What’s the Buzz from the Beehive State? Smart Growth Strategies from Outside the South took place in Salt Lake City, Utah, in late September. The program examined how Utah’s strategic statewide planning addresses rapid population growth while balancing water conservation, transportation infrastructure, housing, and energy policy.
Continue readingCSG South Director of Policy and Research Tyler Reinagel presented to the Georgia House Blue Ribbon Study Committee on Election Procedures at Savannah Technical College. His testimony highlighted election administration structures across Southern states, funding mechanisms, and the comparative use of voting equipment.
Continue reading“From Lesson Plans to Building Plans: Addressing the School Workforce Shortage Through Housing” program examined how affordable housing affects teacher recruitment and retention, highlighting the Bentonville School District’s public-private-philanthropic partnership to create housing for educators. After receiving approval from the Arkansas Attorney General in 2023, the district advanced plans to build affordable housing to support its teachers and staff.
Continue readingWelcome to the August issue of Southern Pulse, your monthly source for updates and insights from the Southern region, tailored for state legislators and staff. Keep scrolling to discover all the essential updates in this month’s issue.
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For more information, contact Tyler Reinagel, Director of Policy and Research | [email protected]
On Aug. 14, 2025, CSG South Director of Policy and Research Tyler Reinagel presented to the Georgia Senate Study Committee on Making Georgia the No. 1 State for Tourism. His testimony highlighted the economic impact of tourism across Georgia and the South, the structure of state and local tourism offices, and how different funding models support tourism development.
Reinagel noted that nearly 257,000 jobs in Georgia are directly tied to the tourism industry, with $35.4 billion in visitor spending generating nearly $5 billion in state and local tax revenue in 2023. He emphasized that tourism investments yield measurable returns, citing national studies that show every $1 invested in tourism promotion generates an estimated $122 in direct, indirect, and induced spending, along with more than $8 in state and local tax revenue.
The presentation also examined how Southern states organize and fund their tourism offices, ranging from state agencies and independent departments to public-private partnerships. Reinagel outlined how locally generated dollars are allocated in Georgia, with the first 3% of revenue unrestricted and additional funds restricted to tourism promotion and product development. These funds are often directed through contracts with destination marketing organizations to ensure industry-led investment.
Comparative examples from states such as Florida, South Carolina, and North Carolina illustrated how hotel, lodging, and hospitality taxes are structured and restricted for tourism-related use. Reinagel also addressed themes across the South, including local control, investment in visitor assets such as convention centers and sports facilities, and reliance on industry professionals to guide spending decisions.
Finally, he discussed vulnerabilities within the tourism sector, including the impact of COVID-19, inflation, shifts in remote work, and competition for tourism dollars. He emphasized the importance of continuing strategic tourism investments, refining marketing approaches, and supporting infrastructure that enhances visitor experiences statewide.
For more information, view these resources below:
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CSG South Senior Policy Analyst Cody Allen and Policy Analyst Erin Twomey presented to the Tennessee Senate Judiciary Committee during its summer study on Senate Bill 1170. The committee examined Tennessee’s felony murder statute and provisions on criminal responsibility for the conduct of another, comparing them with laws across the Southern region.
Continue readingFor more information, contact Tyler Reinagel, Director of Policy and Research,| [email protected]
On August 7, 2025, CSG South’s Director of Policy and Research presented a detailed analysis on chronic absenteeism before the Georgia Senate Study Committee. The presentation highlighted key trends, policy shifts, and intervention strategies relevant to addressing this growing challenge in Georgia’s schools.
Chronic absenteeism, defined as missing 10% or more of the school year, has nearly doubled nationwide since 2018, reaching 26% in 2023. Southern states, including Georgia, have experienced significant increases, with Georgia’s chronic absenteeism rate rising by nearly 10% post-pandemic. These trends underscore the need for data-driven, evidence-based policy responses.
The analysis distinguished chronic absenteeism from truancy, emphasizing that while both affect student outcomes, they require different policy approaches. Chronic absenteeism includes all absences, whereas truancy refers specifically to unexcused absences.
Several states in the region are moving away from punitive policies, such as suspensions for attendance violations, toward supportive interventions aimed at keeping students engaged. States including Arkansas, Florida, Virginia, and West Virginia have enacted laws limiting suspensions based solely on absenteeism.
Team-based approaches that involve educators, counselors, families, and community partners were highlighted as effective models for identifying causes of absenteeism and implementing targeted interventions. The presentation also emphasized the importance of real-time data to enable timely and effective policy decisions, citing Rhode Island’s public attendance dashboard as a leading example.
Georgia’s recent legislation, SB 123, which removed expulsion as a penalty solely for attendance-related issues, was noted as an important step. Next steps recommended include developing real-time tracking systems and adopting intervention-focused policies like Tennessee’s HB 206 to further reduce chronic absenteeism.
For more information, view these resources below:
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Welcome to the July issue of Southern Pulse, your monthly source for updates and insights from the Southern region, tailored for state legislators and staff. Keep scrolling to discover all the essential updates in this month’s issue.
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