<div class="article"> <p>Like many areas of society, the criminal justice system has struggled over the last year dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic. The Council on Criminal Justice, a nonpartisan think tank that works to advance understanding of the criminal justice system and help inform the development of public policy, decided to take a deep dive into the system to see how it was coping. The council formed a task force in mid-2020 to examine how the criminal justice system has responded to the pandemic, offer guidance in the short term on how to deal with those challenges and a longer term assessment to help criminal justice leaders develop policies for the future.</p> <p>The guests on this podcast discuss what they discovered, the type of guidance the council offered leaders in the criminal justice system and what needs to change to prepare for the next catastrophe.</p> <p>Our guests are &nbsp;Abby Walsh, the council&rsquo;s vice president for strategy and operations, &nbsp;and Thomas Abt, director of the task force and an expert on criminal justice policy. He is also the author of &ldquo;Bleeding Out: The Devastating Consequences of Urban Violence&mdash;and a Bold New Plan for Peace in the Streets.&rdquo;</p> <p><img alt="Abby Walsh, CCJ" src="/Portals/1/ImageLibrary_New/Podcast/abby_walsh_120.png" style="float: left; width: 120px; height: 140px;" title="Abby Walsh, CCJ" /><img alt="Thomas Abt, CCJ" src="/Portals/1/ImageLibrary_New/Podcast/Thomas_Abt_120.png" style="float: left; width: 120px; height: 140px;" title="Thomas Abt, CCJ" /></p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <h3>Resources</h3> <ul> <li><a href="https://counciloncj.org/">Council on Criminal Justice</a></li> <li><a href="https://covid19.counciloncj.org/">National Commission on COVID-19 and Criminal Justice</a></li> <li><a href="/Portals/1/Documents/Podcast/OAS_Episode_123.pdf" target="_blank">OAS Episode 123 Transcription</a></li> <li><a href="https://covid19.counciloncj.org/category/reports/">Reports From the National Commission on COVID-19 and Criminal Justice</a></li> </ul> </div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/NCSL_OAS/~4/cu2GGgYeBdU" height="1" width="1" alt=""/>

Our American States

COVID-19 and the Criminal Justice System | OAS Episode 123

<div class="article"> <p>Social isolation and loneliness are topics most of us have first-hand experience with after a year of a pandemic has left us unable to spend time with family and friends. The ill effects of such &nbsp;isolation are not just on our mental health but also can affect our physical health just as much as cigarette smoking or obesity.</p> <p>Our guests are Julianne Holt-Lunstad, a professor of psychology at Brigham Young University in Utah, &nbsp;and Lori Gerhard, director of the Office of Interagency Innovation at the U.S. Administration for Community Living.</p> <p>Holt-Lunstad, who has studied the topic for decades, discusses groups in society most at risk for social isolation and how public policy can help address the problem. Gerhard addresses particularly how social isolation affects older Americans and how policies at the federal and state level can help them with these challenges.</p> <p><img alt="Dr. Julianne Holt-Lunstad" src="/Portals/1/ImageLibrary_New/Podcast/holt-lunstad_120.png" style="float: left; width: 120px; height: 140px;" title="Julianne Holt-Lunstad" /><img alt="Lori Gerhard" src="/Portals/1/ImageLibrary_New/Podcast/Lori_Gerhard_120.png" style="float: left; width: 120px; height: 140px;" title="Lori Gerhard" /></p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <h3>Resources</h3> <ul> <li><a href="/Portals/1/Documents/Podcast/OAS_Episode_122.pdf" target="_blank">OAS Episode 122 Transcription</a></li> <li><a href="/default.aspx?tabid=35284">&quot;Sustaining Behavioral Health Services Through the Pandemic&quot;</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.healthaffairs.org/do/10.1377/hblog20200609.53823">&ldquo;The Double Pandemic of Social Isolation and COVID-19: Cross-Sector Policy Must Address Both,&rdquo;</a> by Dr. Julianne Holt-Lunstad</li> <li><a href="https://acl.gov/">U.S. Administration for Community Living</a></li> </ul> </div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/NCSL_OAS/~4/UZHc8naBo6Q" height="1" width="1" alt=""/>

