On December 8-9, 30 newly elected legislators attended the Policy Academy for Newly Elected Legislators (PANEL) series in Orlando, Florida.  The series offers training and information that provides valuable, timely and objective policy insights on critical education issues facing states. Through this effort, legislators elected in 2010 or 2011 who were appointed to legislative education committees received critical policy information on education issues they either face now or are likely to face in the future.  

International trade has become a global reality that affects every American business, from small and medium enterprises to large corporations. The smooth flow of legitimate trade and travel across borders is instrumental in creating and maintaining jobs and strengthening the supply chain between states and nations. The North American Free Trade Agreement, or NAFTA, is the largest of its kind and represented $918 billion in total goods trade for the U.S. in 2010. In this session, senior officials from the NAFTA countries will discuss the agreement, the challenges and opportunities it represents, and the future of trade in North America.

International trade has become a global reality that affects every American business, from small and medium enterprises to large corporations. The smooth flow of legitimate trade and travel across borders is instrumental in creating and maintaining jobs and strengthening the supply chain between states and nations. The North American Free Trade Agreement, or NAFTA, is the largest of its kind and represented $918 billion in total goods trade for the U.S. in 2010. In this session, senior officials from the NAFTA countries will discuss the agreement, the challenges and opportunities it represents, and the future of trade in North America.

International trade has become a global reality that affects every American business, from small and medium enterprises to large corporations. The smooth flow of legitimate trade and travel across borders is instrumental in creating and maintaining jobs and strengthening the supply chain between states and nations. The North American Free Trade Agreement, or NAFTA, is the largest of its kind and represented $918 billion in total goods trade for the U.S. in 2010. In this session, senior officials from the NAFTA countries will discuss the agreement, the challenges and opportunities it represents, and the future of trade in North America.

The transportation systems of Canada, the U.S. and Mexico are tied together in myriad ways and support hundreds of billions of dollars in commerce. Each nation faces its own unique challenges in the years ahead to ensure those systems continue to allow them to remain competitive in the global economy. This session examined how each country is addressing those challenges and what innovative ideas to improve transportation are worth examining elsewhere in North America.

The transportation systems of Canada, the U.S. and Mexico are tied together in myriad ways and support hundreds of billions of dollars in commerce. Each nation faces its own unique challenges in the years ahead to ensure those systems continue to allow them to remain competitive in the global economy. This session examined how each country is addressing those challenges and what innovative ideas to improve transportation are worth examining elsewhere in North America.

The transportation systems of Canada, the U.S. and Mexico are tied together in myriad ways and support hundreds of billions of dollars in commerce. Each nation faces its own unique challenges in the years ahead to ensure those systems continue to allow them to remain competitive in the global economy. This session examined how each country is addressing those challenges and what innovative ideas to improve transportation are worth examining elsewhere in North America.

With recent advances in a process known as hydraulic fracturing or “fracking,” the U.S. may soon be able to boost its energy security while bolstering our economy and creating jobs. Large shale deposits throughout the U.S. are suddenly seeing a flurry of activity that’s being hailed by some for its economic development and criticized by others for environmental concerns. More than 20 percent of U.S. states have proven reserves of oil and gas locked in shale and the economic benefits nationally as well as within each of these states may be tremendous and far-reaching. In this session, experts on all sides of the hydraulic fracturing debate discussed what its production may mean for your state.