The National Governors Association Center for Best Practices formed the Governors Homeland Security Advisors Council in June 2006 to provide an organizational structure in which the homeland security directors from each state and territory can discuss homeland security issues, share information and expertise, and keep governors informed of the issues affecting implementation of homeland security policies in the states.

Mission
The Council brings together the top state homeland security officials from each state and territory to: 1) inform the work of the NGA Center for Best Practices (NGA Center) by sharing ideas and best practices, identifying emerging issues, and reviewing and analyzing the impacts of Federal homeland security activities on the states; and 2) inform the governors of the impacts of Federal homeland security legislation, regulations, and policies on the states.

Objectives
Using the Council as a forum, the state homeland security directors share information and expertise and discuss priority setting and action planning to combat domestic threats at all levels of government. Their objectives include:

• Improving interstate and regional communication.
• Facilitating communication between state and federal agencies.
• Developing a unified state and territorial voice to inform governors of the impacts of federal homeland security legislation, regulations and policies on the states.
• Identifying and setting priorities.

Members
Each state or territory is represented on the Council by its highest homeland security official, as designated by the governor.

Leadership
The Council is led by an executive committee from which the members elect a chair and vice chair. The following officials are members of the Council's executive committee:

• Washington Military Department Director Maj. Gen. Timothy J. Lowenberg, Chair
• California Homeland Security Director Matthew Bettenhausen, Vice Chair
• Alabama Homeland Security Director James Walker
• Michigan Homeland Security Advisor Brig. Gen. Michael McDaniel
• Nebraska Lieutenant Governor Rick Sheehy
• Nevada Homeland Security Director Rick Eaton
• New Mexico Homeland Security & Emergency Management Director Tim Manning
• West Virginia Department of Military Affairs and Public Safety Secretary James W. Spears

Standing Committees
The Council has established standing committees to focus on seven issues identified as top priorities:

• Information Sharing and Information Analysis
• Infrastructure Protection
• Grants and Funding
• Border Security, Immigration and Personal Identification
• Interoperability
• Catastrophic Planning and Preparedness
• Information Technology, Cyber Security and Secure Communications

Meetings
The Council meets twice yearly, conducts regular conference calls and hosts online forums.

Resources

• Overview of States Homeland Security Governance
  This analysis describes state homeland security organizational structures that governors established subsequent to September 11, 2001.

• Council members participated in the National Election Security Task Force to discuss election security and contingency issues and to develop an election security template to be utilized by states in preparation for the 2008 presidential election.

• The National Homeland Security Consortium developed a white paper to address the need for a modern approach to homeland security.