Isolation and Loneliness Amid the Pandemic | OAS Episode 122

<div class="article"> <p>HIV/AIDS has killed about 700,000 people in the U.S. since it first emerged more than 40 years ago. But deaths have dropped dramatically since the mid-&lsquo;90s as new treatments have beome available. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services in 2019 launched the Ending the HIV Epidemic Initiative that aims to eliminate the disease in this country.</p> <p>On this podcast, we talk with Dr. Jonathan Mermin, director of the National Center for HIV/AIDS, Viral Hepatitis, STD and TB Prevention at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. He discusses the range of treatments available to fight HIV/AIDS, strategies to prevent spread of the disease and the role state policymakers can play in helping eradicate the disease.</p> <p>Our other guest if Charlie Severance-Medaris, a policy expert at NCSL. Charlie explains the steps states are taking to help people to get access to critical medications, changes in laws that have criminalized some behaviors for people with HIV/AIDS, and other efforts at the state level to end the epidemic.</p> <p><img alt="Dr Jonathan Mermin, CDC" src="/Portals/1/ImageLibrary_New/Podcast/Jonathan_Mermin_120.png" style="float: left; width: 120px; height: 140px;" title="Dr Jonathan Mermin, CDC" /><img alt="Charlie Severance-Medaris, NCSL" src="/Portals/1/ImageLibrary_New/Podcast/Charlie_120.png" style="float: left; width: 120px; height: 140px;" title="Charlie Severance-Medaris, NCSL" /></p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <h3>Resources</h3> <ul> <li><a href="https://www.cdc.gov/endhiv/index.html">Ending the HIV Epidemic: A Plan for America</a>,&nbsp;CDC</li> <li><a href="https://www.nastad.org/maps/ending-hiv-epidemic-jurisdictional-plans">Ending the HIV Epidemic: Jurisdictional Plans</a>,&nbsp;NASTAD</li> <li><a href="https://www.cdc.gov/hiv/policies/law/states/exposure.html">HIV and STD Criminalization Laws</a>,&nbsp;CDC</li> <li><a href="https://www.cdc.gov/nchhstp/default.htm">National Center for HIV/AIDS, Viral Hepatitis, STD and TB Prevention</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.ncsl.org/research/health/injury-prevention-legislation-database.aspx">NCSL&rsquo;s Injury Prevention Database</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.ncsl.org/research/health/substance-use-disorder-sud-treatment-database.aspx">NCSL&rsquo;s Substance Use Disorder Treatment Database</a></li> <li><a href="/Portals/1/Documents/Podcast/OAS_Episode_121.pdf" target="_blank">OAS Episode 121 Transcription</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.ncsl.org/Portals/1/Documents/legisbriefs/2020/JuneLBs/Infectious-Diseases-Opioids_23.pdf">Preventing Infectious Diseases Caused by Injecting Drugs</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.cdc.gov/ssp/index.html">Syringe Service Programs</a>,&nbsp;CDC</li> </ul> </div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/NCSL_OAS/~4/Qhdx1cP9MAQ" height="1" width="1" alt=""/>

Ending HIV/AIDS in the U.S. | OAS Episode 121

<div class="article"> <p><img alt="" src="/Portals/1/ImageLibrary_New/Podcast/Giannone-Headshot.png" style="width: 120px; height: 140px; float: left;" title="Monica Giannone" />The ability to negotiate skillfully is critical to a well-functioning legislature. On this episode, our guest makes the point that negotiation skills are not only crucial to the legislature, they are similarly important in just about everything you do in life.</p> <p>Our guest, Monica Giannone, is a consultant and trainer specializing in negotiation and conflict resolution. She also runs the Harvard Kennedy School Negotiation Project and is an adjunct lecturer in negotiation at Babson College.</p> <h3>Resources</h3> <ul> <li><a href="https://cpl.hks.harvard.edu/ksnp">Harvard Kennedy School Negotiation Project</a></li> <li><a href="/Portals/1/Documents/Podcast/OAS_Episode_120.pdf" target="_blank">OAS&nbsp;Episode 120 Transcripton</a></li> </ul> </div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/NCSL_OAS/~4/lEyPVbrPJMA" height="1" width="1" alt=""/>

