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

Meet the team

  • Ken Hardy, Program Director
  • Lauren Dedon, Senior Legal Policy Advisor
  • Erin Daneker, Policy Analyst
  • Maria Kearl, Policy Analyst
  • Camille Lodugnon, Policy Coordinator

NGA Public Safety & Legal Counsel 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.

Governors’ Legal Counsel
Network

The Governors’ Legal Counsel Network is comprised of chief legal counsel, general counsel, and legal deputies to Governors. As part of this network, counsel have the unique opportunity to share best practices and legal lessons learned with peers across the nation. NGA convenes legal counsel on regular briefing calls, hosts counsel at an annual meeting, and provides ad hoc technical assistance and research support to the network on a vast array of legal and policy issues.

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. Members connect with their peers to share lessons learned, receive briefings from national experts on best practices and receive ongoing technical support from NGA staff.


Resources

Governors Stand Against Antisemitism

Governors Stand Against Antisemitism

Hate crimes are on the rise, jumping 11.6% in 2021, according to the latest FBI data. Among the more than 12,000 victims reported, 65% were targeted due to race, ethnicity ...
Supporting Successful Workforce Reentry for Justice-Involved Individuals

Supporting Successful Workforce Reentry for Justice-Involved Individuals

As Governors continue to address workforce shortages in nearly every sector of the economy, state workforce development policymakers and their private sector partners remain focused on increasing labor force participation ...
Briefing on Government Ethics Considerations

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 ...
State Strategies to Address the Needs of Justice-Involved Youth Impacted by Collateral Consequences

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 ...
DPAD Learning Collaborative

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 ...
Onboarding Session for Governors’ Legal Counsel

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 ...
4 States to Participate in NGA Learning Collaborative on Strategies to Support the Development of State-Level DPAD Initiatives

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 ...
Briefing on the 2022-2023 U.S. Supreme Court Term

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 ...
Memorandum on Actions of the Bipartisan Working Group on School and Community Safety

Memorandum on Actions of the Bipartisan Working Group on School and Community Safety

Following the tragic school shooting in Uvalde, Texas, former National Governors Association (NGA) Chair Arkansas Governor Asa Hutchinson, and former NGA Vice Chair and current Chair New Jersey Governor Phil ...
Briefing on State Legal Considerations Related to Gubernatorial Transition Planning

Briefing on State Legal Considerations Related to Gubernatorial Transition Planning

On Thursday, October 27, the National Governors Association hosted a briefing on State Legal Considerations Related to Gubernatorial Transition Planning. The call featured a discussion with governors’ counsel who are ...
Briefing on State Legal Considerations Related to Major Infrastructure Projects

Briefing on State Legal Considerations Related to Major Infrastructure Projects

On Thursday, September 15, the National Governors Association hosted a briefing on State Legal Considerations Related to Major Infrastructure Projects. The call was a joint briefing for Governors’ legal counsel ...
Webinar on Programs Designed to Mitigate Gang Reengagement

Webinar on Programs Designed to Mitigate Gang Reengagement

On September 22nd, 2022, the National Governors Association hosted the virtual webinar on Programs Designed to Mitigate Gang Reengagement. This webinar convened subject matter experts, service providers, and individuals with ...