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

Briefing on DOJ Programs to Improve School and Community Safety

Briefing on DOJ Programs to Improve School and Community Safety

On Friday, September 2, the National Governors Association Bipartisan Working Group on School and Community Safety hosted the second of a three-part briefing series on the “Bipartisan Safer Communities Act ...
Improving Mental Health Services and Increasing Supportive Services in Schools

Improving Mental Health Services and Increasing Supportive Services in Schools

On Thursday, August 25th, the National Governors Association Bipartisan Working Group on School and Community Safety hosted the first of a three-part briefing series on the “Bipartisan Safer Communities Act ...
2022 Institute for State Criminal Justice and Public Safety Executives

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 ...
Briefing on the 2021-2022 U.S. Supreme Court Term and Impacts for States

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 ...
Bipartisan Safer Communities Act

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 ...
Governors Kick Off Bipartisan Working Group to Drive Solutions on School and Community Safety

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 ...
State of the State: Criminal Justice and Public Safety Priorities

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 ...
Governors Advance Bipartisan Working Group to Drive Solutions on School and Community Safety

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 ...
NGA Chairman & Vice Chairman Issue Statement on Congressional Gun Safety Legislation

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 ...
Letter to President Biden on School Safety

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 ...
Briefing on State-Tribal Legal Affairs

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, ...
Empowering Returning Citizens to Connect to Higher Education and Employment Opportunities

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 ...