Let’s Make a Deal: The Art of Legislative Negotiation | OAS Episode 120

<div class="article"> <p>Every state in the country is involved in distributing and administering the two COVID-19 vaccines now approved for use by the US. Food and Drug Administration. Each state is working with a plan that it created in consultation with the federal government.</p> <p>On this podcast we discuss how those plans were created, how they&rsquo;ve had to change as the pandemic has progressed and what lies ahead.</p> <p>Our guests are Hemi Tewarson, an expert in state plans to distribute the COVID-19 vaccines. She is a visiting senior policy fellow at the Margolis Center for Health policy at Duke University. As a health policy expert, she has studied the state vaccine plans and discusses how those are working, changes in federal guidance and when everyone will have access to the vaccine.</p> <p>Our other guest is Tahra Johnson, a policy expert at NCSL. Tahra discusses state legislative action related to vaccine plans and how legislators can get involved in the planning process.</p> <p><img alt="Hemi Tewarson" src="/Portals/1/ImageLibrary_New/Podcast/Hemi_Tewarson_120.png" style="float: left; width: 120px; height: 140px;" title="Hemi Tewarson" /><img alt="Tahra Johnson" src="/Portals/1/ImageLibrary_New/Podcast/Tahro_Johnson_120.png" style="float: left; width: 120px; height: 140px;" title="Tahra Johnson" /></p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <h3>Resources</h3> <ul> <li><a href="https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/imz-managers/downloads/COVID-19-Vaccination-Program-Interim_Playbook.pdf">COVID-19 Vaccination Program- Interim Playbook,</a> Centers for Disease Control and Prevention</li> <li><a href="https://www.ncsl.org/default.aspx?tabid=34696" target="_self">State Action on Coronavirus (COVID-19)</a>, NCSL COVID-19 Legislation Database</li> <li><a href="https://www.ncsl.org/research/health/first-covid-19-vaccine-administered-in-the-u-s-magazine2020.aspx">&quot;First COVID-19 Vaccine Administered in the U.S.,&quot;</a> State Legislatures magazine</li> <li><a href="https://www.nap.edu/catalog/25917/framework-for-equitable-allocation-of-covid-19-vaccine">Framework for Equitable Allocation of COVID-19 Vaccine,</a> National Academy of Medicine</li> <li><a href="/Portals/1/Documents/Podcast/OAS_Episode_119.pdf" target="_blank">OAS Episode 119 Transcription</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.ncsl.org/research/health/covid-19-state-health-actions.aspx">State Health Action on Coronavirus (COVID-19)</a></li> <li><a href="/default.aspx?tabid=35847">&quot;State Legislatures Inject Momentum Into COVID-19 Vaccination Efforts,&quot; </a>State Legislatures magazine</li> </ul> </div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/NCSL_OAS/~4/6NIGGhwj4ks" height="1" width="1" alt=""/>

States and COVID-19 Vaccine Distribution | OAS Episode 119

<div class="article"> <p>A new category of gene therapies&nbsp;is offering life-changing treatments to people with some forms of cancer and other rare disorders. These revolutionary treatments, however, come with a large price tag, sometimes exceeding millions of dollars for a single patient. Often, these costs fall on state Medicaid systems.</p> <p>On this podcast we discuss how states are dealing with this challenge. One of our guests is Anne Winter, a Medicaid strategist with the national research and consulting firm Health Management Associates. Winter, who has particular expertise in pharmacy benefit management, discusses some of the strategies state are employing.</p> <p>Our other guest is Colleen Becker, a policy expert at NCSL, who lays out the scope of the challenge facing states.</p> <p><img alt="Colleen Becker, NCSL" src="/Portals/1/ImageLibrary_New/Podcast/Collen_120.png" style="float: left; width: 120px; height: 140px;" title="Colleen Becker, NCSL" /><img alt="Anne Winter, Health Management Associates" src="/Portals/1/ImageLibrary_New/Podcast/Anne_Winter_120.png" style="float: left; width: 120px; height: 140px;" title="Anne Winter, Health Management Associates" /></p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <h3>Additional Resources</h3> <ul> <li><a href="/default.aspx?tabid=160">NCSL Health Program</a></li> <li><a href="/Portals/1/Documents/Podcast/OAS_Episode_118.pdf" target="_blank">OAS Episode 118 Transcription</a></li> </ul> </div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/NCSL_OAS/~4/Dk9QqZMxJGM" height="1" width="1" alt=""/>

