While numerous public, private and nonprofit programs and services are available to support the employment of youth and young adults with disabilities (Y&YADs), a lack of coordination between stakeholders can result in service gaps and duplication. Wisconsin used braided funding strategically to increase coordination and alignment between employers, service providers, education sponsors and workforce systems, enhancing Y&YADs services and outcomes. Braided funding is a financing method that uses multiple funding streams to support the total cost of a program or service. It ensures that funding goes where it is most needed, encourages interagency coordination and ensures the appropriate program and administrative costs are properly charged to each separate funding stream. According to the U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Disability Employment Policy, braided funding can be used to:
Support an individual with a disability with the goal of pursuing, gaining, or keeping Competitive Integrated Employment (CIE),
Support Pre-Employment Transition Services, and
Support post-secondary preparation and transition activities.
While this tool has an early education focus, the analysis it utilizes is equally applicable in a transition setting. Specifically, as outlined in the tool, states and local governments may consider implementing the following strategies to support and expand transition services to Y&YADs through braided funding by:
Identifying funding streams.
Identify what funding sources are available in your state or locality and identify how this funding can be used to achieve specific goals.
Developing an inventory of funds known as a fiscal map, directed toward a particular population (e.g., Y&YADs) or service group. A fiscal map can be used to:
Recognize duplicative funding streams as well as gaps in funding.
Establish methods to use funds more strategically.
Identifying eligible populations and comparing funding requirements.
For many funding streams, there are rules and restrictions that govern the use of the funds. Therefore, it is important to identify eligible populations and understand the differences in eligibility and reporting requirements among various funding streams available in your state or locality.
Building and initiating data-sharing agreements to make it easier for state and local organizations to braid funds.
Developing shared goals and a plan for collaboration.
Permit local agencies, organizations, task forces, councils or committees to perform coordinated planning and funding functions outside a formal state framework.
Use interagency planning groups to coordinate funding for specific objectives.
Building state or local programs that use multiple funding streams rather than leaving it to individual provider level to pursue different funding streams.
Developing governance structures to support collaboration between agencies and other key players in state or local entities.
Wisconsin is one state that engages in braided funding to support Y&YADs. Wisconsin’s 2020-23 Combined State Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) Plan prioritizes and directs state agencies to identify opportunities for braided funding to provide effective employment services to individuals with disabilities. Wisconsin’s WIOA Plan also directs cost-sharing to be negotiated among state entities, such as education, vocational rehabilitation (DVR) and local entities such as long-term care and mental health agencies. For example, cost-sharing may be negotiated among DVR, the school district and long-term care or mental health programs when there is an overlap in educational and employment/rehabilitation goals and services. This negotiation increases coordination between the various parties to ensure their specific funds contributed to the program or service are used for their designated purposes.
Similarly, the Wisconsin Departments of Health Services, Workforce Development and Public Instruction developed a comprehensive Transition Action Guide (TAG). This guide outlines a strategic approach to help Wisconsin state and local governments identify overlaps or gaps in service provision in the areas of communication, coordination and service delivery for Y&YADs transitioning from school to work. It lists funding sources and their eligibility requirements so agencies can pursue braided funding opportunities. The resource also discusses cost-sharing agreements among agencies and when these agreements are appropriate.
Today, The Council of State Governments announces a partnership with its longtime collaborator in the election space, The Turnout, to form the Election Technology Initiative (ETI). The ETI will support and develop open-source technologies for election administrators to improve the security and transparency of U.S. and international elections as well as increase voter confidence, accessibility, and participation.
“State election officials are among the heroes of our democracy. They consistently carry out free and fair elections with professionalism and integrity. With the leadership of Microsoft, election officials now have new tools to assure citizens that their vote counts,” said David Adkins, executive director/CEO of The Council of State Governments. “CSG is proud to launch the Election Technology Initiative in partnership with The Turnout to enhance voter confidence in elections.”
The initiative will begin with the transition of ElectionGuard, the open-source software program developed by Microsoft’s Democracy Forward Initiative, to the ETI. ElectionGuard provides voting system vendors and election administrators the capability to perform end-to-end verifiable elections and post-election audits. ETI will provide the governance structure of the ElectionGuard codebase and oversee its implementation of end-to-end verifiability. RC Carter will join The Turnout and continue to lead the project. Dr. Josh Benaloh, one of the core and earliest contributors of the cryptographic foundations ElectionGuard is based upon, will continue to serve as principal technical advisor to the project and oversee the ElectionGuard specification, and Microsoft Research will continue to contribute important implementations of the specification and codebase.
“The Turnout is excited to partner with CSG on the Election Technology Initiative to bring additional layers of accountability, accessibility, and transparency to elections; building on the foundation that Microsoft set for us,” said Jared Marcotte, president of The Turnout. “We’re also happy to announce that RC Carter will be joining our team of election technology experts. It’s a rare gift to have someone who’s been with a project since its inception, has a clear and specific vision for its growth and development, can liaise and manage the various development teams, and can effortlessly explain a highly technical project to any audience. That’s RC.”
ElectionGuard was announced at Microsoft BUILD in 2018. Its first public election occurred in Fulton, Wisconsin, in February 2020 with VotingWorks. After a partnership with Hart InterCivic announced in July 2021, ElectionGuard was used in the November 2022 General Election in Franklin County, Idaho, in conjunction with Hart, Enhanced Voting, MITRE, and the Center for Civic Design.
“At Microsoft, we are working with our partners to create technology solutions that can safeguard the electoral process around the world. Four years ago, we launched ElectionGuard as a new open-source contribution to the development of secure, transparent, and accessible voting systems,” said Ginny Badanes, senior director of Microsoft’s Democracy Forward program. “Today, we are transitioning ElectionGuard to the Election Technology Initiative so they can continue this important work. With Microsoft’s ongoing support, CSG and The Turnout are the right team of trusted experts to advance ElectionGuard’s mission of empowering voters to verify that their vote counted.”
What is End-to-end Verifiability? End-to-end verifiability (e2e-v) uses advanced cryptography and security software to create a public encrypted copy of the tally and of each ballot used in an election. Voters can verify that their ballots were included in the final tally and independent verifiers can be built to confirm the tallies derived by the ballots are correctly counted.
E2e-v is the only mechanism other than paper ballots that allow for software independence, a key requirement of systems certified under the Election Assistance Commission’s Voluntary Voting System Guidelines 2.0 standards. It’s also the only technology that can achieve software independence across both paper-and non-paper-based systems, which makes it a critical enabler of additional voting methods and improving accessibility generally. ElectionGuard is currently the only comprehensive end-to-end verifiability system under development in the U.S.
