Public Safety and Legal Counsel

Governors legal counsel serve as senior staff, overseeing legal issues with legislation, policy, executive orders, administrative actions, and executive appointments. Additionally, Governors are focused on public safety, crime, delinquency and related social and economic consequences. NGA serves the needs of governors and their policy advisors in a broad range of criminal, sentencing, corrections and justice-related policies.

Latest

Briefing on Government Ethics Considerations

On Monday, February 27, the National Governors Association hosted its monthly legal counsel briefing, which discussed state and territorial ethics issues. Ensuring high ethical standards for both the government institution ...
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State Strategies to Address the Needs of Justice-Involved Youth Impacted by Collateral Consequences

This publication documents a series of learning calls, and a roundtable, held by NGA on collateral consequences for youth involved in the juvenile justice system and highlights key policy strategies ...
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DPAD Learning Collaborative

In January 2023, participants from Illinois, Nevada, North Carolina and Pennsylvania attended the kickoff meeting for the National Governors Association’s (NGA) Learning Collaborative on Strategies to Support the Development of ...
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Onboarding Session for Governors’ Legal Counsel

On Tuesday, January 31, the National Governors Association hosted an onboarding session for Governors’ legal counsel. The call discussed the role generally and highlighted key challenges and lessons for success ...
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4 States to Participate in NGA Learning Collaborative on Strategies to Support the Development of State-Level DPAD Initiatives

National Governors Association to Work with Illinois, Nevada, North Carolina, and Pennsylvania on Developing a State-Level Deflection and Pre-Arrest Diversion Initiative WASHINGTON – Illinois, Nevada, North Carolina, and Pennsylvania will ...
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Briefing on the 2022-2023 U.S. Supreme Court Term

On Thursday, December 8, the National Governors Association hosted its monthly legal counsel briefing which previewed the current 2022-2023 U.S. Supreme Court term. The briefing discussed cases currently accepted by ...
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NGA Public Safety networks

Governors Criminal Justice Policy Advisors Network

The Governors Criminal Justice Policy Advisors (CJPAs) Network provides a forum for governors’ criminal and juvenile justice policy advisors to connect with their peers in other states, promote regional information sharing and collaboration, and learn about best practices and the latest research in the field. NGA convenes CJPAs for an annual institute and offers customized technical assistance to them as requested through research and strategic planning support.

Consortium Of State Public Safety Executives

The Consortium of State Public Safety Executives is a network of cabinet-level secretaries and commissioners from across the country who are responsible for oversight of their state’s public safety enterprise, including state police, fire, corrections, emergency management and/or other related agencies. Through the consortium, members can connect with their peers in other states to share lessons learned, receive briefings from national experts on best practices in the field and receive ongoing technical support from NGA staff.

Meet the team

Ken Hardy, Program Director
Lauren Dedon, Senior Legal Policy Advisor
Erin Daneker, Policy Analyst
Maria Kearl, Policy Analyst
Micaja Verna, Policy Coordinator

Resources

2022 Institute for State Criminal Justice and Public Safety Executives

The 2022 Institute for State Criminal Justice and Public Safety Executives was held on August 16-17th in Annapolis, Maryland. Hosted by the National Governors Association (NGA) and the National Criminal ...
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Briefing on the 2021-2022 U.S. Supreme Court Term and Impacts for States

On Tuesday, August 2, the National Governors Association hosted its monthly legal counsel briefing which reviewed the 2021-2022 U.S. Supreme Court term. The briefing discussed Court decisions and other Court ...
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Bipartisan Safer Communities Act

The Bipartisan Safer Communities Act of 2022 (P.L. 117-159), aims to combat gun violence, and includes provisions that will improve access to mental health care and help equip schools with ...
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Governors Kick Off Bipartisan Working Group to Drive Solutions on School and Community Safety

The National Governors Association released the following statement on the first meeting of a bipartisan working group that will study and make recommendations designed to combat gun violence and provide ...
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State of the State: Criminal Justice and Public Safety Priorities

Governors’ 2022 State of the State speeches highlighted various efforts to address a myriad of criminal justice and public safety issues set to challenge the nation in the year ahead ...
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Governors Advance Bipartisan Working Group to Drive Solutions on School and Community Safety

National Governors Association Chair Arkansas Governor Asa Hutchinson and National Governors Association Vice Chair New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy released the following statement on the formation of a bipartisan working ...
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NGA Chairman & Vice Chairman Issue Statement on Congressional Gun Safety Legislation

WASHINGTON D.C. – National Governors Association (NGA) Chairman Arkansas Governor Asa Hutchinson and NGA Vice Chair New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy have issued the following statement responding to the bipartisan ...
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Letter to President Biden on School Safety

National Governors Association Chair Arkansas Governor Asa Hutchinson and National Governors Association Vice Chair New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy sent a letter to President Joseph R. Biden, Jr. regarding the ...
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Briefing on State-Tribal Legal Affairs

On Tuesday, May 31, the National Governors Association hosted a its monthly legal counsel briefing on State-Tribal Legal Affairs. The call provided a high-level overview of the state-tribal legal landscape, ...
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Empowering Returning Citizens to Connect to Higher Education and Employment Opportunities

The 2022 NGA Winter Workforce Symposium Highlight featured a session on empowering people leaving prison in the workforce through connecting them to higher education and employment opportunities. by Rachel Hirsch ...
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State Targeted Violence Prevention: Programming & Key Performance Indicators

A resource to develop communities statewide that are well-equipped to prevent targeted violence. (Download) State Targeted Violence Prevention The following resource aims to serve as a guide for U.S. state ...
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State Efforts to Improve the Continuum of Care for Substance Use Disorder and Opioid Use Disorder

Lessons Learned from the National Governors Association Substance Use Disorder Learning Collaborative in Six States (Download) Executive Summary In June 2020, the National Governors Association (NGA) launched the Strengthening Substance ...
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