Category: East

A congregation of state officials gathered in Connecticut’s state capitol over the weekend for a 2-day policy summit to exchange ideas about one of the major problems affecting the east – housing affordability. 

Policy leaders from 9 states, 2 Canadian provinces, and the Virgin Islands met, broke bread together, and shared the challenges and solutions from their respective states during multiple hearing-style panels featuring esteemed experts in the field. 

Senate Majority Leader Bob Duff opened Friday’s program by welcoming attendees to a tour of Hartford’s Billings Forge affordable housing development, a 113-unit mixed-income apartment complex offering workforce development programs and after-school activities for residents. Cory Fellows, vice president of development at Preservation of Affordable Housing, led the tour and shared insights about how his team redeveloped the property. One point was made clear: affordable housing developments are not a blight on the neighborhood.

The tour was followed by a panel session on the financial costs and challenges facing developers who build affordable housing, where Fellows was joined by Brandon McGee, deputy commissioner of housing in Connecticut, and Nandini Natarajan, chief executive officer for Connecticut’s Housing Finance Authority. The discussion was moderated by Representative Eleni Kavros DeGraw, co-chair of Connecticut’s Planning and Development Committee and a 2023 Eastern Leadership Academy fellow. Natarajan recalled significant findings from a recently conducted housing needs assessment, and noted the challenges of securing land that is free of contaminants and ready for development. After highlighting the Department of Housing’s efforts to educate constituents on tools for finding affordable housing, McGee emphasized inadequate infrastructure as an obstacle to building more housing in municipalities that would welcome new development. There was a dinner reception on Friday evening, where Commissioner Seila Mosquera-Bruno briefly highlighted key housing initiatives in Connecticut during her welcoming remarks. 

 

“These veterans will be eligible to enroll directly in VA health care without first applying for VA benefits.” – U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs

The Department of Veterans Affairs has announced a broad expansion of health care eligibility for veterans and their surviving family members under the PACT Act. Effective as of March 5, 2024, millions of veterans can enroll in VA health care without first applying for VA benefits. As a result, these veterans may start receiving health care up to eight years earlier.

Eligibility applies to veterans as follows:

• Those who served in the Vietnam War, Gulf War, Iraq, or Afghanistan.
• Those who served in any combat zone after 9/11.
• Those who never deployed but were exposed to toxins or hazards while training or on active duty.

Veterans are not required to apply for VA disability compensation benefits in order to enroll in VA health care.

Access and Benefits under PACT Act

The PACT Act was signed into law on August 10, 2022. Since then, more than 795,235 claims have been approved under the PACT Act for over 720,945 veterans and survivors. The VA reports a 75.2 percent approval rating for related claims.

How to apply for VA health care

1. Apply online at https://www.va.gov/health-care/apply/application/introduction.
2. Apply by phone at 877-222-8387 (toll-free; Mon-Fri, 8 a.m. – 8 p.m.).
3. Apply by mail (download VA Form 10-10EZ and instructions here).
4. Apply in-person at your nearest VA medical center or clinic.

“These veterans will be eligible to enroll directly in VA health care without first applying for VA benefits.” – U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs

The Department of Veterans Affairs has announced a broad expansion of health care eligibility for Veterans and their surviving family members under the PACT Act. Effective as of March 5, 2024, millions of Veterans can enroll in VA health care without first applying for VA benefits. As a result, these Veterans may start receiving health care up to eight years earlier.

Eligibility applies to Veterans as follows:

• Those who served in the Vietnam War, Gulf War, Iraq, or Afghanistan.
• Those who served in any combat zone after 9/11.
• Those who never deployed but were exposed to toxins or hazards while training or on active duty.

Veterans are not required to apply for VA disability compensation benefits in order to enroll in VA health care.

Access and Benefits under PACT Act

The PACT Act was signed into law on August 10, 2022. Since then, more than 795,235 claims have been approved under the PACT Act for over 720,945 Veterans and survivors. The VA reports a 75.2% approval rating for related claims.

How to apply for VA health care

1. Apply online at https://www.va.gov/health-care/apply/application/introduction.
2. Apply by phone at 877-222-8387 (toll-free; Mon-Fri, 8a-8p).
3. Apply by mail (download VA Form 10-10EZ and instructions here).
4. Apply in-person at your nearest VA medical center or clinic.