About The Council of State Governments CSG is America’s largest organization of state officials and the nation’s only nonpartisan, not-for-profit organization serving all three branches of state government. Founded in 1933, CSG is a region-based forum that fosters the exchange of insights and ideas to help state officials shape public policy to help communities across the nation and advance the common good.
About The Turnout At the intersection of technology and election infrastructure, The Turnout works to help governments better understand and assess military and overseas voting, to perform security self-assessments and upgrade their cybersecurity, to visualize and analyze their processes, and to standardize and validate their elections data.
Since 2005, the “Guideposts for Success” have equipped state leaders with up-to-date, innovative practices that increase the opportunities for youth and young adults with disabilities to transition into the workforce.
The latest brief, “Guideposts for Success: States Engaging Employers through Policy,” serves as a model for policymakers by providing them with the tools necessary to educate and support employers in their states in hiring or providing learning opportunities for youth and young adults with disabilities.
According to Andrew Karhan, project director at San Diego State University’s Interwork Institute, the brief draws on state examples and actual conversations with employers who have experience in this process. As part of the project, Karhan collaborated with the Center for Advancing Policy on Employment for Youth (CAPE-Youth).
“The brief was compiled through a deep dive into research, the current best practices related to employer engagement and the comparable employer practices towards enhanced inclusion,” Karhan said. “Some previous policies in this space have not had the intended impact. Therefore, this brief was approached through a lens of improvement science, where we asked how we can introduce change ideas leading to improvement? The ideas presented here were born out of this research and conversations with employers and experts in the field to ultimately lead to these improvement ideas.”
Developing structures for states to become model employers of youth and young adults with disabilities.
Simplifying current incentives and introducing new incentives to encourage employers to develop inclusive workplace practices.
Facilitating telework to adapt to changes in the world of work.
Educating employers about the business case for their participation and support of youth and young adults with disabilities in work preparation programs.
Assembling tools guided and developed in partnership with national centers and employer organizations and disseminating them at the state and local levels.
Enhancing existing state workforce systems to foster equitable access.
The policy framework provides lawmakers and state leaders with evidence-based practices to aid youth and young adults with disabilities when obtaining employment through improved education.
“As youth transition into postsecondary environments or employment, it is critical for us to lay the necessary groundwork for them to move into employment in their field of interest and skill,” Karhan said. “The low employment outcomes of youth and young with disabilities have been well documented and, as a result, this brief offers new approaches and policy levers to help change this narrative.”
The development of “Guideposts for Success: States Engaging Employers through Policy” was led by CAPE-Youth, and is a collaborative effort of the U.S. Department of Labor Office of Disability Employment Policy, The Council of State Governments, the K. Lisa Yang and Hock E. Tan Institute on Employment and Disability at Cornell University, and the Interwork Institute at San Diego State University.
According to the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, there are approximately 9.5 million job openings in the U.S., but only 5.6 million unemployed workers to potentially fill those roles. Considering these workforce shortages, many states pursue opportunities to expand work-based learning and to invest in upskilling existing workers through registered apprenticeship.
A registered apprenticeship is a high-quality, industry-driven career pathway that combines paid on-the-job training with classroom instruction to prepare workers for skilled careers in a variety of occupations. Historically, apprenticeships have been associated with trade professions, but now more than 1,000 occupations have been approved for registered apprenticeship by the U.S. Department of Labor, including roles in nursing, information technology, cybersecurity, human resources and more.
Registered apprenticeship programs can help states to address workforce shortages by empowering employers to grow their own talent pipelines. Through apprenticeship, employers invest directly in employees by providing training both on the job and in the classroom and mentorship by pairing apprentices with skilled mentors who support them throughout the program. Because apprentices learn while they work, programs typically have few to no minimum experience requirements. This makes apprenticeship programs a great tool for recruiting individuals who have traditionally faced barriers to employment and postsecondary training, like formerly incarcerated individuals or individuals with disabilities.
Throughout the 2023 legislative session, several states adopted strategies to expand registered apprenticeships, such as establishing apprenticeship grant programs, promoting the use of apprenticeships in previously non-apprenticeable occupations and providing additional benefits to individuals in apprenticeship programs.
Texas introduced HB 3723 (2023), which would establish a Rural Workforce Training Grant Program providing targeted funding for job-specific training, including apprenticeship programs, in counties with a population of less than 200,000. Grant money may be used to cover “costs associated with training materials, instructors’ fees, participant wraparound expenses, facility fees, administrative costs, and outreach, mentoring, and recruiting costs” for apprenticeships and other training programs.
Kansas enacted HB 2292 (2023), which establishes multiple grant funds and tax credits for employers offering apprenticeships in a variety of fields, including:
A tax credit of up to $2,500 per apprentice for employers of apprentices in registered apprenticeship programs, up to 20 apprentices per employer. An additional tax credit of $500 is available per apprentice enrolled in a secondary or postsecondary career and technical education program.
The Kansas Nonprofit Apprenticeship Grant Program Fund, offering $2,750 per apprentice to “eligible nonprofit employers and nonprofit healthcare employers,” with up to 20 apprentices per employer.
The Kansas Educator Registered Apprenticeship Grant Program, established to fund tuition, fees, books and materials for education apprentices pursuing postsecondary education degrees. Education apprentices in Kansas can receive up to $2,750 per year for the purpose of increasing the number of qualified, credentialed teachers in the state of Kansas.
Idaho enacted SB 1069 (2023), which amends existing law to enable the State Board of Education to issue a certificate to a teacher who completed an approved registered apprenticeship program. These amendments create the possibility of state developed apprenticeship programs that meet the same standards as traditional teacher preparation programs and will be targeted toward individuals who have not earned bachelor’s degrees. Education degrees are often costly, and requirements of traditional programs, like unpaid student teaching, dissuade many individuals from pursuing their teaching certifications. Idaho is now one of more than a dozen states utilizing paid teacher apprenticeships to address these challenges.
Additionally, Idaho passed HB 16 (2023), which removes barriers for state agencies when hiring apprentices to fill public workforce shortages. Under new legislation, state agencies will be able to hire apprentices to fill shortages without counting them toward their annual budgeted full-time equivalent caps.
Washington enacted HB 1525 (2023), which expands the state’s existing child care subsidies to include individuals participating in a state registered apprenticeship program. Previous bill language included those in a registered apprenticeship, but the individual also needed to be a full-time student. Now, those who are in an apprenticeship program but are not students may receive the child care benefit. Apprentices are eligible to receive child care benefits for the care of one or more eligible children for the first 12 months of their enrollment in a registered apprenticeship program, if the individual’s annual adjusted household income does not exceed 75% of the state median income.
Minnesota enacted HF 1937 (2023), which increases the reimbursement amount that eligible service members and their family members are entitled to receive for costs associated with apprenticeship programs and other on-the-job training programs. The new law increases the aggregate amount of reimbursement from $10,000 to $15,000 over the eligible person’s lifetime, or a total of $3,000 per fiscal year. This reimbursement is in addition to benefits provided under the federal G.I. Bill, which provides funding for books, supplies and housing to veterans in approved apprenticeship programs.