The Fiscal Challenge of Emerging Gene Therapies | OAS Episode 118

<div class="article"> <p><img alt="Tim Storey, NCSL" src="/Portals/1/ImageLibrary_New/Podcast/Tim_120.png" style="float: left; width: 120px; height: 140px;" />After a year like no other, legislators face some unprecedented challenges when they return to work in the 2021 sessions. COVID-19 and its effects on every aspect of society&mdash;the economy, the health care, education, criminal justice and more&mdash;will be front and center for every legislature in the nation.</p> <p>Tim Storey, executive director of NCSL, is the guest on the podcast and offers his perspective on what it all means. We discussed how legislatures will meet, what their priority lists look like, how budgets are shaping up and what a new administration in Washington, D.C., means for states.</p> <h3>Additional Resources</h3> <ul> <li><a href="https:/www.ncsl.org/bookstore/state-legislatures-magazine/2021-session-prep-resources-for-legislative-staff-magazine2020.aspx">2021 Session Prep: Resources for Legislative Staff</a></li> <li><a href="/Portals/1/Documents/Podcast/OAS_Episode_117.pdf" target="_blank">OAS Episode 117 Transcription</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.ncsl.org/research/about-state-legislatures/back-to-the-future-the-past-year-will-guide-planning-for-2021-sessions-magazine2020.aspx">Back to the Future: The Past Year Will Guide Planning for 2021 Sessions</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.ncsl.org/our-american-states/2020/01/16/state-of-state-legislatures-2020-oas-episode-82.aspx">State of State Legislatures 2020</a>, Podcast</li> </ul> </div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/NCSL_OAS/~4/5Q_V5x0rxuQ" height="1" width="1" alt=""/>

State of State Legislatures 2021 | OAS Episode 117

<div class="article"> <p><img alt="" src="/Portals/1/ImageLibrary_New/Podcast/Ben_Williams_120.png" style="float: left; width: 120px; height: 140px;" />Possibly the most underreported story during the November 2020 election was the effect it would have on redistricting, the once-a-decade effort to draw congressional and state legislative districts.</p> <p>On the podcast, Ben Williams, an NCSL policy expert on redistricting, explains how the election sets up&nbsp; legislatures to start the redistricting process, and discusses when the U.S. Census Bureau will supply states with the data they need to do both reapportionment and redistricting. &nbsp;He also fills us in on upcoming three-day redistricting seminar offered by NCSL that will take legislators and legislative staff through the various challenges involved in the process.</p> <h3>Resources</h3> <ul> <li><a href="https://www.ncsl.org/research/redistricting/ncsl-virtual-redistricting-seminar-jan-6-8-2021.aspx">NCSL Online Redistricting Seminar | Jan. 6-8, 2021</a></li> <li><a href="/Portals/1/Documents/Podcast/OAS_Episode_116.pdf" target="_blank">OAS Episode 116 Transcription</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.ncsl.org/research/redistricting.aspx">Redistricting Homepage</a></li> </ul> </div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/NCSL_OAS/~4/P553xkSGjc4" height="1" width="1" alt=""/>

Time to Redistrict | OAS Episode 116

<div class="article"> <p>As the 2021 legislative sessions begin, about 15% of the lawmakers will be first timers. As with any new job, a little advice from more seasoned colleagues can be helpful.</p> <p>On this podcast, I&rsquo;m joined by Alabama Representative Debbie Wood and former Maine Representative Matt Moonen. They bring different perspectives. Wood, a Republican, was elected in 2018, and is completing her first term. Moonen, a Democrat, was first elected in 2012 and retired this year because of term limits. He served as House majority leader.</p> <p>They talked about what surprised them the most when they first arrived in the legislature; how they handle relationships with colleagues, lobbyists and constituents; and their best piece of advice for new legislators.</p> <p><img alt="Alabama Rep. Debbie Wood" src="/Portals/1/ImageLibrary_New/Podcast/debbie_wood_120.png" style="float: left; width: 120px; height: 140px;" /><img alt="Former Maine Rep. Matt Moonen" src="/Portals/1/ImageLibrary_New/Podcast/matt_moonen_120.png" style="float: left; width: 120px; height: 140px;" /></p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <h3>Resources</h3> <ul> <li><a href="https://www.ncsl.org/legislators-staff/legislators.aspx">NCSL New Members Webpage</a></li> <li><a href="/Portals/1/Documents/Podcast/OAS_Episode_115.pdf" target="_blank">OAS Episode 115 Transcription</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.ncsl.org/our-american-states/what-i-wish-i-knew-.aspx">What I Wish I Knew Parts 1 and 2</a>, NCSL podcasts</li> </ul> </div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/NCSL_OAS/~4/MgihNr0Ajj8" height="1" width="1" alt=""/>