In February, CSG East convened a virtual committee meeting on Military and Veterans Affairs, attended by state legislators and staff to discuss the upcoming annual meeting and other policy issues to be addressed throughout the year.

Several important issues were raised on the call, including:

• State leaders hope to address growing challenges in housing and environmental conditions existing on military installations, including the presence of PFAS.
• There was also discussion around improving the enrollment process for receiving VA benefits to reduce unnecessary wait times for access to necessary care, and how state VA offices can be used as a resource.
• Reciprocal license recognition was one area of focus requiring state collaboration, members said, which would particularly help military spouses and family members who possess occupational licenses but must move frequently between states.
• Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and ways to improve access to care for PTSD remains a top issue.
• Questions were also raised about the potential for property tax abatements provided to qualified disabled veterans who are unable to work.
• Finally, amid the nationwide housing crisis, there is renewed focus on programs and organizations that can help serve – and ultimately find housing for – homeless veterans.

The CSG East Military and Veterans Affairs committee will continue to meet virtually and in-person. If you are working at the state or territorial level to address veteran’s issues, get involved by emailing staff policy analyst Joseph Shiovitz at [email protected].

In February, CSG East convened a virtual committee meeting on Military and Veterans Affairs, attended by state legislators and staff to discuss the upcoming annual meeting and other policy issues to be addressed throughout the year.

Several important issues were raised on the call, including:

• State leaders hope to address growing challenges in housing and environmental conditions existing on military installations, including the presence of PFAS.
• There was also discussion around improving the enrollment process for receiving VA benefits to reduce unnecessary wait times for access to necessary care, and how state VA offices can be used as a resource.
• Reciprocal license recognition was one area of focus requiring state collaboration, members said, which would particularly help military spouses and family members who possess occupational licenses but must move frequently between states.
• Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and ways to improve access to care for PTSD remains a top issue.
• Questions were also raised about the potential for property tax abatements provided to qualified disabled veterans who are unable to work.
• Finally, amid the nationwide housing crisis, there is renewed focus on programs and organizations that can help serve – and ultimately find housing for – homeless veterans.

The CSG East Military and Veterans Affairs committee will continue to meet virtually and in-person. If you are working at the state or territorial level to address veteran’s issues, get involved by emailing staff policy analyst Joseph Shiovitz at [email protected].

CSG East will convene an inaugural housing summit to address the supply and affordability of housing, taking place in March 2024, and hosted by Connecticut at the state capitol in Hartford. Attendance is by invitation only.

This housing summit will bring together policy experts with an audience of state legislators to address the current shortage of affordable housing. The policy sessions during the summit will discuss the costs and financial solutions for developing affordable housing, creative solutions for where to build housing and the appropriate typology, zoning and land use reforms that could lead to increased production, and ways that various levels of government can work together on comprehensive housing strategies. Legislators will have an opportunity to discuss new bills and goals for upcoming legislative sessions. There will also be a site visit to an award-winning affordable housing apartment complex led by its development team.

Attendance is limited to two legislators from each jurisdiction of CSG East, who serve on their state’s housing committee. To join the waitlist, please email Joseph Shiovitz ([email protected]).

CSG East will convene an inaugural housing summit to address the supply and affordability of housing, taking place in March 2024, and hosted by Connecticut at the state capitol in Hartford. Attendance is by invitation only.

This housing summit will bring together policy experts with an audience of state legislators to address the current shortage of affordable housing. The policy sessions during the summit will discuss the costs and financial solutions for developing affordable housing, creative solutions for where to build housing and the appropriate typology, zoning and land use reforms that could lead to increased production, and ways that various levels of government can work together on comprehensive housing strategies. Legislators will have an opportunity to discuss new bills and goals for upcoming legislative sessions. There will also be a site visit to an award-winning affordable housing apartment complex led by its development team.

Attendance is limited to two legislators from each jurisdiction of CSG East, who serve on their state’s housing committee. To join the waitlist, please email Joseph Shiovitz ([email protected]).

 

This year, the Supreme Court is set to hear two major cases over fishing rules that could impact the federal government’s broader ability to interpret and implement regulations in Loper Bright Enterprises v. Raimondo and Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) v. Jarkesy. Depending on whether the Court decides to restrict the executive powers of federal agencies in these cases, we may see greater calls for state action in 2024 and beyond on issues relating to the energy transition and climate change.