These pieces of legislation build on the work accomplished by states in previous years to expand their apprenticeship systems. For example, in 2019, Alabama passed HB 570, which eliminated barriers to obtaining an occupational license by completing an apprenticeship program. Under the 2019 legislation, individuals who complete an apprenticeship may be granted an occupational license in that trade if the individual also completes all necessary examinations and meets other statutory requirements. The law also states that individuals who complete apprenticeship programs may not be required to complete additional testing requirements, affirming apprenticeships as high-quality preparatory programs for occupational licensure examinations.
Additionally, in 2022, Alaska passed HB 114, which directs the Department of Education and Early Development to “provide educational opportunities in the areas of vocational education and training and basic education to individuals over 16 years of age who are no longer attending school.” This includes encouraging engagement with “businesses and labor unions to develop a program to prepare students for apprenticeships or internships that will lead to employment opportunities.”
As states continue to expand their apprenticeship systems to build new career pathways, The Council of State Governments education and workforce team is available as a resource for policymakers. CSG provides states with no-cost technical assistance on registered apprenticeship, work-based learning and other topics related to workforce development. CSG can also help states to develop registered apprenticeship programs in state and local government to address their own public sector workforce needs.
Government officials from all branches of state government will participate in the national leadership development program
The Council of State Governments (CSG) selected 43 state leaders representing 27 of the states and U.S. territories and from across all branches of government as members of the 2023 class of CSG Henry Toll Fellows, the nation’s premier leadership development program for state government officials.
Since 1986, CSG has annually convened a new class of CSG Henry Toll Fellows at its national headquarters in Lexington, Kentucky, for an intensive leadership boot camp. The program’s sessions are designed to stimulate personal assessment and growth, empower leaders to collaborate and communicate more effectively, and provide nonpartisan networking and relationship-building opportunities.
“While the CSG Henry Toll Fellows come from every region of our nation, from both political parties and all three branches of state government, they share one thing in common — they are all people of purpose with a passion for public service,” said CSG Executive Director/CEO David Adkins, a former Kansas state senator and 1993 CSG Henry Toll Fellow alumnus. “Toll Fellows are selected based on their demonstrated commitment to solve problems, to work collaboratively to get things done, and their belief that state government can and must be a force for good.”
Toll Fellows are nominated by their peers and selected by alumni of the program.
“The selection committee looks for leaders who have already demonstrated excellence in public service but who also show promise for continuing to make a difference in the future,” Adkins said.
There are more than 1,350 graduates of the Toll Fellowship, including five state/territorial house speakers, three sitting state supreme court justices, 10 sitting members of Congress, five sitting governors and more than 200 Toll alumni currently serving as state/territorial legislators.
The Fellowship honors the founder of CSG, Henry Toll, who, as a former state senator from Colorado, was the driving force behind the creation of CSG in 1933.
“Each class of Toll Fellows has a different energy, and we are excited to see this year’s dynamic,” said Lorna Patches, deputy director of membership and leadership development at CSG. “Everyone in this group is a leader in their home state, which provides a tremendous opportunity for attendees to learn and grow through interaction with each other. The CSG experience provides a framework for shared conversations, which begin with our time together and extend for lifetimes.”
About The Council of State Governments The Council of State Governments is our nation’s only organization serving all three branches of state government. CSG is a region-based forum that fosters the exchange of insights and ideas to help state officials shape public policy. This offers unparalleled regional, national and international opportunities to network, develop leaders, collaborate and create problem-solving partnerships. For more information about The Council of State Governments, visit csg.org.
Licensing for the roughly 3.7 million teachers in the country has historically been a system with unclear barriers between states, making it difficult for educators to relocate and attain a teaching license in another state. Military spouses are particularly impacted by these limitations — they move residences between states frequently as their spouses are relocated to various posts and are often met with licensing barriers.
Recognizing these obstacles, in 2020 the Department of Defense entered into a cooperative agreement with The National Center for Interstate Compacts at The Council of State Governments. Authorized by Congress in the 2020 National Defense Authorization Act, the cooperative agreement provides funding for the development of up to ten new occupational licensure compacts. A compact for teachers was a priority for the Department of Defense.
Model legislation to join the Interstate Teacher Mobility Compact was released to states in November 2022 after more than a year of development, public comment and stakeholder review. In June, Oregon joined nine other states — Colorado, Utah, Kentucky, Oklahoma, Kansas, Florida, Alabama, Nebraska and Nevada — in fully enacting the compact legislation. With the addition of this tenth state, the compact became active — the fastest occupational licensure compact to do so.
“A military spouse shouldn’t have to choose between supporting their family and pursuing their profession. Thankfully, states are working together to ensure they won’t have to,” said David Adkins, executive director/CEO of The Council of State Governments.
“The ten states that have already enacted the Interstate Teacher Mobility Compact are reducing barriers to mobility for licensed teachers, and that’s good news to the many teachers in military families who will move to those states. CSG is proud to work with state officials and honored to partner with the U.S. Department of Defense to help create new tools to support military families. We look forward to continuing to be a resource for the ITMC Commission and its member states.”
Maintaining state sovereignty is one of the cornerstones of the Interstate Teacher Mobility Compact. The compact does not alter member states’ ability to regulate the teaching profession or teacher licensure. Member states take on some responsibility to grant licenses to out-of-state teachers, but any standing pathways to teacher licensure within the state will remain in place.
Addressing Teacher Shortages
While districts across the country are facing widespread teacher shortages, the Teacher Mobility Compact streamlines the systems of licensure mobility in member states.
“Teachers who relocated can find it difficult to navigate the waters of license issuance in a new state,” said Jimmy Adams, executive director of the National Association of State Directors of Teacher Education and Certification. “Many of these are professionals with years of experience who decide to leave the profession because of the barriers they confront.”
The teaching compact utilizes a different model than other interstate occupational licensure compacts. Compact member states submit licenses that are eligible for the compact and meet a set of criteria outlined in the legislation. To be eligible, a license must require a bachelor’s degree and completion of a state-approved program for teacher licensure like a teacher preparation program at a college or university. Teachers holding a compact-eligible license can apply for licensure in another member state and receive the closest equivalent license without submitting additional materials, taking state-specific exams or completing additional coursework.
This compact maintains each member state’s standards while recognizing the professional who holds this high-level license,” Adams said. “This compact will keep many teachers in the profession who may otherwise leave.”
Next Steps
Later this year, the compact member states will nominate their commissioners and the first meeting of the Interstate Teacher Mobility Compact Commission will be held to draft the bylaws and rules of the compact.
