State Lawmakers Endorse Policy on Key Issues; Drivers' Licenses, Welfare Reform, Telecom, Environment Top Agenda

7/27/2002

From: Bill Wyatt of the National Conference of State Legislatures, 202-624-8667

DENVER, July 27 -- The nation's state lawmakers closed out their 2002 Annual Meeting today by considering policy positions that will guide the National Conference of State Legislatures' (NCSL) lobbying efforts in Washington, D.C. over the next year.

Among the issues high on the agenda for state legislators are driver's license security, welfare reform reauthorization, telecommunications regulation, environment and bioterrorism.

"States have a full plate of issues on Capitol Hill for the upcoming year," said NCSL's newly elected president Oklahoma Senator Angela Monson. "We must now, more than ever, be as vigilant as possible to ensure that the federal government does not enact any legislation that would place an undue burden on the already cash-strapped states."

NCSL's policy positions focus on a single theme: state sovereignty. NCSL actively pursues an agenda that minimizes the preemption of state laws by the federal government.

At the their annual business meeting lawmakers approved or renewed the following policies (among others):

Welfare Reform Reauthorization -- Legislators call for reauthorization legislation that increases overall work participation rates and that ensures a flexible definition of work activities; -- Legislators believe increased child-care funding is essential to the continued success of welfare reform; -- The federal government must end the cost shift to the states that resulted in 1996 when legal immigrants were denied benefits;

Identity Security, Driver's Licenses -- Legislators believe that innovative and constructive solutions to security, identity and application concerns are best suited to resolution by states individually and collectively without federal direction, mandates or preemption; -- NCSL is opposed to any federal attempts including coercion or direct preemption, to usurp state authority over the driver's license process or to diminish the validity or usefulness of licenses awarded at the state level.

New Source Review -- Legislators urge the Environmental Protection Agency to reform the New Source Review program to better balance both economic and environmental concerns.

Telecommunications Competition and Advanced Telecommunications Services -- NCSL calls upon the Congress and the Federal Communications Commission to review the current definitions of telecommunications services to ensure government regulation is based on an even playing field between competitors of similar services delivered through different mediums; -- Legislators oppose any federal legislation intended to encourage deployment of advanced telecommunications services that does not maintain the rights and responsibilities of states to regulate intrastate telecommunications.

Federal Bioterrorism Legislation -- Legislators support federal legislation which would provide states with direct, sufficient and stable funding to enable them to continue to build and maintain an infrastructure to support on-going efforts to respond to bioterrorism and other public health emergencies; -- Legislators believe a federal bill that would pass federal funds through the states for distribution to local governments, hospitals and other entities; -- Lawmakers urge Congress to afford states the flexibility necessary to meet their diverse needs and priorities.

The National Conference of State Legislatures is the bipartisan organization that serves the legislators and staffs of the states, commonwealths and territories.

NCSL provides research, technical assistance and opportunities for policymakers to exchange ideas on the most pressing state issues and is an effective and respected advocate for the interests of the states in the American federal system.