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Most Recent Updates

February 10, 2012

Five Southern States Awarded NCLB Waivers

In an announcement February 9, President Barack Obama awarded 10 states—five from the South (Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Oklahoma, and Tennessee)—waivers from the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB). The states will receive relief from requirements in the law in exchange for implementing reforms around standards, teacher effectiveness and accountability. More information is available here.

January 23, 2012

SLC Senior Fiscal Analyst Presents at 2012 Alabama Legislative Symposium

Sujit CanagaRetna, SLC Senior Fiscal Analyst, traveled to Birmingham, Alabama, to present on State Retirement Systems: Recent Trends at the 2012 Alabama Legislative Symposium for Education. Click here to view the presentation and here for a copy of the remarks.

January 19, 2012

SLC Releases Regional Resource, Municipal Bonds: Trends in 2011

The Southern Legislative Conference has released its latest Regional Resource, Municipal Bonds: Trends in 2011. The Resource examines how the municipal bond market fared in 2011, if fears expressed by certain experts regarding widespread bond defaults were realized, if investors shed their holdings in municipal bonds and fled to other asset categories and a number of related topics. To read the full report, click here.

January 13, 2012

Southern Legislators Participate in National Ag Conference

Southern state legislators were well-represented at the 11th Annual Legislative Ag Chairs Summit, hosted by State Ag and Rural Leaders this year in Washington, D.C. The national convening highlights crucial ag and rural development issues for states. At this year's meeting, Georgia Senator Bill Heath was re-elected President of the group, with Missouri Senator Brian Munzlinger and Mississippi Representative David Gibbs both being elected to serve on the organization's board. More on the summit and SARL is available here.

January 3, 2012

SLC beginning 2012 member state visits

In an effort to provide information to legislators and staff, as well as better familiarize the SLC staff with Conference members and their needs, several policy staff are visiting SLC member state capitols in January. Look for SLC staff at the Georgia capitol on January 11-12, Frankfort on 24-25, and Jefferson City on January 31 and February 1. Further visits are upcoming in February, March and April.

December 8, 2011

SLC Policy Analyst joins technical tour of Alberta oil sands

Last week, Jeremy Williams, the SLC’s energy analyst, joined a group of policy research staff from across the United States for a visit to the northern Albertan oil sands, a technical tour and briefing hosted by the Consulate General of Canada in coordination with the provincial government of Alberta. The technical tour and briefing involved presentations and discussions on Canada-U.S. energy relations (since 1999, Canada has been the largest supplier of crude and refined oil imports to the United States), responsible energy development, environmental advances in oil sands production processes, and economic development opportunities related to energy production. The trip also included tours of both mining and in situ oil sands refineries near Fort McMurray, Alberta.

November 19, 2011

XXIV Border Legislators Conference held in Saltillo, Coahuila, November 17-19, 2011

The XXIV Border Legislative Conference (BLC) convened in Saltillo, Coahuila, Mexico, on November 17-19. The BLC is a program administered by CSG-West and its regional partner in the South, the SLC, that serves as a mechanism for on-going dialogue and collaboration among state legislators of the United States and Mexico. Attending from the Southern region were Texas Senator Jose Rodriquez, SLC Policy Analyst Jeremy Williams and SLC Research Associate Mikko Lindberg. Governor Jorge Juan Torres Lopez of Coahuila presented opening remarks at the Conference. Photo Gallery | BLC Website

November 16, 2011

Southern Legislators Gather for Academy on Common Core Standards

More than 20 state legislators from across the South convened in Atlanta November 15 and 16 for a Policy Academy for Newly Elected Legislators (PANEL) hosted by the SLC and The Council of State Governments to discuss Common Core Standards for K-12 Education. The Academy featured presentations on the standards from national education experts, including former Colorado Governor and Los Angeles Unified School District Superintendent Roy Romer, discussions among members as well as a visit to a groundbreaking local school to see high standards put into practice. For more on the Standards, click here.