Currently, several states are still considering legislation to join the teaching compact. Those who join will also be included in this meeting if the legislation is passed before the first convening.
For more information about the Interstate Teacher Mobility Compact or to view the model legislation, visit teachercompact.org. To learn more about the National Center for Interstate Compacts and other occupational licensure compacts, visit compacts.csg.org.
About Occupational Licensure Interstate Compacts
Occupational licensure compacts create reciprocity between states while maintaining the quality and safety of services and protecting state sovereignty. Compacts result in a more efficient distribution of licensed workers by supporting practitioner mobility.
In addition to its work with the Department of Defense, the CSG National Center for Interstate Compacts led the development of interstate compacts for physicians, nurses, emergency medical services personnel, physical therapists, psychologists, occupational therapists, licensed professional counselors and audiologists/speech-language pathologists. More than 40 states and territories have adopted at least one of the compacts and over half have adopted three or more.
About CSG and the National Center for Interstate Compacts
Founded in 1933, The Council of State Governments is the nation’s only organization serving all three branches of state government. CSG is a region-based forum that fosters the exchange of insights and ideas to help state officials shape public policy. This offers unparalleled regional, national and international opportunities to network, develop leaders, collaborate and create problem-solving partnerships. Learn more at csg.org.
CSG has more than 75 years of experience promoting multi-state problem solving and advocating the role of the states in determining their respective futures. The National Center for Interstate Compacts is a policy program developed by CSG to assist states in developing interstate compacts, which have proved to be an effective mechanism for states to jointly problem solve. Learn more at compacts.csg.org.
Pennsylvania and Virginia, much like Congress, have split chambers with the House and Senate led by each respective party. Five other states — Alaska, Arizona, Michigan, Minnesota and New Hampshire — have a near or total party split within either one or both chambers.
With split chambers, legislators face unique challenges when compromising and collaborating on legislation.
The 49th state, with thriving waterways, sweeping mountain views and distinct detachment from the contiguous U.S., has a history of coalition building, according to Alaska House Minority Leader Calvin Schrage. Because parties lack a definite voting majority or minority, Alaskan legislators join across party lines, creating coalitions made up of likeminded individuals, with more emphasis placed on values and fiscal policy.
“It’s not trying to necessarily achieve a party agenda but trying to meet your unique needs in unique districts. When you then try and form a majority or minority around the party issues, it just doesn’t work,” Rep. Schrage said. “So you see a lot of work going into trying to find what values and what issues can we find a majority support around. That’s where in the last Legislature, and in this Legislature, we have coalition governments that are formed much more around values and fiscal policy than you do around party identity.”
Rep. Cathy Tilton, Alaska’s House speaker, noted a bipartisan partnership allowed the Legislature to serve Alaskans effectively, especially because of Juneau’s geographical location, which may keep citizens from participating in traditional government activities.
“Over the last several years, it’s taken a long time for the House, specifically, to organize because it’s so split,” Tilton said. “One of the goals was to organize in a timely manner because Alaskans are really frustrated with sending their representatives to Juneau. … Fortunately, we found alignment with the [Alaska House] Bush caucus, or the more rural partners, to organize. We’re able to do that on the second day of session.”
The minority party is also comprised of Democrats, Republicans and independents, which Schrage credits as being “vital” to the legislative process. By uniting around shared values, rather than strict party identity, Schrage said the coalition can work together. However, he recognizes that each member has legislation they are passionate about, which may not align with the coalition as a whole.
House Speaker Cathy Tilton briefs policymakers during a legislative session earlier this year in the Alaska House of Representatives. The Wasilla native was elected to her current role as speaker by the House on Jan. 18. Tilton previously served as House minority leader from 2021-22, which is a role now occupied by Rep. Calvin Schrage. Photo credit: Forrest Musselman
“If it’s something that support isn’t there, individual members need to do the work of finding a way to meet those diverse members where they are,” Schrage said. “For those issues, individual members have to do a lot of work and kind of figure out how they can tailor their legislation to meet that very unique political identity of the Alaskan Legislature. There’s a much greater appetite in Alaska to pass bills out across party lines, or across caucus lines. That’s just something that I think is inherent in a close Legislature like this. You don’t have votes to spare within your own caucus, and sometimes you’re going to have to work across those lines to find a path forward.”
To do this, both Schrage and Tilton emphasize communication.
“You do that with just respectful communication and bringing back respect to this institution, which means that we need to communicate with each other,” Tilton said. “We can agree to disagree. I may not support your bill and you may not support my bill. That’s okay. We can still work together.”
— Rep. Cathy Tilton, Alaska House Speaker
Schrage noted how communication can assist with better understanding what values members align on and how those with differences can comfortably work together and make incremental progress. He added that communication also helps address potential roadblocks in legislation, which can be more easily achieved by straying from “typical political messaging” and clearly explaining bills to fellow legislators to find common ground.
“See where there’s some alignment on those values and recognize that because the chamber is so split, you don’t have that kind of party strength that you might have in other states,” Schrage said. “We all really have to moderate our expectations and be willing to make incremental progress. Accept that and do not let perfect be the enemy of good.”
— Rep. Calvin Schrage, alaska House Minority Leaders
From this communication, members build strong relationships, regardless of party identity. Tilton said the relationships she built led to some of her favorite memories from her time in the Legislature. Among them was her past work as House minority leader with Alaska Sen. Tom Begich, who was then Senate minority leader. Despite standing on opposite sides of the aisle, Tilton and Begich established a close relationship that helped meet the needs of the minority parties.
“I don’t know that if you were out in the real world that you would have that opportunity to build a relationship, and what I would call it true friendship, with somebody who was on the other side of the aisle from you,” Tilton said.
House Minority Leader Calvin Schrage is a third generation Alaskan with a history in aviation and nonprofit leadership. He was elected to the Alaska House in 2020, and has sponsored legislation focusing on the environment, civil rights and support for parents. Photo credit: Graham Judson
“Member-to-member communication” and relationships build trust and familiarity, according to Schrage. The role of legislator also allows him to meet and engage with individuals who are “experts in their fields.” The result of those relationships can lead to effective policy work and coalition building — both now and in the future.
As speaker, Tilton said she recognizes her role as a “leader of leaders,” regardless of party identity.
“I realize that my responsibility is to be the speaker of the entire House. I have to take in and listen to the needs of all of the members here,” Tilton said. “Because they were all elected in their districts to be a leader, just like I am that leader. Being a leader of leaders is a fine balance.”
This balance often leads to compromise, which Tilton said can be difficult when “everyone has a different idea” of what major legislation like the annual budget will look like. These types of decisions can have a lasting impact on Alaska, which is why Tilton believes she — and those in similar positions — must make every effort to acknowledge the needs and wants of every member.
