Ranked (Or Rankled?): States Consider Ranked Choice Voting Methods

Throughout American history, the method of elections and voting rules have changed regularly — whether legislatively or through court actions. Currently, a new(er) frontier is forming regarding a form of voting that could upend how states in the South (and nationwide) currently hold their elections and runoffs: ranked-choice voting.* Despite its novelty, these proposals have seen a broad spectrum of bipartisan support – and opposition.

Click here to read and download the full publication

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Southern Pulse Newsletter, June

Can you believe it is almost time for #SLCWV2024?

Each member of the CSG South Staff team, from accounting to our event planners to policy and marketing, has pulled in hundreds of hours of planning and attending to the thousands of details that, when combined, have created the most anticipated Southern Legislative Conference to date. However, we could never have pulled it off without our host state leadership’s tireless work and vision. To the staff and legislative leaders in West Virginia who make SLC 2024 possible, we continue to thank you and can’t wait to help you showcase all your beautiful state has to offer. 

See you at The Greenbrier!

Lindsey G.

Click here to read Southern Pulse- June 2024

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Nuclear Waste: What It Is and How the United States Handles It

Nuclear waste related to nuclear energy can be divided into two categories: low-level waste and high-level waste. Currently, four low-level waste storage facilities exist across the country. Southern states can ship low-level waste out of state (with the exceptions of South Carolina and Texas, both of which house facilities, though South Carolina currently does not accept waste from other Southern states). For high-level waste, there is no long-term high-level waste storage facility in the United States. Therefore, high level nuclear waste is stored onsite or near active and deactivated reactors. This is seen as a temporary solution until a long-term high-level nuclear waste facility is built, which has been delayed for decades.

Click Here to Read and Download the Full Publication

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Restricting Foreign Ownership Of Land In Southern States

The conversation on restricting foreign ownership of U.S. land has grown in recent years as debates continue over how the issue affects national security and food security within the country. As a result, state legislators across the country have introduced bills to curb the number of foreign individuals, entities, or governments that can acquire or invest in U.S. real estate, specifically agricultural land and land located near military installations or key infrastructure.

In 2023, more than half of the states in the country took some form of action on this issue and nearly all Southern states have passed legislation enacting some form of restriction of foreign ownership of local land.

As of March 2024, the only states in the South without general prohibitions or restrictions on foreign ownership of land are Georgia, Kentucky, Texas, and North Carolina, though each of these states has introduced legislation on the issue. In addition, South Carolina and Mississippi currently have restrictions, but legislation has been introduced in both states to create additional measures to curb foreign ownership of land. Currently, South Carolina allows up to 500,000 acres and Mississippi allows up to 320 acres.

Click here to read and download the full publication

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Southern Pulse Newsletter, May

Let the countdown begin! Our highly anticipated Southern Legislative Conference at The Greenbrier is less than 60 days away, and the excitement has begun! The CSG South and West Virginia teams are hard at work ensuring that we deliver the best regional conference experience in the nation. 

Our keynote speakers, policy sessions, government staff tracks, and learning labs are all booked with outstanding presenters and topics selected by you, our members! We guarantee that robust programming and expert insights will spark conversation and inspire innovation. You might find your next big idea at SLC!

We have completed our travel around the South, finishing our 2024 State Visits this past week in North Carolina. Thank you to every member who took our meetings, sat with us, and heard all about CSG South! Don’t forget to always utilize our team whenever you need us—we are here for you! 

Looking forward to seeing you!
Lindsey G.

Click here to read Southern Pulse- May 2024

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Southern Pulse Newsletter, April

Spring has officially sprung at CSG South! We have completed a four-month-long office renovation with our entire team settling back in and enjoying seeing each other’s faces again. If you are ever near the ATL, feel free to stop by for a visit or work from our office. We would love to see you!

We continue to move through State Visits by visiting Louisiana (April 16-18), Alabama (April 23 – 24), and Arkansas (April 30 – May 1) this month. Keep an eye out for emails from my team so that we can schedule a meeting with you to discuss all things CSG South!

Lastly, we are sending out an all-call. Around our region, state agencies and officials are working hard to find innovative solutions to improve customer service, address policy challenges, and save taxpayer dollars while providing for citizens’ needs. As we move closer to awarding the State in Transformation in Action Recognition (STAR) award, presented during SLC, the search continues for programs that exemplify innovative qualities. If you know a program that is a STAR, please click here to apply. The deadline is May 17th. 

All the best,
Lindsey G.

Click here to read Southern Pulse – April 2024

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Examining State-Level Recidivism Trends in the Second Chance Act Era

From The Council of State Governments Justice Center, this report highlights the significant progress made in reducing recidivism across the country over the past 15 years. Since its passage in 2008, the Second Chance Act has invested in state and local efforts to improve outcomes for people leaving prison and jail, with a total of nearly 1,200 grantees from 48 states and 3 territories administering programs that have served more than 400,000 people.

You can read more here or download the full report below.

Download Full Report Here

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