Updates from the NGA Membership Team for October 2022. For more about the programs below and a list of upcoming events please email us at: membership@nga.org.
Chair’s Initiative
First Chair’s Initiative Roundtable to Occur in Salt Lake City
NGA will host the first roundtable convening for NGA Chair New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy’s 2022-23 Chair’s Initiative on Strengthening Youth Mental Health in Salt Lake City, Utah.
This meeting will begin with lunch on Tuesday, October 18, and conclude midday on Wednesday, October 19. The roundtable will bring together Governors, First Spouses, private sector leaders, and policy and subject matter experts for a conversation on states’ roles in strengthening youth mental health. In addition to the discussions on youth mental health, this event will also feature a roundtable discussion on maternal and infant health, a top policy priority of New Jersey First Lady Tammy Murphy.
Gubernatorial Elections Resource
NGA Gubernatorial Elections Webpage
NGA maintains an informational webpage providing facts about the 2022 gubernatorial elections in the states and territories. This resource also provides information about past gubernatorial elections.
In 2022, gubernatorial elections will be held in 36 states and three territories, with 31 incumbent Governors eligible to run for re-election and eight Governors not eligible or not seeking reelection.
The General Election date is November 8.
Government Relations
Congress Passes Short-Term Funding; Governors Call for Full-Year Appropriations
NGA Chair New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy and Vice Chair Utah Governor Spencer Cox released a statement after the Senate and House passed a continuing resolution (CR) that will fund government operations through December 16.
The statement reads:
“Governors thank Congress for passing a short-term funding bill that will provide the needed assurance of continued government operations beyond September 30.
“The measure includes vital recovery funding for recent disasters, an extension of the National Flood Insurance Program, and additional support for home heating assistance in advance of the winter months.
“Included in the CR is an extension of the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program and the Maternal, Infant, and Early Childhood Home Visiting Programs (MIECHV), which expire at the end of the month. TANF provides essential funding to help states and territories deliver benefits and services that help families experiencing poverty achieve economic mobility, and MIECHV provides grants to states and territories to support home visiting programs for at-risk pregnant women and families.
“In addition, we applaud the extension of the increased federal medical assistance percentage (FMAP) for Puerto Rico, American Samoa, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI), Guam, and the U.S. Virgin Islands through December 16. “Governors call on the President to swiftly sign the CR and urge Congress to pass full-year appropriations as soon as possible. States and territories succeed when there is certainty and stability in federal resources.”
NGA Urges Congress to Reauthorize MIECHV
NGA joined ten other state and local organizations to send a letter to the Chairs and Ranking Members of the Senate Finance Committee and House Ways & Means Committee, who oversee the Maternal, Infant, and Early Childhood Visiting (MIECHV) program, requesting reauthorization of the MIECHV program.
MIECHV reaches pregnant women, expectant fathers, parents and caregivers of children under the age of five. Families choose to participate in home visiting programs and partner with health, social service and child development professionals to set and achieve goals that improve their health and well-being.
Governors Urge Congress to Include LIHEAP Funding
Connecticut Governor Ned Lamont, Maine Governor Janet Mills, Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker, New Hampshire Governor Chris Sununu, Rhode Island Governor Dan McKee and Vermont Governor Phil Scott sent a letter to the Senate and House Committee on Appropriations urging them to include emergency supplemental funding for the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) on top of the annual appropriation to address increasing home energy bills that likely will be exacerbated this winter as a result of volatile global energy markets.
cybersecurity Awareness Month
To mark the October observance of Cybersecurity Awareness Month, NGA’s communications team will continue to amplify the work Governors are leading on cybersecurity by highlighting the work on NGA’s Resource Center for State Cybersecurity webpage and NGA’s social media channels. Join the conversation by using the hashtags #CyberMonth and #StateCyber.
As a reminder, NGA has started a renewed NGA Governors’ Cybersecurity Policy Advisors Network. Governors’ offices are invited to designate a representative to participate in this network. Contact information for the designated participant/s can be sent to NGA’s Membership team.
Upcoming October Observations
Lights on Afterschool
States are invited to participate in Lights on Afterschool starting October 20. Lights on Afterschool is the only nationwide event celebrating afterschool programs and their important role in the lives of children, families and communities. Governors have previously marked the occasion in a number of ways, including issuing proclamations, hosting events and lighting up the Governor’s residence. A toolkit provides resources for states interested in marking the occasion.
Red Ribbon Week
During the last week of October, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and countless organizations across the country observe Red Ribbon Week. Red Ribbon continues to be a program aimed at youth and young adults at the local level to encourage them to sign anti-drug pledges and commit to living a drug-free life.
Through the Go Red for Red Ribbon Week initiative, the DEA is reaching out to community, city and state leaders to encourage the lighting in red of public landmarks (buildings, monuments, bridges, etc.) to raise public awareness and promote a drug-free lifestyle. Photos can be posted on social media platforms, tagging #DEARedRibbon and #GoRed4RedRibbon.
NGA Activities
NGA Vice Chair Spencer Cox Included on TIME100 Next List
TIME Magazine recently included Governor Cox on its 2022 TIME100 Next annual list “that recognizes 100 rising stars from across industries and around the world.”
NGA Releases Commentary on Inflation
NGA released the commentary What Inflation Means for States and Territories: A Two-Part Briefing Series to provide an overview of a briefing series NGA held for Governors’ staff and state and territorial agency staff over the past few weeks.
The briefings aimed to go beyond the headlines and leave staff with a thorough understanding of what inflation is and how it is determined, key factors that contribute to changes in inflation and insight into where it might be heading and what that means for the country and for states and territories.
NGA Releases Commentary on Education Policy Advisors Meeting
NGA has released a commentary regarding the Governors’ Education Policy Advisors Institute meeting held from September 15-16 in Greensboro, North Carolina.
The Institute convened 27 Governors’ policy advisors and state officials. The convening featured speakers and experts focused on discussion topics ranging from K-12 academic recovery to student and staff well-being to educator recruitment and retention.
NGA Releases Commentary on Improving College Completion
NGA has released the commentary Governors Leading On Improving College Completion.
The piece explores how increasing college attainment has an impact on the lifetime earnings of an individual as well as the economic returns to the state. The commentary also highlights Rhode Island Governor Dan McKee’s proposal to establish the Rhode Island Higher Education Academy to provide residents with personalized, hands-on help to earn credentials from the state’s colleges and universities.
NGA Releases K-12 Education Webinar
NGA’s K-12 Education Team has released a new webinar, Strategies For Parent, Family, Student And Community Engagement With K-12 Schools, featuring national experts on the topic of school-family engagement. Panelists explain the research in this field, offer recommendations for state policy leaders and highlight innovative and evidence-based models that have been successful in schools and communities across the country.
This webinar is part of the Reflect and Redesign series that covers K-12 education topics such as state education budgets, student re-engagement, afterschool and summer learning, supporting students with unique needs, and more.
Parent, family, student and community engagement with K-12 schools was a focus area across the six states that recently participated in NGA’s Student and School Staff Well-Being Policy Academy.
October 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.