Both Schrage and Tilton highlighted the importance of passing a budget that addresses the distinct financial challenges found in Alaska, like the reliance on natural resource revenue and the question of implementing broad taxes.
“A lot of the discussion surrounding organization of the majority and minority caucuses are around what you view as the right fiscal solution for the state, so you don’t see a lot of compromise,” Schrage said. “As you face challenges, or as you see the need to negotiate on fiscal issues, the focus is really on consensus building, education and discussion. We have a large amount of time and energy focused around really making sure that members are communicated with and that everyone has an opportunity to speak to their districts’ needs, to be heard and to have a say in that process.”
While the budget remains a complicated compromise, other legislation illustrated the benefits of bipartisan support. Schrage said Senate Bill 58, which extends postpartum Medicaid coverage to 12 months, is a key piece of bipartisan legislation. The relationship between respect and bipartisan success remains vital in this session and beyond, the speaker added.
“I think we’ve done great things with the bills that we’ve had,” Tilton said. “But more than looking at creating laws, I think that it’s just important that you’re building good relationships. I think it goes back to how you have to be true to yourself and respect yourself, but you also need to respect the other person that you’re working with.”
For 90 years, The Council of State Governments has pursued the advancement of common good in state government. CSG is among some of public policy’s most influential nonpartisan, nonprofit organizations that represent state and local government.
It all began in 1925 when Henry Wolcott Toll, who was then a Colorado state senator, envisioned an organization that would convene state leaders and improve legislative standards — together. The result of that vision was the American Legislators Association, the first iteration of what would soon become The Council of State Governments.
As the organization gained traction, interstate issues became more prevalent. Toll knew to achieve his original vision, the scope of his organization had to include the federal government and state administrative officials. In a letter to ALA board members, Toll wrote that the ALA’s role was evolving and that it was no longer a service organization solely for legislators. Simultaneously, ALA engaged in undertaking “an attempt for harmony in state activities between state and state, and between state and nation.”
It wasn’t until Oct. 22, 1933, when a group of state legislators gathered at the Penn Harris Hotel in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, that CSG was born. Though there is no official record of the meeting, Henry Toll recalled it nearly 25 years later as the conception of CSG.
“Probably 12 or 15 of us sat around a table in a small room,” Toll said. “The Council of State Governments had never been heard of before that day.”
That same meeting brought forth the Articles of Organization for this newfound, nonpartisan organization. One sentence from those articles stated, “In thousands of instances the laws of the states are in conflict, their practices are discordant, their regulations are antagonistic, and their policies are either competitive or repugnant to one another. Such disharmony cannot continue.”
By 1939, the organization had reached national acclaim for its collaborative nature and efficiency. On Jan. 20, 1939, The New York Times published an editorial noting how CSG successfully facilitated an interstate compact between New Jersey and New York, which established joint authority over the Palisades Interstate Park.
“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 editorial read.
The piece also noted the assistance of CSG in ending a 55-year-old question between eight states on the regulation of fishing in the Great Lakes.
Throughout the organization’s history, CSG has consistently played an integral role in uniting state legislatures, notably during the dawn of World War II. In 1940, CSG members met with federal officials at the request of President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s administration to craft plans to aid states in developing legislation that helped fuel federal government defense efforts near the onset of World War II. As a result, the CSG Suggested State Legislation Committee, now referred to as Shared State Legislation, was developed. Throughout the war, CSG united state defense councils, administered the Selective Service System, and established state guards to offset the shortage of National Guard members who were called into federal services.
It was around this time that CSG had become a notable force in the policy world. Toll and his 15-member staff established a headquarters in Chicago, with an additional office space in New York City.
After the war, CSG continued to broaden its service area through the expansion of its regional presence. While the Eastern Regional Conference had already been developed in 1935, by the mid-1940s, organizational leaders across the nation had established regional conferences in the Midwest, South and West. As the regions began to take root, the scope of CSG services expanded. In 1969, under Executive Director Frank Bane, CSG relocated its headquarters to its current location in Lexington, Kentucky.
In 1983, Carl W. Stenberg III came on as executive director of the organization. Prior to his role at CSG, Stenberg directed the Weldon Cooper Center for Public Service at the University of Virginia. He has also authored several books and publications relating to policy, including “Managing Local Government Services: A Practical Guide,” “Pulling the Lever: The States’ Role in Catalyzing Local Change,” and “America’s Future Work Force: A Health and Education Policy Issues Handbook.” He went on to serve as director of the Master of Public Administration program at the University of North Carolina School of Government from 2006-11.
Before Stenberg was named executive director, he recognized the unique perspective CSG had in the policy space.
“It is an organization that represents all three branches of government, not just one of them. No other organization has that reach.”
— CARL STENBERG, CSG EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR (1983-89)
He added, “CSG is a regionally based, national organization. It is unique in that it has a national office and Washington presence, but it also has four regional offices that enable it to, in a more focused way, identify and help policymakers deal with issues that are not national in nature, but may be regional or Interstate. The capability to have a broad national view, but also the more focused regional perspective sets CSG apart from the other organizations that serve state officials.”
One of Stenberg’s first big projects was the 50th anniversary of CSG, a pivotal moment in the organization’s history as it was the first national convening of all regions and affiliated organizations.
“I believe it was Dec. 5, 1983,” he said. “Until that time, CSG National had not held annual conferences in a very long time, but the 50th anniversary was kind of a pilot. It was well attended with representatives from all three branches, and it was a terrific substantive program.”
As a newcomer to the organization, Stenberg wondered if bringing everyone together at the end of each year added value to CSG for members and affiliates.
The event proved to be so well-received that it morphed from an anniversary celebration to the annual convening now known as the CSG National Conference.
“When I look back and think of some of the ways I left CSG as a better organization, having an annual conference served a number of important purposes. Not being in Washington, D.C., it was hard to maintain the national visibility for the CSG headquarters office. Having an annual meeting that was moved around the country was one way to do that.”
For the past 40 years, CSG has convened state leaders, policymakers, representatives and affiliates in cities across the nation in a homecoming-style reunion where participants can share ideas, collaborate and learn from one another.
This December, the CSG National Conference will be held in Raleigh, North Carolina, the home state of Rep. Julia Howard, who is serving as the 2023 CSG National Chair.
Howard is the longest-serving member of the North Carolina House. She also has an extensive history with CSG, serving as the organization’s national vice chair in 2020 before advancing to chair-elect. She is a 2008 CSG Henry Toll Fellow and previously served as the 2007 chair of the CSG Southern Legislative Conference.
“It is so exciting to have the opportunity to champion this organization into its 90th year and to host members from across the nation in my home state. I have been involved with CSG in many roles over many years. It is an honor to serve as national chair during such a monumental time for the organization.”
