NCSL Podcasts

NCSL
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Learn about the people, policies and politics of America's state legislatures with NCSL's three podcasts: "Our American States," "Across the Aisle" and the special limited series "Building Democracy."

  1. Jul 12

    ROI and the Workforce | OAS Episode 267

    The focus of the podcast is how states are working toward connecting education and training systems with the workforce. State policymakers are keenly interested in measuring the return on investment or ROI that they can see from state investment in education and training programs of all kinds.  Our guests are Mary Alice McCarthy, founder and senior director of the Center on Education and Labor at New America, a nonpartisan think tank; Alabama Senator Arthur Orr and Utah Representative Norm Thurston. All three joined a group of more than 30 legislators, speakers, and staff at a recent conference in Bozeman, Montana convened by NCSL. They discussed ROI and the related issue of career pathways and a variety of other topics and at how to align career and technical education, credentialed programs and apprenticeship opportunities with high-demand occupations.  McCarthy explained the concept of ROI as it applies to assessing the effectiveness of educational and training programs, the types of questions legislators have about this approach and the different types of data most useful to policymakers. Senator Orr and Representative Thurston offered different perspectives from their states and discussed what they saw as the most valuable data to consider in evaluating the success of programs.  Resources Connecting Education and Workforce for Higher Returns: A Scan of State Legislative Approaches, NCSL Enlisting ROI to Better Align Academic Credentials and Workforce Needs, NCSL New America

    ROI and the Workforce | OAS Episode 267

  2. Jun 21

    Focus on Energy Affordability: Part 1 | OAS Episode 266

    Our topic on this episode is energy affordability. In the worlds of both politics and policy, energy affordability is a hot topic. The U.S. saw largely flat electricity demand from the late ’90s until just a couple of years ago. Increasing demand from both homes and businesses, electrification of cars and trucks, the growth of data centers and other factors has strained the nation's ability to meet demand. Rates also have increased and legislators are increasingly concerned that consumers will face more and larger rate increases. To offer some perspective, we sat down with Representative Craig Williams of Pennsylvania, and Janine Benner, the director of the Oregon Department of Energy.  Benner discussed how her agency focuses on an energy strategy for the state, how it works with the Oregon Public Utility Commission, and the challenge posed by scores of data centers around Oregon. She also explained how all of these elements work in the context of Oregon's ambitious clean energy goals.  Williams, who has extensive experience in the energy industry as a lawyer, talked about the demand challenge that's hitting the electrical system now and is expected to continue to increase, the effect of data center growth in Pennsylvania and what he sees as the right legislative approach to the problem.  Resources Factors Affecting Electricity Prices, U.S. Energy Information Administration NCSL 2025 State Legislative Energy Trends Report Oregon Department of Energy

    Focus on Energy Affordability: Part 1 | OAS Episode 266

  3. Jun 7

    Assessing Mid-Decade Redistricting | OAS Episode 265

    The last year has seen an unusual spate of mid-decade redistricting. It was initiated by President Trump in 2025 when he urged the Texas legislature to redraw maps to favor Republicans in hopes of helping the GOP hold the House and the 2026 midterms.  State legislatures are at the center of these efforts in blue and red states. To offer some perspective, we sat down with Erin Covey, who leads coverage of the U.S. House for the Cook Political Report with Amy Walter, and Helen Brewer, who tracks redistricting legislation and developments for NCSL.  Covey explained the change to congressional maps in Texas, California, Virginia, and other states and discussed how the Supreme Court decision in a Louisiana case involving the Voting Rights Act could affect numerous districts over the next few elections.  Brewer offered some perspective on the history of redistricting, including mid-decade redistricting. She also discussed the basis and ramifications of the Supreme Court decision in Louisiana v. Callais. Resources “Changing the Maps: Tracking Mid-Decade Redistricting,” NCSL Cook Political Report with Amy Walter