At stake in both cases is the fate of the so-called “Chevron deference” doctrine—first articulated in the landmark 1984 decision of Chevron U.S.A., Inc. v. Natural Resources Defense Council, Inc. and cited in thousands of cases since its first issuance. The doctrine, which stipulates that courts should defer to reasonable federal agency interpretations of ambiguous laws, has served as a linchpin in administrative law and has set the terms governing the relationship between regulatory bodies and the judiciary. In essence, the doctrine prioritizes federal agencies’ technical expertise and experience when questions of interpretation present challenges to federal regulations, their implementation and their enforcement.

Now, nearly four decades years after its issuance, the Chevron doctrine is being challenged in Loper against the backdrop of the fishing industry’s opposition in Rhode Island and New Jersey to a regulation introduced in 2020 by the National Marine Fisheries Service. Relying on a present interpretation of a 1976 maritime law, the regulation requires industry vessels to carry and pay the salaries of overfishing monitors. A companion case, Relentless Inc. v. Department of Commerce, similarly originates from disputes over fishing regulations. In both cases, the Court’s rulings on the constitutionality of this now decades-old precedent will therefore have wide-reaching effects. As Solicitor General Elizabeth B. Prelogar stated in her amicus brief to the Court, “Overruling Chevron would be a convulsive shock to the legal system.”

What could these rulings mean for states? Where environmental regulations are concerned, the Court’s decision could, for instance, dramatically rein in the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) as the nation’s chief regulator of electricity and natural gas transmission, placing a greater regulatory onus on states. By affecting FERC’s ability to use precedent to act decisively on climate change, these rulings could shift power from federal agencies to Congress and the courts. Crucially, they could also alter the balance of power between federal and state regulators in determining the cost of new fossil fuel infrastructure as global temperatures rise.

In a securities case, Jarkesy, the Supreme Court may hinder FERC—along with other federal regulators—from enforcing its own rules as it reviews the SEC’s authority to use in-house judges to handle regulatory enforcement proceedings. Depending on how the Court rules, the decision’s impacts could reverberate through FERC, the EPA, and other federal agencies that rely on in-house courts to adjudicate matters related to implementing and enforcing environmental regulations.

With federal regulators’ power to regulate emissions under threat, it may become more necessary than ever in 2024 for state governments to collaborate on regional solutions to climate change, environmental stressors, and the energy transition.

The Court’s rulings are expected sometime this summer.

Former New Hampshire State Representative Suzanne Smith passed away over the weekend.

Suzanne served in the New Hampshire legislature from 2008 until her retirement in 2022, including on the Environment and Agriculture Committee, and was a long-time member of the CSG East Agriculture and Rural Affairs Committee.

“She was an avid hiker and birder, and her love of nature was what drove her to sponsor many bills that helped to protect NH natural resources,” said Tara Sad and Bob Haefner, who both served in the New Hampshire legislature alongside Suzanne before joining CSG East.

“We had fun traveling with her to many CSG East and SARL meetings over the years and got to know her as a friend as well as a colleague,” said Sad. “She was a wonderful person and will be sorely missed.”

News of Suzanne’s passing was also reported by Paula Tracy at InDepthNH.org:

“Our amazing Suzanne—conservationist, birder, hiker, wildlife tracker, reader, scuba diver, singer, NH House representative, local library volunteer, and a friend to all, passed away peacefully yesterday afternoon,” [former state Rep. Joyce Weston] wrote to friends. “She was surrounded by her daughters and close friends.”

[…]

Smith was sponsor of bills on OHRV use, definitions for “wake” boats, greenhouse gas emissions legislation, composting, rail trail management, rural access to broadband and sponsored a bill in support of the Lakes Region Mutual Fire Aid which is being forced to move from the former Laconia State School property due to its pending sale.

Born in Green Bay, Wisc., in 1948, she was a copy editor and broadcaster and owned a natural food store from 1977 to 1998.

She was treasurer of the New Hampshire Audubon Pemi-Baker Chapter from 2008.

Smith was certified by the Council for Homeopathic Certification in 2002 and served as assistant editor/copy editor for the American Homeopathic Journal.

Suzanne was also a graduate of the CSG East Eastern Leadership Academy, class of 2013, and was active on the regional Energy and Environment committee. She was a frequent attendee at the Annual Meeting and will be sorely missed by CSG East members and staff alike.