Some Sage Advice for New Legislators | OAS Episode 115

<div class="article"> <p>An estimated 700 women will die&nbsp; from pregnancy-related complications in the U.S. this year, and most of those deaths are preventable. In addition, Black and Indigenous women are two to three times more likely to die of pregnancy related issues than White women.</p> <p>On this podcast, the focus is on maternal mortality. I talk with Dr. Wanda Barfield, the director of the Division of Reproductive Health at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. She &nbsp;discusses efforts by the CDC to reduce the number of deaths, including sharing strategies with state legislators as they try to craft solutions that work best in their states.</p> <p>My second guest is Khanh Nguyen, a policy expert at NCSL who tracks legislation related to maternal mortality. She shares examples of specific legislation and approaches employed by states, including a focus on helping Black and Indigenous women.</p> <p><img alt="Dr. Wanda Barfield, CDC" src="/Portals/1/ImageLibrary_New/Podcast/Barfield_headshot_120.png" style="float: left; width: 120px; height: 140px;" title="Dr. Wanda Barfield, CDC" /><img alt="Khanh Nguyen, NCSL" src="/Portals/1/ImageLibrary_New/Podcast/Nguyen_headshot_120.png" style="float: left; width: 120px; height: 140px;" title="Khanh Nguyen, NCSL" /></p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <h3>Additional Resources</h3> <ul> <li><a href="https://aspe.hhs.gov/system/files/aspe-files/264076/healthy-women-healthy-pregnancies-healthy-future-action-plan_0.pdf">Healthy Women, Healthy Pregnancies, Healthy Futures: Action Plan to Improve Maternal Health in America</a>, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services</li> <li><a href="https://www.cdc.gov/hearher/">Hear Her campaign, CDC</a></li> <li><a href="/Portals/1/Documents/Podcast/OAS_Episode_114.pdf" target="_blank">OAS Episode 114 Transcription</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.cdc.gov/reproductivehealth/maternal-mortality/index.html">Reproductive Health, CDC</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.ncsl.org/research/health/public-health-webinar-series.aspx">Saving Moms: Strategies to Reduce Maternal Mortality in the U.S.,</a> NCSL webinar</li> <li><a href="https://www.hhs.gov/sites/default/files/call-to-action-maternal-health.pdf">The Surgeon General&rsquo;s Call to Action to Improve Maternal Health</a>, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services</li> </ul> </div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/NCSL_OAS/~4/rQHTbhcZWRA" height="1" width="1" alt=""/>

CDC and States Working to Reduce Maternal Mortality | OAS Episode 114

<div class="article"> <h4>Overview</h4> <p><img alt="Podcast logo" src="https://www.ncsl.org/Portals/1/ImageLibrary_New/Podcast/building_demo_logo_cropped.png" style="width: 240px; height: 90px; float: left;" />NCSL&rsquo;s <a href="https://www.ncsl.org/our-american-states.aspx">Our American States podcast</a> presents a special six-part series, &ldquo;<a href="https://www.ncsl.org/research/about-state-legislatures/building-democracy-the-story-of-legislatures-an-ncsl-podcast.aspx">Building Democracy: The Story of Legislatures</a>.&rdquo; This new mini-series covers the history, characters and stories of state legislatures in America, from the beginnings in Jamestown, to the present day and into the future.</p> <p>Each episode in the series will contain interviews with experts from inside and outside the legislative world to provide a comprehensive view of historical events and their legacy in today&rsquo;s legislatures. Extras will include extended guest interview clips, articles in <a href="https://www.ncsl.org/bookstore/state-legislatures-magazine.aspx">NCSL&rsquo;s State Legislatures magazine</a>, blogs and resources for those who want to dive deeper into topics covered in the podcast.</p> <h4>Episode 4</h4> <p>In this installment of NCSL&rsquo;s six-episode podcast series, &ldquo;Building Democracy: The Story of Legislatures,&rdquo; we travel west to see how women fought and won their right to vote, as well as how they shaped state legislatures and life on the frontier well before the ratification of the 19th Amendment.</p> <p>The story of the 19th Amendment and its dramatic ninth-hour ratification on the floor of the Tennessee House is well known and often told. Yet, momentous events in the history of women in the American West are overlooked. While their sisters fought in the salons, houses of worship and halls of government in the urban &ldquo;civilized&rdquo; East, women strode ahead helping to form governments in the rough and yet malleable West. Women in Wyoming, Utah and Colorado (to name only a few) fought against stereotypes and social expectations to win the recognition of their rights as American citizens. Each state&rsquo;s suffrage movement had unique motivations and avenues to success. One common thread to their strategies? State legislatures.</p> <p><strong>Guests</strong></p> <ul> <li><strong>Senator Affie Ellis</strong>, Wyoming│<a href="https://womeninwyoming.com/affie-ellis"> Bio</a></li> <li><strong>Representative Meg Froelich</strong>, Colorado │ <a href="https://www.froelichforcolorado.com/meet-meg">Bio</a></li> <li><strong>Rebekah Clark</strong>, historical research associate, <a href="https://www.betterdays2020.com/">Better Days 2020</a>│ <a href="https://deseretbook.com/t/author/rebekah-clark?ref=product-producer-list">Bio</a></li> </ul> </div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/NCSL_OAS/~4/elrRxvFQZrg" height="1" width="1" alt=""/>

