Category: State Talk

Westrends Board Recap:

Co-Chairs, New Mexico Senator Liz Stefanics and Wyoming Representative Landon Brown would like to thank Hawaii Senator Lynn DeCoite and Montana Senator Mike Cuffe, who both agreed to introduce the speakers and facilitate the discussion on this very important topic, and to recognize and thank the speakers below who brought their expertise to share and especially Alaska Representative Sara Hannan, one of the committee’s members, who kindly agreed to co-facilitate the session with MLA Hunter.  

A growing number of utilities join Regional Transmission Organizations (RTOs) for better planning

Rikki Seguin, Executive Director of Interwest Energy Alliance, explained that a Regional Transmission Organization (RTO) is an electric power transmission operator that coordinates, controls, and monitors a regional electric grid and is a critical tool for planning transmission. Seven RTOs and Independent System Operators (ISOs) nationwide cover two-thirds of the electricity consumed. Though states must maintain grid reliability and keep costs low, there is a need for more renewables and transmission lines, given that 80% of energy use in the West aligns with state-driven decarbonization policies.

Regulatory proceedings and state mandates in Western states are advancing progress toward RTOs. Colorado and Nevada have passed legislation signed by their Governors requiring utilities to join an RTO by 2030.

The Western Electricity Coordinating Council (WECC) provides resource-neutral grid reliability across the western region

Kris Raper is Vice President of Strategic Engagement & External Affairs; she coordinates and oversees engagement with the resource-neutral Western Electricity Coordinating Council (WECC’s) strategic partners and stakeholders. Her background as commissioner for the Idaho Public Utilities Commission and as one of two Western representatives on the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) gives her a unique perspective.

Kris recalled the 2003 Northeast blackout that extended to the Midwestern United States and most parts of the Canadian province of Ontario in August. While this should have been a manageable situation, it was not due to an inability to redistribute energy loads. The Energy Policy Act in 2005 directly resulted from this event as the need to ensure reliability and transmission became priorities. WECC is a non-profit corporation that FERC has approved as the Regional Entity for the Western Interconnection, which includes 14 Western States, 2 Canadian Provinces, and Northern Baja California. She, too, agrees that governance is central to how RTOs operate.

The post Powering the West Through a Reliable Energy Grid appeared first on CSG West.

Public Safety Committee Recap:

Alaska Senator Matt Claman, co-chair of the CSG West Public Safety Committee, was graciously joined by Washington Senator Jesse Salomon. CSG West thanks Senator Salomon for stepping in to present legislative efforts and co-facilitate the session.

Addressing gaps in juvenile justice to identify a path forward 

Ben Eikey, Levin Center for Oversight and Democracy, and Senator Jesse Salomon (WA) presented data and legislative perspectives on juvenile justice reform, including:

• Reducing juvenile incarceration rates
• Increasing diversion from the juvenile justice system
• Reducing recidivism
• Addressing mental and behavioral health issues
• Increasing data sharing

Eikey provided a historical perspective going back to the 1990s when there was a growing nationwide sentiment to be tough on crime. Following this period, there was a rampant increase in trying 16 and 17-year-olds as adults. Texas even created a maximum-security prison for juveniles. Approximately 4,000 youths were in detention centers for low-level offenses such as delinquency, skipping school, and petty theft. In 2006, state legislatures began hearing testimony, including the impact on the mental health and suicide rates of juveniles incarcerated in adult prisons.

A trajectory of progress: Connecticut case study

In Connecticut, a joint bipartisan committee was dedicated solely to evaluating policies related to the juvenile justice system, including recommendations on how to reduce juvenile incarceration rates, increase diversion from the juvenile justice system, reduce recidivism, and address mental and behavioral health issues. 

Between 2015 and 2018, enacted legislation eliminated mandatory minimums for low-level drug offenses, strengthened visitation policies for all prisoners with children under age 18, raised the age of juvenile justice jurisdiction to 21, prohibited discrimination in employment, housing, public education, insurance, and government program and services based on criminal history. View their dashboard here to track progress and legislation.

Senator Salomon shared Washington House Bill 1324 concerning scoring prior juvenile offenses in sentencing range calculations. The bill intended to enact the juvenile justice system’s goals of rehabilitation and reintegration. Some of those goals included bringing Washington in line with most states that do not consider prior juvenile offenses in sentencing range calculations for adults. The reason for not doing so is the expansive body of scientific research on brain development. Specifically, an adolescent’s perception, judgment, and decision-making differ significantly from that of adults. Another reason is facilitating due process within the juvenile court system. Members expressed great interest in this legislation and shared their states’ efforts and experiences addressing it.

Improving Outcomes for Youth (IOYouth) – CSG Justice Center

The CSG Justice Center provides valuable juvenile justice resources. The Improving Outcomes for Youth (IOYouth) works with state and local jurisdictions to align their policies, practices, and resource allocation with what research shows works to reduce recidivism and improve outcomes for youth while enhancing public safety. You can access many resources here: CSG Improving Youth Outcomes Program Juvenile Justice Equity Dashboard.