— REP. JULIA HOWARD, NORTH CAROLINA, 2023 CSG NATIONAL CHAIR
Over the past nine decades of serving the states, CSG has had nine executive directors lead the organization through times of triumph and national hardships. David Adkins, a former Kansas State Legislator who is at the helm of CSG in its 90th year, has seen the organization through some of the most testing times in our nation. Joining as executive director/CEO in 2008, he has led CSG through the Great Recession and the COVID-19 pandemic. With every new challenge, Adkins has held the core values and principles that founded the institution at the forefront of his guidance.
With each generation, CSG has grown and adapted alongside our members to address the ever-evolving, uniquely complex landscape of public policy. In doing so, the organization has settled into a distinctive niche that sets it apart from any other establishment.
“Our four strong regions, our three-branch participation, and one-of-a-kind Justice Center, all help set us apart. But, when one asks state officials what they value most about CSG, we consistently hear one response: ‘It’s a family,’” Adkins said. “We create spaces where state officials from
both parties and from many ideological perspectives can come together, see the humanity in each other, learn together and support each other, commiserate about successes and failures, support each other and share many memorable moments.”
The Council of State Governments has undoubtedly grown, advanced and changed over the course of 90 years. Some of the problems faced in the nation’s statehouses today are resonant of the issues CSG aided leaders with in its early years, while others were unheard of even a decade ago. However, much of the organization’s origins in state stewardship, advancing democracy and the common good remain.
So, what’s next?
“When someone asks me what the future holds for CSG, my answer is simple: We will continue to do what we have always done,” Adkins said. “We will focus on the priorities state officials tell us are important to them; we will provide objective, nonpartisan analysis of public policy issues; we will be a source of trusted data and information; we will provide state officials with meaningful ways to learn from each other; and we will fiercely defend the role of the states in our federal system. Like always, we will adapt to changing conditions, find new ways to accomplish our mission and be responsive to the states we serve.”
States turn to new legislation to remedy affordable housing issues
By Cody Porter and Jennifer Horton
Lingering fallout from the COVID-19 pandemic placed an immense economic burden on countless Americans. Since 2020, the housing market is one area experiencing the brunt of its weight, remaining in a volatile state due to significant reductions in jobs and wages.
Deemed at an “inflection point” by the Joint Center for Housing Studies ofHarvard University, the homebuying market’s record 2021 was followed by increased interest rates in 2022 that helped slow purchases in a market lacking inventory. Due to limited supply, costs for homes and rentals alike continued to soar in unison with rising rates.
Those most directly impacted by the active shortage of affordable and available rental homes are extremely low-income households, which includes those with incomes at or below the poverty guideline, or 30% of their area median income, whichever is higher. There are just 36 affordable and available rental homes for every 100 low-income households — a deficit of 7 million homes nationwide. For extremely low-income renter households, 71% are severely cost burdened, meaning they spend more than half of their income on housing, making it more difficult to afford healthy food and health care.
ATTAINING AFFORDABILITY In its February policy brief on housing prices and affordability, the Kem C. Gardner Policy Institute at the University of Utah noted that housing affordability comes in two forms that are not mutually exclusive: affordable housing and housing affordability.
Affordable housing refers to a specific type of housing, generally government-assisted rental housing targeted for very low to extremely low-income households. Housing affordability is a much broader term and refers to the general level of housing prices relative to the general level of household incomes. The term does not refer to any particular type of housing. The two concepts are not mutually exclusive or in conflict but are complementary with affordable housing being a subset of housing affordability.
— James A. Wood, Kem C. Gardner Policy Institute at the University of Utah
In 2022, a person working full-time in the U.S. needed to earn $25.82 an hour on average just to rent — not purchase — a modest, two-bedroom home. That hourly wage is $18.57 higher than the $7.25 federal minimum wage. In some states, the two-bedroom housing wage is even higher— up to more than $40 an hour. The average worker earning minimum wage would need to work almost 96 hours per week to afford a two-bedroom rental at the national average fair market rent of $1,324.
With the rapid increase in home and rent prices over the last several years, millions of low-income renters struggled to afford their rent even before the pandemic. The economic impacts of COVID-19 exacerbated the problem even further as low-wage workers lost income. While temporary eviction moratoriums and Treasury Emergency Rental Assistance programs kept millions of disadvantaged renters housed during the pandemic, as these programs end, the need for affordable housing for the lowest-income renters will not.
Homes suited for low- or middle-income earners to rent or purchase have been quickly consumed by investors in recent years for rental income or for quickly upgraded resells. During 2022’s first quarter, investors accounted for 28% of single-family home purchases, which is 9% higher than the year prior, according to CoreLogic data cited by The Joint Center for Housing Studies in its 2022 housing report.
More densely populated areas, such as Atlanta, Los Angeles, Phoenix and San Jose, and were favored by investors in recent years due to higher home values compared to those in smaller cities. This factor, combined with the workforce’s ability to work remotely, promoted substantial population growth from 2020-22 in the likes of Idaho, Montana and Utah. Axios reported Idaho’s population increase of nearly 4.9% as the most for any state during the two-year span, while Utah came in just under 3%.
Utah, ranking fourth overall in growth from 2020-22, experienced similar increases from 2020-21 by adding 56,000 new residents, or 1.7%. Much of the state’s continued growth can be attributed to its lure as an employment hub, including in the tech space. The Milken Institute’s 2023 “Best-Performing Cities” featured many impacted by Utah’s employment boom, including Provo-Orem — its best-performing city for a third consecutive year — in addition to Logan and St. George as viable options among smaller cities.
A common theme for the states without dense populations has been determining how to best offer sufficient housing. Plagued by challenges stemming from the pandemic, funding for new projects has been difficult to obtain. When available, new housing projects are marred by issues associated with zoning mandates.
Former Utah Sen. Wayne Niederhauser, a real estate broker by trade, was involved in many affordable housing efforts prior to assuming his current role as Utah homeless coordinator in the Office of Homeless Services. While proud of his state’s ability to attract new employment opportunities, he said it doesn’t come without “a little caveat.”
“With all of these new, high-paying jobs there’s more money chasing a limited supply of housing,” Niederhauser said. “Our population could not have sustained such employment growth, so we’ve had huge in-migration from places like California where real estate values are higher. You’ve got all this equity coming in from a state with higher property values chasing after a limited housing supply, and it only multiplies our problem.”
In October 2021, The University of Utah Kem C. Gardner Policy Institute revealed in its “State of the State’s Housing Market” report that more than half of the state households could not afford median-priced homes. In the time since, prices have only increased.
“Our children and grandchildren are priced out at this point unless you’re making a lot of money — almost six figures at this point,” Niederhauser said. “We’ve had unprecedented home appreciation, and we have got great economy, but that does price out social workers, case managers, firefighters, police officers and teachers. Compared to the national level, [Utah] ranks near the top in appreciation and that’s why it’s different here.”