Building Democracy: The Story of Legislatures | Episode 4

<div class="article"> <p>The presidential election, understandably, has drawn much of the attention of the media and the public following Election Day. But there also were more than 6,000 state legislators on the ballot and more than 120 statewide ballot measures. Some would argue those elections will have more effect on the life of the average American than those at the top of the ticket.</p> <p>One of those people is Tim Storey, executive director of NCSL and a&nbsp;close observer of state legislative contests for decades. Even after the election, policymakers in Washington, D.C., are likely to remain gridlocked and the real action will be in state legislatures, Storey says. He breaks down the results of the election and how it will affect redistricting, action on the pandemic and the economy, and more.</p> <p>Our second guest in Amanda Zoch, an NCSL expert on statewide ballot measures, who takes us through what passed, what it says about the policy concerns of Americans and a few of the more unusual measures that voters said yes to on Election Day.</p> <p><img alt="Tim Storey, NCSL" src="/Portals/1/ImageLibrary_New/Podcast/Tim_120.png" style="float: left; width: 120px; height: 140px;" title="Tim Storey, NCSL" /><img alt="Amanda Zoch, NCSL" src="/Portals/1/ImageLibrary_New/Podcast/Mandy_Zoch_120.png" style="float: left; width: 120px; height: 140px;" title="Amanda Zoch, NCSL" /></p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <h3>Resources</h3> <ul> <li><a href="/default.aspx?tabid=35510">2020 State Elections: What the Voters Said</a>, Webinar</li> <li><a href="/Portals/1/Documents/Podcast/OAS_Episode_113.pdf" target="_blank">OAS Episode 13 Transcription</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.ncsl.org/research/elections-and-campaigns/ncsl-state-elections-2020.aspx">State Elections 2020</a>, NCSL</li> <li><a href="https://www.ncsl.org/research/elections-and-campaigns/ballot-measures-database.aspx">Statewide Ballot Measures Database</a>, NCSL</li> </ul> </div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/NCSL_OAS/~4/52vviPDvKJ0" height="1" width="1" alt=""/>

2020 Election: Big State Legislative Takeaways | OAS Episode 113

<div class="article"> <p>Clean slate is a policy model that uses technology to automatically clear criminal records, usually for nonviolent misdemeanors, if a person stays crime free for a certain period of time. The first such law in the nation passed in Pennsylvania in 2018. It was cosponsored by Representatives&nbsp;Jordan Harris&nbsp;(D) and&nbsp;Sheryl Delozier&nbsp;(R).</p> <p>On this podcast, we talk with Harris about what prompted him to pursue the legislation and how it has worked so far in his state. Our other guest on the program is Anne Teigen, a policy expert at NCSL who tracks clean slate and other criminal justice reform legislation. She offers perspective on efforts in other states and what the future holds for this approach to criminal justice reform.</p> <p><img alt="Representative Jordan Harris (D-Penn.)" src="/Portals/1/ImageLibrary_New/Podcast/Jordan_Harris_120.png" style="float: left; width: 120px; height: 140px;" title="Representative Jordan Harris (D-Penn.)" /><img alt="Anne Teigen, NCSL" src="/Portals/1/ImageLibrary_New/Podcast/Anne_Teigen_120.jpg" style="float: left; width: 120px; height: 140px;" title="Anne Teigen, NCSL" /></p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <h3>Resources</h3> <ul> <li><a href="/default.aspx?tabid=35317">On the Same Page: Clearing Criminal Records for Those Who&rsquo;ve Earned a Second Chance,</a> State Legislatures magazine</li> <li><a href="/Portals/1/Documents/Podcast/OAS_Episode_112.pdf" target="_blank">OAS Episode 112 Transcription</a></li> </ul> </div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/NCSL_OAS/~4/2SUKCyaSzZ4" height="1" width="1" alt=""/>

