Updates from the NGA Membership Team for January 2024. For more about the programs below and a list of upcoming events please email us at: membership@nga.org.
2024 NGA Winter Meeting
NGA Winter Meeting Registration is Open
NGA will host Governors, Governors’ Spouses and Governors’ staff, together with NGA partners, Congressional leaders and invited guests, from February 22-24, for the 2024 NGA Winter Meeting.
The meeting will be held at the Marriott Marquis located at 901 Massachusetts Avenue in Washington, D.C.
Resource: State of the State, Territory & Commonwealth Addresses
Request for Dates of State of the State, Territory Addresses
NGA maintains a resource to provide details about Governors’ state of the state, territory or commonwealth addresses, including the dates of the addresses as well as links to transcripts and/or video of the addresses.
Each year, NGA closely monitors Governors’ state of the state addresses to help inform the organization’s overall communications strategy. Additionally, last year’s resource about Governors’ state of the state addresses was the most viewed commentary on NGA’s website in calendar year 2023.
As offices schedule and announce the dates of the upcoming addresses, we welcome receiving notification of the date so the NGA resource can be updated accordingly.
Communications Spotlight
NGA Promotes Governors’ Disagree Better Videos
NGA is promoting and sharing videos Governors have recorded to highlight NGA Chair Utah Governor Spencer Cox’s Chair’s Initiative: Disagree Better. The videos aim to highlight ways Republicans and Democrats work together, including on issues where policy differences exist.
NGA’s YouTube account features a channel where all of the Governors’ Disagree Better videos can be found.
NGA also created the Disagree Better Video Toolkit to help Governors’ offices and other stakeholders share the videos Governors have recorded to help promote the Disagree Better movement.
Individuals interested in highlighting the Disagree Better initiative are encouraged to share one, some or all of these videos, along with #DisagreeBetter, to help raise awareness about the initiative.
In addition to accessing the videos via NGA’s YouTube channel, videos are also available to download and share via this Google Drive folder.
Governors’ offices interested in recording a video can do so by contacting NGA.
Top NGA Publications of 2023
NGA released “A Best Practices Dozen – Publications 2023” to share a list of the organization’s top publications from 2023.
Last year, visitors to NGA’s website viewed nearly 500 different publications. The publications that received the most views focused largely on wellness, workforce and energy. See the full list here.
Governors Cox and Polis Speak with Meet the Press
NGA Chair Utah Governor Spencer Cox and NGA Vice Chair Colorado Governor Jared Polis recently appeared in a joint interview with NBC’s Meet the Press.
During the interview, the Governors discussed mental health, including the role of social media when addressing mental health care and policies.
NGA’s website maintains numerous mental health resources for Governors’ offices, including “Strengthening Youth Mental Health: A Governor’s Playbook.” New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy unveiled the playbook last July. The playbook was created as part of his 2022-2023 NGA Chair’s Initiative: Strengthening Youth Mental Health.
Watch the interview here and below.
Government Relations
State & Territory Commissions for America’s Semiquincentennial
Established by Congress in 2016, the United States Semiquincentennial Commission, more commonly known as America250, is charged with orchestrating the largest and most inclusive observance of the 250th anniversary of the United States in 2026.
As the federation for the multi-year commemoration across our nation, America250 has set an ambitious goal of fostering the creation of state-level commissions in all American states and territories.
To date, 42 states or territories have created official commissions to plan for America’s Semiquincentennial, as outlined in the map below.
Center for Best Practices – Vice Chair’s Corner
NGA’s Vice Chair Colorado Governor Jared Polis leads the Center for Best Practices.
NGA Center Releases WIOA Workforce Publication
NGA released the publication “Leveraging the 2024–2027 Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) Planning Period to Capitalize on Investment Passed in the 117th Congress: Opportunities for Governors and State Workforce Development Boards.”
The purpose of this document is to provide Governors and state workforce development boards with a menu of actionable steps they can take to play a proactive role in implementing the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA), CHIPS and Science Act and Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) through their WIOA plans and in the four years that follow.
Governor Landry Sworn In
NGA Welcomes Louisiana Governor Landry
Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry took the oath of office, becoming Louisiana’s 57th Governor.
The inauguration ceremony can be viewed here, and the text of the Governor’s inaugural address can be read here.
NGA congratulates Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry and looks forward to working with the Governor, First Lady Sharon Landry and their staff members.
January in Focus
NGA routinely shares photos of Governors at work through the organization’s social media channels. A sampling of this past month’s photo highlights follows.
Top Row (L to R):
Arizona Governor Katie Hobbs spent the morning of Christmas Eve visiting Beatitudes Senior Living Community.
Hawai‘i Governor Josh Green, M.D. embarked on a culinary journey at Daniel K. Inouye International Airport.
Vermont Governor Phil Scott joined the Vermont Afghan Alliance for the grand opening of their new office in Burlington.
Middle Row (L to R):
Alaska Governor Mike Dunleavy and First Lady Rose Dunleavy marked the start of the New Year by sharing a photo featuring their family dog.
Missouri Governor Mike Parson and First Lady Teresa Parson met with the owner of Buc-ee’s Beaver and viewed photos of a new pump station.
Tennessee Governor Bill Lee visited with students attending Chattanooga Prep.
Bottom Row (L to R):
Alabama Governor Kay Ivey swore in Millie, the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency’s Work Zone Safety Dog.
Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro met with two young children.
U.S. Virgin Islands Governor Albert Bryan Jr. met with Virgin Islanders at the 71st Annual Food Fair of the Crucian Christmas Festival.