AVENUES FOR RESOLUTION In Maine, where the population grew quicker from 2020-21 than its previous 10-year average, state leaders have remained active in identifying avenues for additional housing.
It’s quite possible the state has even underproduced housing for quite some time, according to Ryan Fecteau, senior advisor of community development and strategic initiatives for the Maine Governor’s Office of Policy Innovation and the Future. However, as Fecteau noted, the issue of affordability and availability has only emerged in the past few years due to in-migration.
“We’ve had net migration of around 37,000 people. For most states, that might not sound like a lot, but for a state of 1.3 million people that is a pretty significant number of individuals moving here,” Fecteau said. “The vast majority of the people moving here as part of the in-migration have been under age 45. So, we’re not talking about retirees calling Maine home; we’re talking about working-age folks. We now have this real gridlock, this stalemate, in our housing sector, where older adults might [be prepared to] downsize but [unsure if ] they’re going to be able to find another housing opportunity.”
Maine Gov. Janet Mills appointed Fecteau to his current role in January as part of a string of efforts to address the state’s pressing need for housing. Maine’s House Speaker from 2020-22, Fecteau sponsored many bills on housing and community development. Among them was LD 1645, which created the Maine Affordable Housing Tax Credit that — to date — remains the state’s largest investment in affordable housing.
Maine’s Affordable Housing Tax Credit is an eight-year program granted $10 million per year, including shares for senior and rural housing. As a result, the state’s investment is matched with federal low-income housing tax credit dollars. To qualify for the program, individuals must earn below 60% of the area’s median income and monthly rent cannot exceed 30% of an individual’s monthly income.
“We’re very lucky that here in our state, we have the leadership of the governor, legislature and lawmakers on both sides of the aisle,” Fecteau said. “This is probably one of those rare issues in today’s politics where you have members on both sides of the aisle resoundingly in favor of tackling this problem.”
— Ryan Fecteau, senior advisor of community development and strategic initiatives for the Maine Governor’s Office of Policy Innovation and the Future
Fecteau reported the completion of 192 housing units since LD 1645 was enacted, with an additional 701 units in the works. The governor’s budget includes an additional $35 million for the tax credit that could lead to the development of 350 more units.
Additional housing initiatives in Maine include the Rural Affordable Rental Program and protecting United States Department of Agriculture Section 515 properties — the latter of which employs the use of the state’s tax credit. Mills has also proposed $10 million for a new Innovation Fund for Attainable Housing, expediting the production of affordable housing for qualified renters and homebuyers.
EQUITY FOR THE “MISSING MIDDLE” Fecteau’s other prominent work came with 2022’s enactment of LD 2003, advancing affordable housing and housing-friendly zoning and land use regulations. The legislation resulted in the creation of a local zoning and land use commission that delivered recommendations to the governor’s office in December 2021 allowing, “Maine property owners to build accessory dwelling units in residential areas and up to two units on a lot zoned for single-family housing.”
Although it could possibly aid growing housing issues, the topic of zoning is a highly debated one. In February, NPR reported on the discussion to end single-family zoning mandates in Arlington, Virginia, thus paving the way for new housing opportunities. As part of Arlington’s “missing middle” housing reform plan, developers could construct multiple units on a single-family lot, including duplexes up to six-unit buildings.
Arlington, much like Minneapolis and the states of Maine, California, Oregon and Washington before it, looked to capitalize on an opportunity to do more than increase affordable housing — it looked to re-establish racial equity in areas previously segregated by single-family zoning laws, as well as limit the need for commuting.
The “missing middle” plan, which was ultimately passed in March, included opposition who believed that not even increased community density would improve pricing. Other local Arlington homeowners were also concerned about potential parking issues, high taxes and flooding.
Public outcry led to city commissioners in Gainesville, Florida, reversing course on their decision to end single-family zoning just months after adopting the plan. Gainesville was originally the first city to adopt the plan after Florida Statute 163.31771 passed in 2021.
The following examples of state adopted affordable housing legislation include that plan and more: California Assembly Bill 2162 (2018) encourages the production of supportive housing statewide by mandating streamlined and expedited approval for such projects and the elimination of minimum parking requirements for developments located within half a mile of public transit.
Florida Statute 163.31771 allows localities with a shortage of affordable rental housing to adopt an ordinance permitting accessory dwelling units in single-family residential areas to increase the availability of affordable housing for low and moderate-income individuals.
Massachusetts State Statute 40B enables local zoning boards of appeals to approve affordable housing developments under flexible rules if at least 20-25% of the units have long-term affordability restrictions.
Oregon HB 2001 (2019) implemented state-level legalization of “missing middle” housing. It expands the areas across the state available for duplex construction.
Utah SB 153 (2023) establishes the Redevelopment Matching Grant Program under which local governments can qualify if they have an approved development application that allows for “the creation of new or additional affordable housing units.”
“People achieve economic prosperity through homeownership. In some cases, being a homeowner is going to be what sets someone up for economic security in their later years,” Fecteau said. “Obviously, we want folks to take every initiative they can to save and plan for retirement, but homeownership is a very critical means to economic security and prosperity.”
State policymakers offer unique, viable solutions to common issues in 2023
By Lexington Souers
Legislatures in 2023 have introduced or pre-filed more than 97,000 bills, resolutions and memorials. Of those, at least 14,000 were enacted into law by June, ranging from workforce development to pass-through entity taxes.
WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT Once COVID-19’s societal impact subsided, states attempted to remedy workforce concerns by passing legislation on sector specific programs, regional development plans and interstate compacts. In 2023, more than 30 bills on interstate compacts have been enacted in more than 15 states.
The Kansas Legislature enacted HB 2288, enabling mental health professionals to join the multistate Counseling Compact. Rep. Susan Ruiz, who helped pass the bill, said its success is a win-win for providers, patients and Kansans. Ruiz is the ranking member of the Health and Human Services Committee and a licensed clinical social worker.
“This is a very bipartisan effort to enhance our workforce,” Ruiz said. “We have put a lot of funding into enhancing our mental health services across the board, but we need the practitioners involved to bring all that to fruition. So, anything that we could do to enhance our workforce, we did it.”
Ruiz said HB 2288 allows practitioners licensed in another state to practice in states that are members of the compact. Practitioners must maintain their licensure, undergo a background check and complete other requirements. Due to these safety measures, patients can feel confident in a provider and protect their continuity of care, which Ruiz said could be “devastating” if interrupted.
Almost every bill on workforce training was passed, leading 24 states to pass more than 85 bills. Minimum wage bills were enacted in five states and 15 unemployment bills passed in four separate states.
