Updates from the NGA Membership Team for September 2024. For more about the programs below and a list of upcoming events please email NGA at: membership@nga.org.
September Spotlight
13 Gubernatorial Elections Scheduled this November
NGA to Hold Seminar for New Governors Following Election
Gubernatorial elections will be held in 13 states this November – including nine in which no incumbent is running. NGA maintains this webpage tracking the upcoming gubernatorial elections.
Following the election, NGA will host the 2024 Seminar for New Governors (SNG). SNG provides Governors-elect and First Spouses with essential information to learn from current Governors and First Spouses who can provide insights into best practices to establish a smooth transition and maximize the success of the initial months in office.
First Spouses
First Spouses Lead Fentanyl Awareness and Prevention Initiative
To help augment the work Governors and states are leading to address the country’s overdose epidemic, Virginia First Lady Suzanne Youngkin and New Jersey First Lady Tammy Murphy launched an initiative to engage the nation’s First Spouses to help raise awareness about the risks of fentanyl and to prevent overdose.
The initiative focused on raising awareness to help mark August 21 as National Fentanyl Prevention and Awareness Day and August 31 as International Overdose Awareness Day.
As part of the initiative, Mrs. Youngkin and Mrs. Murphy worked with the NGA to organize a briefing for Governors’ staff members and First Spouses to hear from some of the country’s leading experts about national campaigns underway to address the drug overdose epidemic. Learn more about the briefing and initiative here.
Newsweek also published the op-ed “We Need a New Way to Talk to Kids About Drugs” that Mrs. Youngkin and Mrs. Murphy wrote about the rise of deadly fentanyl.
To help augment the work Governors and states are leading to address the country’s overdose epidemic, Virginia First Lady Suzanne Youngkin and New Jersey First Lady Tammy Murphy launched an initiative to engage the nation’s First Spouses to help raise awareness about the risks of fentanyl and to prevent overdose.
First Lady Beshear Invites Governors, First Spouses to Lead Blood Drive this September
Kentucky First Lady Beshear invites the nation’s Governors and First Spouses to hold a blood drive during the month of September.
September 12, Governor and Mrs. Beshear worked with the American Red Cross to hold a blood drive at the Kentucky State Capitol. The Red Cross recently announced an emergency blood shortage after its national blood inventory plummeted more than 25% in July.
Communications
Governors Moore, Cox Write Essay Published in TIME
Maryland Governor Wes Moore and Utah Governor Spencer Cox have written an essay published by TIME. In “Americans Are Actually More Unified on Political Issues Than We Think,” the Governors write, “Over the last two years, the number of Americans who see potential for broad agreement on kitchen table issues actually increased.” Read the full essay here.
Governors Kotek, Cox Urge Congress to Help Governors in Work to Address States’ Housing Needs
Oregon Governor Tina Kotek and Utah Governor Spencer Cox wrote an opinion piece, published in The Hill, detailing how Congress can help Governors’ efforts to address the unaffordable housing market. Read the Governors’ op-ed here.
Government Relations
NGA Leadership Issues Statement Urging Congress to Replenish Disaster Relief Funding
NGA leadership released a statement urging Congress to replenish funding for the Disaster Relief Fund (DRF) as legislative work resumes this month. The current shortfall within the DRF limits the ability of states and territories to mitigate disasters. This request comes at a time when numerous natural disasters, including hurricanes and wildfires, have been causing stress to communities across the country. Read the statement here.
NGA Hosts Briefing on State and Territorial Impacts from the Overturning of Chevron
NGA hosted a briefing to discuss the impacts of the Supreme Court’s recent decision in Loper Bright Enterprises v. Raimondo, which overruled Chevron v. Natural Resources Defense Council. The Chevron Doctrine previously required a court to defer to an executive agency’s interpretation of an ambiguous statute that it administers so long as the agency’s interpretation was reasonable. Now, when statutory disputes arise, courts will decide if agency actions and rulemakings represent the best interpretation of the law, giving more discretion to the judicial branch.
During the briefing, Governors’ offices heard from law professors Chris Walker from the University of Michigan Law School and Bridget Dooling from The Ohio State University Moritz College of Law. These legal experts discussed how the recent ruling may change how federal agencies regulate and how Congress considers legislation, therefore impacting states and territories in policy areas such as the environment and energy, education and labor, and health.
Center for best practices
Governor Ivey Speaks at NGA Education Policy Advisors Institute
Alabama Governor Kay Ivey spoke at the Governors Education Policy Advisors Institute NGA held last week in Birmingham, Alabama. The meeting included a panel discussion focused on NGA Chair Colorado Governor Jared Polis’ NGA Chair’s Initiative Let’s Get Ready. The convening also featured speakers representing the following Governors’ offices: Massachusetts Governor Maura Healey, New York Governor Kathy Hochul, North Dakota Governor Doug Burgum, Vermont Governor Phil Scott and Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin.
NGA Shares New Cybersecurity Resource Page
As the risk of cyberattacks increases, it is crucial that Governors support the development of a strong cybersecurity workforce by understanding the current workforce, identifying critical roles, developing career pathways and quality credentials and collaborating with a variety of partners to address the workforce gap. NGA’s new Cybersecurity Credentialing and Education Resources webpage will serve as a resource to support Governors in this effort. Visit the new resource page here.
NGA Shares Summary of Meeting Held on Housing Supports as Child Welfare Prevention
NGA’s Children and Families team recently hosted the monthly Human Services Policy Advisors Institute Network call, focused on utilizing housing supports as a child welfare preventive factor. An overview of the call, including key takeaways, can be found here.
Monthly Member Update
Governor Parson Highlights Missouri’s Work to Expand Pre-K
Missouri Governor Mike Parson has been leading efforts to expand early education opportunities for Missouri students and families, sharing “over the last two years, we have made historic investments to begin expanding Pre-Kindergarten options to ALL low-income Missouri children. Under our program, 50 percent of all our families with pre-k students are eligible to enroll their children in expanded programs through their local school district or charter school at no cost. There is a clear need to do better when it comes to early childhood. Together, we can meet this moment for Missouri kids, families, and businesses!”
September in Photos
NGA routinely shares photos of Governors at work. A sampling of this past month’s photo highlights follows.
