Updates from the NGA Membership Team for July 2025. For more about the programs below and a list of upcoming events please email NGA at: membership@nga.org.
July Spotlight
NGA Shares Let’s Get Ready! Recaps & Resources
In 2024, NGA announced “Let’s Get Ready! Educating All Americans for Success,” an initiative launched by 2024-2025 NGA Chair Colorado Governor Jared Polis to ensure all Americans have access to education that prepares them for success in life. Governor Polis’ initiative also aims to equip Governors with a framework they can use to evaluate the effectiveness of education policies and programming.
At the 2025 NGA Summer Meeting, Governor Polis will unveil a roadmap policymakers and elected officials can use to help develop and implement the infrastructure to improve student readiness at all stages of the education journey, starting with the youngest learners. The roadmap will be comprised of the findings detailed at convenings NGA and Governor Polis have held during the past year in support of the Let’s Get Ready! initiative.
During the past year, NGA has held Let’s Get Ready! convenings in Salt Lake City, Denver, Las Vegas, New York City, Washington, D.C. and Vancouver. NGA has released videos and summaries from each convening. These resources can be found here.
NGA SUMMER MEETING
NGA to Host Summer Meeting in Colorado Springs
The NGA Summer Meeting will be held in Colorado Springs, Colorado, July 24-26.
Government Relations
Governors Advocate for Bipartisan Surface Transportation Reauthorization Bill
Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear and South Carolina Governor Henry McMaster, Co-Chairs of NGA’s Economic Development and Revitalization Task Force, sent a letter to Congressional leaders detailing state and territory transportation priorities and urging passage of a bipartisan surface transportation reauthorization bill that upholds a strong state-federal-territorial partnership. Read the letter here.
NGA Releases Roadmap Resource Outlining Federal Priorities for the 119th Congress
At the 2025 Winter Meeting, NGA’s Executive Committee added four bipartisan priorities to the federal priorities developed by NGA’s three Governor-led task forces. Read more about the priorities in NGA’s new Roadmap designed as a resource for Governors and their staff members.
Center for Best Practices
NGA Hosts Legal Counsel Convening
NGA recently hosted Governors’ legal counsel (pictured below) in San Diego for a convening designed to help foster legal discussion, share lessons learned and network with peers. California Governor Gavin Newsom helped kick off the meeting with a video message welcoming attendees to California and offering thanks for the work the legal counsel do to serve the Governors of their states and territories. Convening topics included executive authorities and separation of powers issues, regulating in the digital age, strengthening counsel operations, and ethics and compliance.
NGA Policy Academy to Support Governors’ Offices Around Infectious Disease Outbreaks
The NGA Center and the Center for Outbreak Response Innovation Policy Academy aim to support Governors’ offices in their efforts around infectious disease outbreak forecasting, prevention and response. NGA will lead a project period between June 2025 – June 2026 providing states and territories have the opportunity to learn from their peers, federal authorities, academics, private industry partners and other subject-matter experts. American Samoa, Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands and Guam will participate in the project.
Food as Medicine: A Strategic Shift in State Health Policy
NGA released a written commentary exploring ways Governors across the country are leading efforts to integrate healthy food into healthcare to treat and manage chronic diseases. Known as Food is Medicine, this approach includes services like medically tailored meals and produce prescriptions, which are paid for by the healthcare system and targeted at individuals with specific diet-related conditions. Read the commentary here.
New Video Highlights Governors Observing Great Outdoors Month
Throughout the June observance of Great Outdoors Month, Governors celebrated the positive impact of the outdoor recreation economy and the role of state offices of outdoor recreation. To help elevate ways Governors are advancing the bipartisan support for outdoor recreation opportunities, Outdoor Recreation Roundtable released a new video (below) featuring Governors celebrating Great Outdoors Month.
NGA Launches Rx for a Healthier America Initiative
NGA launched the Rx for a Healthier America Initiative to support Governors’ efforts to reduce the incidence of chronic disease. Project teams from American Samoa, Maryland, Missouri, U.S. Virgin Islands and West Virginia will engage in strategic planning through action planning sessions, a knowledge exchange network, and real-time technical assistance with peers and subject matter experts. More information about the project can be found here.
NGA Selects Four States to Enhance SNAP Employment & Training Programs
NGA and Third Sector Capital Partners selected Idaho, Maryland, North Carolina and South Carolina to take part in the 2025 Policy Academy to Strengthen SNAP E&T Delivery. Through this policy academy, these four states will receive targeted technical assistance to identify and overcome obstacles that hinder the effective implementation of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Employment and Training (SNAP E&T) programs within their jurisdictions.
In Memoriam
NGA Remembers Governor DiPrete
NGA is saddened to share former Rhode Island Governor Edward DiPrete passed away. We extend our condolences to the Governor’s family, friends and the people of Rhode Island. Rhode Island Governor Dan McKee issued this statement on the passing of Governor DiPrete.
Monthly Member Updates
Idaho Governor Brad Little ordered flags to be lowered to half-staff to honor the firefighters recently killed in an ambush attack in North Idaho. The Governor shared, “The entire State of Idaho grieves the profound loss of the firefighters killed in the shocking ambush in North Idaho. All our public safety officers, especially our firefighters, bravely confront danger on a daily basis but we have never seen a heinous act of violence like this on our firefighters before.”
Texas Governor Greg Abbott continues to provide updates about the state’s ongoing response efforts to severe flooding in Texas, including information about resources available to support local flood response and recovery operations. The Governor’s office shared this resource regarding ways to support Texans impacted by flooding.
U.S. Virgin Islands Governor Albert Bryan Jr. celebrated the opening of the Hogensborg Solar Farm on St. Croix, the largest solar installation in Virgin Islands history, noting the project “represents real progress in our energy transformation and our work to ensure reliable and affordable energy for the people of the Virgin Islands.” This story provides more details about the announcement.
Wyoming Governor Mark Gordon released a video featuring educators from across the state to highlight the success of the Building Assets, Reducing Risks (BARR) framework. BARR is helping transform Wyoming schools by strengthening relationships, improving student outcome and creating a culture of support. Through powerful testimonials and real-world examples, the video showcases how this evidence-based approach is making a meaningful difference for students and educators alike.
July in Photos
NGA routinely shares photos of Governors at work. A sampling of this past month’s photo highlights follows.
Top Row (L to R): Guam Governor Lou Leon Guerrero, Washington Governor Bob Ferguson, Arizona Governor Katie Hobbs
Middle Row (L to R): Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry and Nebraska Governor Jim Pillen, Puerto Rico Governor Jenniffer González-Colón, Oregon Governor Tina Kotek
Bottom Row (L to R): Vermont Governor Phil Scott, Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear, West Virginia Governor Patrick Morrisey