Clean Slate Streamlines Process to Clear Criminal Records | OAS Episode 112

<div class="article"> <p>COVID-19 swept through some colleges and universities this fall as schools reopened with a variety of approaches. Beyond the headlines, however, higher education and post-secondary training have been profoundly affected by the pandemic in other ways.</p> <p>Our two guests on this podcast fill us in on the challenges ahead and the role legislators will play in dealing with state colleges and universities.</p> <p>Our first guest is Jamie Merisotis, president and CEO of the Lumina Foundation, a private foundation that is a major player in supporting efforts to expand higher education and post-secondary learning. He discusses how the pandemic has affected the world of higher education, how it has laid bare the need for more post-secondary training and how legislators can play a role.</p> <p>Our second guest is Scott Jaschik, editor of the news website Inside Higher Ed. Jaschik gives us an up-to-date assessment of reopening efforts at colleges and universities around the country and discusses the fiscal landscape state legislators will face in the wake of the pandemic.</p> <p><img alt="Jamie Merisotis, Lumina Foundation" src="/Portals/1/ImageLibrary_New/Podcast/Merisotis_120.png" style="float: left; width: 120px; height: 140px;" title="Jamie Merisotis, Lumina Foundation" /><img alt="Scott Jaschik, Inside Higher Ed" src="/Portals/1/ImageLibrary_New/Podcast/Jaschik_120.png" style="float: left; width: 120px; height: 140px;" title="Scott Jaschik, Inside Higher Ed" /></p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <h3>Resources</h3> <ul> <li><a href="https://www.insidehighered.com/">Inside Higher Ed</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.luminafoundation.org/">Lumina Foundation</a></li> <li><a href="/Portals/1/Documents/Podcast/OAS_Episode_111.pdf" target="_blank">OAS Episode 111 Transcription</a></li> </ul> </div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/NCSL_OAS/~4/xjP-6snTt4A" height="1" width="1" alt=""/>

COVID-19 and the Challenges for Higher Education | OAS Episode 111

<div class="article"> <p>While there is intense focus on the presidential contest and the fate of the U.S. Senate as Election Day approaches, critical contests are also underway for the control of state legislative chambers.</p> <p>We&rsquo;re pleased to have Tim Storey, the executive director of NCSL, as one of the guests on this podcast. &nbsp;Storey has been observing these elections for decades and&nbsp; shares his thoughts on the prospects for a blue wave, how many legislative chambers are likely to change control and if we&rsquo;re likely to see a change in overall state control.</p> <p>Also joining us is Mandy Zoch, an NCSL expert on statewide ballot measures. Zoch explains why there are fewer citizen initiatives on ballots around the nation this year and some of the more interesting measures voters will decide.</p> <p><img alt="Tim Storey, NCSL" src="/Portals/1/ImageLibrary_New/Podcast/Tim_120.png" style="float: left; width: 120px; height: 140px;" title="Tim Storey, NCSL" /><img alt="Amanda Zoch, NCSL" src="/Portals/1/ImageLibrary_New/Podcast/Mandy_Zoch_120.png" style="float: left; width: 120px; height: 140px;" title="Amanda Zoch, NCSL" /></p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <h3>Resources</h3> <ul> <li><a href="/Portals/1/Documents/Podcast/OAS_Episode_110.pdf" target="_blank">OAS Episode 110 Transcription</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.ncsl.org/research/elections-and-campaigns/ncsl-state-elections-2020.aspx">State Elections 2020</a>, NCSL</li> <li><a href="https://www.ncsl.org/research/elections-and-campaigns/ballot-measures-database.aspx">Statewide Ballot Measures Database</a>, NCSL</li> </ul> </div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/NCSL_OAS/~4/TFFczTPRyoo" height="1" width="1" alt=""/>

Election 2020: State Legislative Races and Statewide Ballot Measures | OAS Episode 110

The Our American States podcast is where you hear compelling conversations that tell the story of America’s state legislatures, the people in them, the politics that compel them, and the important work of democracy.

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Our American States

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