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

Statement from National Governors Association on Fire at Pennsylvania Governor’s Residence

CJPA Briefing on CCJs 2024 Year-End Crime Trends Report

Examining the Current Status and Anticipated Plans for Borders and Ports of Entry

Onboarding Session For Governors’ Legal Counsel

Meet the team

Ken Hardy, Program Director
Lauren Dedon, Senior Legal Policy Advisor
Erin Daneker, Senior Policy Analyst
Maria Kearl, Senior Policy Analyst
Aisley Wallace Harper, 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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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 ...

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

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

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

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

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 ...