The post Enhancing Reforms in Public Safety: Juvenile Justice appeared first on CSG West.

Education Committee Recap

In today’s educational landscape, it is crucial to comprehend the mechanisms that underpin school funding. Presenters Michael Griffith and Justin Silverstein guided audience members through a comprehensive examination of school funding formula structures, including attributes of a high-quality formula, variations in funding across states, and emerging issues in school finance.

Predictability ensures administrators can anticipate funding changes 

The core of school funding lies in the formulation of a funding formula where primary and categorical funding sources intersect. High-quality funding formulas aspire to be adequate and equitable but also flexible, adaptable, and predictable. The emphasis on predictability ensures that administrators can anticipate funding changes based on shifts in student populations.

Adaptability in funding formulas comes with a cautionary note–as policy choices increase, the flexibility available to districts diminishes 

Foundation formulas, a prevalent approach, multiply a foundation amount by a weighted student count to determine total funding. This foundation amount varies across states, ranging from $4,015 to $11,525, and can be determined based on research, past expenditures, educational inputs, or the state’s financial capacity. Funding weights are additional resources allocated to high-need student groups like at-risk or special education students. The formula’s final step involves dividing total foundation funding by a district’s ability to pay, yielding state foundation funding.

The widespread adoption of foundation formulas stems from their practicality, offering states and districts an easily adjustable mechanism that balances educational objectives with economic realities. Yet, this adaptability comes with a cautionary note – as policy choices increase, the flexibility available to districts diminishes, emphasizing the delicate balance between standardization and local autonomy in the pursuit of effective school funding.

 
“Costing Out Studies” can determine resources for students to meet standards 

Emerging issues in school funding include Costing Out Studies, which determine resources needed for students to meet state standards, and debates on prescriptive targeted funds for special needs populations. Approaches like “professional judgment,” “evidence-based,” “education-cost function,” and “successful school districts” offer varying perspectives and methodologies in implementing these studies.

Multiple Approaches

Using multiple approaches allows triangulation of results and enhanced analysis. Prescriptive Funding Policies involve balancing flexibility and interventions, with some states imposing guardrails and specific requirements, such as Nevada and Maryland. At-Risk/Poverty Counts have evolved, with direct certification and census block data gaining prominence to identify students’ needs accurately. The landscape reflects a complex interplay of methodologies and policies aimed at ensuring equitable and effective school funding.

Legislators discuss school funding

A diverse panel of Western legislators related school funding topics to their respective states, sharing challenges, opportunities, and insights. Panelists included:

Alaska Representative Alyse Galvin Member, House Finance Committee

California Assemblymember Al Muratsuchi Chair, Assembly Committee on Education

Nevada Senator Marilyn Dondero Loop Chair, Senate Finance Committee

Washington Representative Kristine Reeves Co-Sponsor, HB 1436, Funding Special Education

Washington Senator Claire Wilson Chair, Senate Human Services Committee Vice-Chair, Senate Early Learning & K-12 Education Committee

Adequately funding institutional education

Among the many topics highlighted, Senator Claire Wilson discussed efforts to fund institutional education within Washington’s juvenile justice system. Acknowledging historic K-12 investments following the state’s 2018 McCleary decision, she conversely described a critical lack of funding for justice-involved youth students.

Notably, Senator Wilson shared that most students in Washington’s institutional facilities qualify for an Individualized Education Program (IEP), therefore necessitating special education services.

As co-chair of Washington’s Joint Select Committee on Governance and Funding for Institutional Education, Wilson detailed current and upcoming committee work to address shortfalls in institutional funding. The committee is tasked with examining and evaluating revisions to statutes, funding formulas, funding sources, and operating and capital budget appropriation to assign delineated basic education responsibilities to the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction. With a special focus on adequately funding juvenile justice students, the Select Committee will be reporting back to the Governor and the Legislature by December 1, 2024.

Teacher retention and inflationary challenges

Representative Alyse Galvin described Alaska’s teacher retainment challenges, contending that reinstatement of a defined benefit retirement program would support enhanced retention. Following the state’s switch from defined benefits to a defined contribution, Galvin asserts that significant numbers of educators complete their training years in Alaska, then transfer their portable retirement account to a new state for further career building.

Representative Galvin also highlighted the inflationary impact on Alaska’s K-12 funding. She provided data illustrating the Base Student Allocation (BSA) from fiscal years 2012-2023, in which the BSA of $5,930 in FY23 has a FY12 value of $4,776 when adjusted for inflation. With the actual 2012 BSA of $5,680, Galvin emphasized the added strain inflation has placed on current resource allocation, asserting that education budget considerations must reflect rising costs.

At the centerpiece of her comments, Galvin maintained that building greater “trust” among the legislature, executive branch, school districts, and educators is paramount for effectively funding student education.

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