Updates from the NGA Membership Team for February 2024. For more about the programs below and a list of upcoming events please email us at: membership@nga.org.
2024 NGA Winter Meeting
Winter Meeting Speakers Announced!
NGA will host the 2024 NGA Winter Meeting in Washington, D.C., February 22-24.
The meeting will feature speakers from government, business, academia and philanthropy.
Attendees will hear from a host of national experts, including Marc Andreessen, Andreessen Horowitz and Netscape Cofounder, and pollster Frank Luntz.
NGA Taskforce Co-Chairs Preview Winter Meeting
Talking Agriculture with Governor Little and Governor Bryan
Idaho Governor Brad Little and U.S. Virgin Islands Governor Albert Bryan Jr. recently shared insights into the work the Education, Workforce and Community Investment Task Force is leading, including details about the meeting the task force will hold during the NGA Winter Meeting.
During the Winter Meeting, the task force co-chairs will lead a discussion on the comprehensive Farm Bill priorities NGA released in September 2023, as well as Congress’s recent provision of a one-year extension on the Farm Bill.
During the meeting, Governors will host U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack and National Association of State Departments of Agriculture CEO Ted McKinney to engage in substantive discussions regarding Farm Bill programs and initiatives actively underway in their states and territories.
Read more from Governors Little and Bryan here.
Talking Disaster Response with Governor Green and Governor Scott
Hawai‘i Governor Josh Green and Vermont Governor Phil Scott, co-chairs of NGA’s Public Health and Disaster Response Task Force, also have provided insights into a meeting the task force will hold during the Winter Meeting.
During the Winter Meeting, the task force will focus on how largescale emergencies continue to threaten national and state response systems. The task force will bring together a number of federal government and private sector leaders, including representatives from FEMA and SAMHSA, to focus on modernizing critical infrastructure models to optimize capacity to navigate long-term recovery efforts.
Read more from Governors Green and Scott here.
Communications Spotlight
NGA Promotes Governors’ State of the State, Territory & Budget Addresses
As Governors continue to deliver their budget and state of the state, territory or commonwealth addresses, NGA updates a resource available through NGA’s website to provide details about Governors’ speeches, including links to transcripts and/or videos of the addresses.
Last year’s resource about Governors’ state of the state addresses was one of the most viewed content pieces on NGA’s website in 2023, and this year’s is on pace to match it.
NGA also highlights Governors’ addresses through the organization’s social sites.
Additionally, NGA closely monitors Governors’ state of the state addresses to help inform the organization’s overall communications strategy.
NGA Highlights Governors’ Disagree Better Videos
NGA continues to promote 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.
The latest video features Maryland Governor Wes Moore and Lonaconing, Maryland Mayor Jack Coburn discussing the importance of having differences without being divisive.
Research shows videos of this nature measurably reduce partisanship. Governor Cox has highlighted this research at Disagree Better events, and more details about this research can be found on NGA’s website.
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 initiative.
Government Relations
NGA Leadership Issues Statement on the Tax Relief for American Families and Workers Act of 2024
NGA Chair Utah Governor Spencer Cox and Vice Chair Colorado Governor Jared Polis released this statement regarding the introduction and House committee markup of the Tax Relief for American Families and Workers Act of 2024.
The statement encouraged “both chambers to move forward with these key bipartisan priorities and pass meaningful legislation as soon as possible to ensure certainty for the 2023 tax filing period.”
The U.S. House of Representatives passed the legislation January 31.
Center for Best Practices – Vice Chair’s Corner
NGA Convenes Ten States to Explore Service as a Pathway to Economic Opportunity
Last month, NGA, with support from the Schultz Family Foundation, brought together 10 state teams comprised of Governors’ advisors, state workforce development system leaders and state service commission leaders to explore service as a pathway to economic opportunity.
Maryland Governor Wes Moore spoke at the event, detailing the impact his signature Service Year Option is set to have in Maryland.
Click here to read more about NGA’s recent event and the work many states are leading to design service-to-career pathways.
NGA Releases Information about Early Childhood Apprenticeships
NGA released a written overview of the recent Human Services Policy Advisors Institute the National Governors Association Children & Families team hosted regarding ways to support the ECE workforce through early childhood apprenticeships. Key takeaways about the meeting can be found here.
NGA Releases Publication on Optimizing Federal COVID Relief Funds
NGA released the new publication “Optimizing Federal COVID Relief Funds: State Perspectives on Bolstering Child Care and Early Childhood Systems.”
This publication examines how states strategically approached managing and administering the historic influx of COVID-19 relief funds, focusing on governance structures, funding management systems and data systems.
To decipher states’ strategic approaches, NGA conducted a series of learning calls with 14 states and hosted an in-person roundtable to ascertain Governors’ offices and state administrators’ perspectives on the topic. Key takeaways and other resources can be found here.
February 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):
Arkansas Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders highlighted outdoor recreation while visiting Mountain Home.
Idaho Governor Brad Little donated blood at the Idaho State Capitol blood drive.
California First Partner Jennifer Siebel Newsom, California Governor Gavin Newsom, Missouri Governor Mike Parson and Missouri First Lady Teresa Parson met before the Super Bowl, sharing they plan to donate signed Super Bowl memorabilia to raise funds for Special Olympics.
Middle Row (L to R):
North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper met with a student at Diggs-Lathan Elementary.
Connecticut Governor Ned Lamont met with a family at the State Capitol before delivering his State of the State address.
Nebraska Governor Jim Pillen visited North End Teleservices.
Bottom Row (L to R):
North Dakota Governor Doug Burgum met with students participating in the All Kids Bike Learn-to-Ride program.
Rhode Island Governor Dan McKee met with a family who bought their first home using the state’s downpayment assistance program.
Nevada Governor Joe Lombardo proclaimed Super Bowl LVIII Week in Nevada.