ELECTIONS By June, legislators filed more than 1,700 bills relating to elections. Of those, 119 were enacted across 28 states. While the focus of legislation varied, many bills enhanced protections for election officials. It’s those workers who help “operationalize democracy,” according to former election official Veronica Degraffenreid, senior manager of strategic partnerships, elections and government at the Brennan Center for Justice.
Degraffenreid said the Brennan Center completed three surveys, the most recent of which notes that one in three election officials have been abused, harassed or threatened, with three in four seeing an increase in threats.
“What I believe policymakers and lawmakers are doing is a pragmatic approach. They’re like ‘let’s do something and address it,’ but understand that along with the pragmatism is a passion that these are people in our communities. They are our friends. They are our neighbors. We go to school with them and to religious services with them or ballgames. It’s their job to carry out the work and carry out their responsibilities. It’s absolutely something that we need to do, but we should want to do it, and want to make sure that we protect the lives and the livelihood of these American citizens.”
— Veronica Degraffenreid, senior manager of strategic partnerships, elections and government at the Brennan Center for Justice.
Legislation protecting election officials generally follows three paths that potentially result in increased funding, mounting criminal penalties for perpetrators, and/or additional information protection. Funding adds to the physical safety of election offices and polling places. Legislation surrounding doxing prevention and implementing address protection programs allows for increased physical safety and prevents malicious action against an election administrator or poll worker.
“If we want voters, however they participate, to have faith and confidence in the process and the people who are performing those duties, we want election administrators to be focused on conducting fair, accurate and safe elections; we want them to do their duty, their job that is dictated by federal and state law.”
TELEHEALTH Originally designed to provide health care access to rural and underserved areas, telehealth is now in widespread use. However, the popularity of telehealth, especially following its use in 2020, highlighted a need for increased regulation. Legislation in 2023 expanded existing framework to allow out-of-state providers to work with a certain state’s patients, increases prescribing ability for certain drugs and payment parity for services. Multistate legislation could be helpful in allowing providers to uphold state specific licensure requirements, meaning patients have a wider range of care.
Across 22 states, 44 telehealth bills were enacted this year entering June. These bills expanded funding and access to telehealth. Virginia SB 1418, which passed on March 21, permits telehealth entities with state licensed health care providers do not need to maintain an instate address to enroll as a vendor or provider group under Medicaid. The bill also allows health care providers to not maintain a physical presence in the Commonwealth to enroll as a Medicare provider.
“This is a bill with a significant impact on access to quality health care for Virginians, especially those in rural areas like southwest Virginia, which I represent,” said Virginia Sen. Todd Pillion. “In short, it fixes a systemic problem in Medicaid enrollment for Virginia-licensed providers. Prior to this bill, a Virginia licensed provider or provider group must have a physical address in Virginia in order to enroll in the Medicaid program.”
This allows licensed providers who do not have a physical Virginia address to aid patients. At the same time, patients can know the care they are receiving meets state licensing standards and other Medicaid qualifications. Pillion said the legislation reduces regulatory burdens and allows Medicaid to “leverage telemedicine” to better serve both providers and patients.
“The more we can do to reduce regulatory burdens and enhance quality of life, while increasing health care options, is a win for patients, providers and rural communities.”
— Sen. Todd Pillion, Virginia
INSULIN More than 29 bills filed in 23 states were aimed at capping the cost of insulin and other diabetes care-related supplies. Despite recent federal caps, many Americans with diabetes still face high annual insulin costs. In response, states and private companies are capping costs in specific circumstances.
Insulin is relatively easy to produce, given its chemical makeup, but patients are often paying at least four times the amount those in other countries do. Additionally, the cost of pumps and other supplies are often not covered under a cap.
In North Dakota, Sen. Tim Mathern introduced SB 2140 to cap monthly copays at $25 for insulin drugs and supplies for health insurance programs. Mathern said the bill went through several iterations in both house and senate committees.
“The challenge is never-ending — to create a world where each and every person has the right to affordable, accessible and quality health care,” Mathern said. “SB 2140 is one small step toward that goal which I have been working on in the senate since 1986.”
Mathern suggested connecting with families experiencing diabetes and federal advocates to explain the importance of capping insulin costs. As well, he suggested increased education on the issue, especially because of an existing federal cap.
“A challenge in the drafting was identifying what specific items were to be covered by the $25 cap,” Mathern said. “I also found, as a democrat in a red state, it was a great boost to have republican cosponsors.”
CAREER AND TECHNICAL EDUCATION Career and technical education, or CTE, is defined in the Strengthening Career and Technical Education for the 21st Century Act of 2018 as a series of courses that prepares students for futures in technical skills or industries, works to solve the skills gap. Studies show that involvement in CTE leads to higher wages, especially after the completion of advanced coursework. Spreading awareness of these programs and knowledge of the typical CTE student helps increase program success. In addition, integrating CTE courses into high school curriculum provides a benefit for students who may have chosen other classes to meet strict graduation requirements.
High school career and technical education courses prepare students for entry into the workforce by offering hard and soft skills specific to an industry. Students can use these skills immediately after graduation or in postsecondary training. States report that high school students taking at least two CTE courses have a 95% graduation rate. CTE programs provide skilled employees in professions facing labor shortages.
In 2023, 23 bills concerning career and technical education were enacted. At least eight states passed legislation allowing CTE courses to count as high school credit or meet a graduation requirement. Six states — Colorado, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Kansas and Washington — passed general legislation concerning career and technical education, including pilot programs for nurses and joint studies on high school program enrollment.
PASS-THROUGH ENTITY This year, seven states joined 28 others with pass-through entity taxes, according to the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants. An additional two states have also proposed legislation. A partnership, such as an LLC, can elect to pay state and local taxes at the entity level, rather than having those costs “pass through” to the owners. This offers the owner a federal income tax credit to reduce their personal federal income tax. Due to disparities in state taxes, some state residents paid more than others in federal income taxes despite similar incomes. By passing legislation allowing pass through taxes, states can balance the cost of taxes on some citizens.
“We think this will help our West Virginia small businesses that are organized as pass-through entities decrease the amount that owners would have to pay in federal income tax,” said West Virginia Sen. Mike Oliverio, who sponsored SB 151. “In turn, we’re hopeful that will enable them to invest more money into their business, pay more money to their staff, or simply enjoy more the dollars that they’ve earned from their business.”
Oliverio said states have taken various approaches to legislating pass-through taxes, and given that the federal government was not preventing states from passing legislation, he and other West Virginia legislators wanted businesses to have the same benefits as other states.
“At some point, there has to be a balancing of what each of you respectively pay to the federal government in taxes as well,” Oliverio said. “The citizen in West Virginia versus the citizen in [a high tax state] is enjoying the same benefits of the CDC, the United States Army, the Postal Service and all those federal agencies that they’re funding with their taxes.”
