soil during the American Revolution, the state left a lasting mark on the war thanks to a regiment of Maryland troops — the famed Maryland 400 — who all but saved the Continental Army at the Battle of Brooklyn in August 1776.
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