Details of memorial or funeral services had not yet been shared as of Tuesday morning.

The program manager has primary responsibility for managing CSG East’s Eastern Trade Council (ETC) and providing support to the ETC board of directors (“Board”) and executing the directives from the Board. In addition to supporting the ETC, the program manager is responsible for providing policy analysis and research support, which includes monitoring, understanding, and sharing analysis on relevant state policy issues.

This position has work from home flexibility with preference to fill in the New York, NY area.

Apply here

How you apply:

If you’re interested in helping state trade directors facilitate trade in the Northeast, please upload the following elements with your application via the CSG employment portal:

1. Cover letter explaining your interest in the position and CSG East. Applications without a cover letter will not be considered. (See this article from Indeed on how to write a simple cover letter.)
2. Resume

CSG believes that pay equity and pay transparency advance workplace fairness. Compensation will be equitable and based on experience and education. The salary range for this position, based in New York City, is $90,000 to $115,000. This salary range is subject to change based on work location and market conditions.

Qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to characteristics including but not limited to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability or protected veteran status. CSG is an Equal Employment Opportunity employer.

 

What you’ll do:

Eastern Trade Council (ETC) responsibilities:

• Recommend general policies and program initiatives for the ETC Board’s consideration.
• Implement and monitor the administration of all policies and program initiatives adopted by the Board.
• Plan, coordinate, and execute ETC trade missions, trade shows, seminars, and other trade development events as directed by the Board.
• Prepare annual budgets for the Board’s consideration; monitor all expenditures for compliance with approved budgets.
• Plan, coordinate, and execute quarterly board meetings, including budget and progress reports.
• Secure, with assistance of the CSG East director, annual dues from ETC member jurisdictions.
• Solicit private or public grants and corporate contributions; identify public and private sector partners to assist ETC in carrying out its goals and objectives.
• Hire and supervise interns and oversee consultants as needed to carry out ETC projects in consultation with the Board.
• Serve as the primary liaison for ETC with the CSG East Executive Committee, and report on the status of ETC projects and finances as required by the CSG East director.

Policy analysis responsibilities:

• Maintain communication, conduct outreach, and establish rapport with policy committee and legislator members, as well as with federal, state, provincial, and local government officials, and representatives of other regional entities.
• Participate in the planning, organizing, and convening of policy workshops, online webinars, technical tours, and state visits by identifying topics, arranging for speakers, supporting logistical planning, preparing information, and participating in such programs.
• Develop and manage relationships with state officials and policymakers, including legislative and other governmental contacts.
• Conduct policy research, surveys, and develop suggestions for the consideration by policymakers.
• Prepare concise written responses to information inquiries initiated by members of the legislative, executive, and judicial branches.
• Contribute to Eastern Office publications, web-based resources, and social media efforts as directed.
• Serve as member of other in-house teams as assigned.
• Participate in/contribute to various CSG-wide activities.

What you’ll bring:

• Bachelor’s or advanced degree in public policy, political science, international relations, or related field (additional relevant experience may be substituted for education requirement).
• Three years’ experience in state government, public policy, association management, or related field.
• Experience in international trade.
• Research, writing, and policy analysis experience preferred.
• Working knowledge of the legislative, executive, and judicial processes at the state level.
• Experience working collaboratively with multiple partners, including having worked with public officials.
• Appropriate interpersonal skills to build relationships with both internal and external partners to maintain open and frequent communication with international and state trade officials, as well as with legislators.
• Knowledge of state and federal legislative processes.
• Understanding of exporting, foreign direct investment, and current trends in international trade.
• Excellent research, writing, editing, and verbal communication skills.
• Ability to work independently and be an approachable, collaborative member of a team.
• Ability to organize, prioritize, and complete multiple projects in a detail-oriented manner.
• Facility with Microsoft Office programs and computer competency.
• Ability to travel by plane, train, and vehicle domestically or internationally, overnight, and for varying lengths, to fulfill duties and responsibilities as needed.
• Ability to interact effectively with diverse people in different contexts and foster equity and inclusion through self-awareness, cultural sensitivity, and valuing others.
• Dedication to public service with an unfailing commitment to act with civility, be nonpartisan in performing CSG duties, and be a responsible steward of member and donor funds.