CSG Midwest News

Midwestern lawmakers discuss key policy issues during MLC Annual Meeting in Toronto

State and provincial lawmakers from throughout the Midwest gathered in Toronto in early August for the 65th Annual Meeting of the Midwestern Legislative Conference.
Ohio Sen. Steve Buehrer, MLC chair, presided over the meeting of lawmakers from the Midwestern states and provinces. This year’s meeting was co-hosted by Ontario Speaker Steve Peters and his colleagues in the Legislative Assembly.

Attendees of the four-day conference shared ideas and heard from top experts on a variety of issues of importance to the region’s policymakers, including health care reform, energy, Midwest-Canada relations and education.

This year’s keynote address was delivered by James Fallows, an acclaimed journalist and national correspondent for The Atlantic. Fallows discussed how recent economic trends have impacted the United States and Canada, as well as how both economies can work to be more competitive in the global economy. Highlights of the meeting also included a presentation by renowned political columnist David Broder, who shared insights about the upcoming midterm elections.

During a series of small-group discussions, MLC attendees had the chance to share policy ideas on how to turn around struggling schools, provide incentives for renewable energy production, promote multimodal transportation systems and protect water resources. In addition, the MLC’s five policy committees met during the annual conference, and the Great Lakes Legislative Caucus held a one-day summit on issues such as ballast water regulations and offshore wind-energy generation.

The Midwestern Legislative Conference would like to thank attendees and sponsors of this year’s conference. A summary of the meeting’s events, including presentations from speakers, is now available, as is the post-meeting edition of Stateline Midwest.

Next year’s MLC Annual Meeting will be held July 17-20 in Indianapolis. Registration will open in early 2011.

Congratulations to 2010 graduates of Midwest's premier legislative leadership program

July 19 — On July 13, 37 lawmakers from 11 Midwestern states and three Canadian provinces successfully completed the 16th annual Bowhay Institute for Legislative Leadership Development. The five-day program is produced by the Midwestern Legislative Conference in partnership with the University of Wisconsin Robert M. La Follette School of Public Affairs.

This year's agenda included policy sessions on the regional economy, corrections reform, evidence-based policymaking and government-reform initiatives. In addition, the BILLD fellows participated in a series of professional development sessions on topics such as time management, effective communications, and consensus building and negotiation skills. In addition, a panel of current and former legislative leaders from across the region led a roundtable discussion that focused on strategies for being more-effective legislators and policymakers.

Each year, fellowships are awarded to Midwestern legislators through a competitive, nonpartisan selection process overseen by the MLC's BILLD Steering Committee. Here is a list of the 2010 BILLD class. For more information on BILLD, contact program manager Laura A. Tomaka at 630.925.1922.


Stateline Midwest: States facing key fiscal, policy questions with major Medicaid expansion ahead

July 19 — Of all the changes that will occur as a result of the 2010 federal health care legislation, the one that will have the most substantial impact on state governments is the major expansion of Medicaid.

The cover story of the July-August edition of Stateline Midwest examines the fiscal impact of this expansion, as well as the overall implications on state health care policy and systems in the Midwest. This month's edition also includes articles on a flood control plan for the Mississippi River Valley, gubernatorial veto powers in the Midwest, the impact of a new federal student-loan law, state policies for prisoners with sexually transmitted diseases, and a proposed interstate compact to address concerns about prescription drug abuse.

Pension pains: Firstline Midwest examines state efforts to improve sustainability of public retirement systems

July 13 — In Part 1 of a two-part series on the future of state public retirement systems, the June/July edition of Firstline Midwest focuses on recent legislative actions taken in the Midwest to improve the long-term fiscal sustainability of state pension systems.

Part II will examine how states are trying to better plan for paying for non-pension benefits such as retiree health care.


2010 MLC logo

Thank you to the attendees of the 65th Annual Meeting of the Midwestern Legislative Conference in Toronto, Ontario.

Thank you to the sponsors of the 2010 MLC Annual Meeting.


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The Council of State Governments  Midwestern Office
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Tel: 630.925.1922 ● Fax: 630.925.1930 ● E-mail: csgm@csg.org