Webinars

Policymakers across the country continue to focus on expanding the collaboration between education--at the high school and postsecondary levels--and economic development in an effort to develop a highly skilled and competitive workforce. Cooperation between the education and economic development sectors in state government, combined with active input from the corporate sector, is a critical factor in recruiting and retaining industry, particularly in manufacturing. Several states in The Council of State Governments' Southern...

While marijuana use for medicinal purposes has been on the legislative agenda in many states outside the Southern region for a number of years, Southern state legislatures only recently have begun to grapple with the complexities of the issue. Many Southern lawmakers cite stories of families with children suffering from severe seizure or muscular disorders as the impetus for the push toward some form of legalization. But for every family that puts a face on the issue, lawmakers are confronted with a plethora of questions about the science behind medical marijuana and about ways to implement a program in their state.

Tooth decay affects nearly 60 percent of American children. More than one in three adults reports not visiting a dentist in the last year. Though dental care was once considered merely cosmetic, its importance to overall health is well documented. Untreated decay can lead to serious, potentially life-threatening infection. Pregnancy outcomes and heart disease also are linked to dental disease. 

This eCademy session explored how the Affordable Care Act can bring coverage to more children and adults in states that expand...

MAP-21, the 2012 federal surface transportation authorization bill, is set to expire later this year. Meanwhile, the Highway Trust Fund faces an insolvency crisis due to rapidly dwindling gas tax revenues, and there appears to be little agreement in Congress on how to fund the federal transportation program. Some say that makes this year ripe for a reconsideration of the federal role in transportation and have proposed devolution of the federal program to the states.

Interstate compacts often are seen as a way for states to work cooperatively to avoid federal intervention; however there is considerable precedence for federal participation in interstate compacts. In fact, federal officials are active in several compacts, with participation ranging from congressional consent to direct federal involvement.