    Assessing Mid-Decade Redistricting | OAS Episode 265

  4. May 17

    Mental Health and the Workplace | OAS Episode 264 | May 17, 2026

    This episode explored mental health and behavioral health in the workplace, including the role of employers and legislators in helping people facing mental health conditions.  Our guests included Julie Hocker, assistant secretary for Disability Employment Policy at the U.S. Department of Labor, and Michigan Representative Curtis VanderWall. This discussion came during Mental Health Awareness Month, a time to take stock of how mental health issues can affect the workplace, communities, and families.  Assistant Secretary Hocker addressed the scope of the problem, noting that despite a growing need, nearly 140 million Americans live in places with a shortage of behavioral health workers. She also discussed ways the federal government, states, and employers can support workers facing mental health-related issues.  Representative VanderWall discussed legislation he sponsored to create a student mental health apprenticeship and internship program in Michigan. He explained why it was needed and his hopes for the program long-term.  Resources Apprenticeship.gov Behavioral Health at Work policy briefs, NCSL. A series of briefs that explore policies and practices related to the behavioral health workforce and ways to remove barriers to employment for people with behavioral health conditions or related disabilities. Job Accommodation Network (JAN) Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP) Policy examples highlighted in the podcast : Wyoming SB 112 (2023) provides an employee assistance program for state employees to deliver short-term counseling, legal benefits, financial benefits counseling and work-life benefits consultations. Colorado SB 24-007 (2024) creates a behavioral health first aid training program for educators, law enforcement officers, first responders, military personnel and others. Kentucky HB 505 (2024) to set training and registration requirements for alcohol and drug peer support specialists. State Exchange on Employment & Disability (SEED) is ODEP-funded initiative that helps states and localities advance disability employment policies through technical assistance, policy expertise, research, and peer learning opportunities. Connect with SEED at info@SEEDdisabilitypolicy.org.

    Mental Health and the Workplace | OAS Episode 264 | May 17, 2026

  5. May 3

    As July 4 Anniversary Approaches, We Remember Some State History | OAS Episode 263

    As the nation prepares to celebrate the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence, NCSL gathered a trio of experts to discuss the origin stories of their states.  Our group included Tim Powers, chief technology and outreach officer in the Alaska State Legislature; Paul Smith, clerk of the House of Representatives in New Hampshire; and Pev Squire, a professor of political science at the University of Missouri, and one of the nation's experts on the history of state legislatures.  We discussed the status of each state at the time of the American Revolution, how the state's constitutions were written, and some other unusual history, such as New Hampshire crafting the nation's first state constitution, largely out of necessity, and the remarkable brevity of the Alaskan Constitution. This podcast is part of NCSL's annual Legislative Staff Week, which celebrates the innumerable contributions legislative staff make to the effectiveness of our state legislatures.  Resources Legislative Staff, NCSL

    As July 4 Anniversary Approaches, We Remember Some State History | OAS Episode 263

  6. Apr 26

    Using Wage Records to Help Workers | OAS Episode 262

    Our focus on this podcast is enhanced wage records and the role they can play in helping states better understand their workforce, evaluate job training programs and show the return on investment for various educational programs.  Collecting enhanced employment data involves asking employers for additional information when they file regular reports with their state unemployment office, such as information about hours worked and establishing consistent coding for similar job types. Joining the podcast to discuss the issue are Dr. Erica Groshen, former commissioner of the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and now senior economics adviser at the Cornell University School of Industrial and Labor Relations, and Paul Famolari, the assistant executive director for unemployment for the South Carolina Department of Employment and Workforce. Groshen explained how collection of this information in a standardized manner can help policymakers and researchers see trends in the workplace and know which job programs are paying off for workers. They also can show how new technology is affecting workers, such as which workers appear most vulnerable to losing their jobs to AI.  Famolari discussed how the program has worked in South Carolina, what lawmakers were hoping to learn when they passed the enabling legislation and some of the challenges his agency ran into in trying to implement the law.    Resources  Enhancing Unemployment Insurance Wage Data to Better Understand Education and Employment Outcomes, Data Quality Campaign How Enhanced Wage Records Can Show the Value of Jobs Training Programs, NCSL JEDx Value Proposition Research Report, U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation  What States Should Know about Education and Work -- But Don’t, Strada

    Using Wage Records to Help Workers | OAS Episode 262

  7. Apr 12

    The Lifesaving Potential of Prehospital Blood | OAS Episode 261

    Prehospital blood programs that allow emergency responders to administer blood at the scene to trauma victims are drawing increased attention from state lawmakers. A technique with origins on the battlefield, these military methods have made their way to civilian EMS programs. Research suggests a significant number of lives can be saved with this approach, especially in car crashes.  On the podcast to discuss these programs are Jonathan Morrison, the administrator of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration or NHTSA; Randi Schaefer, a former career Army trauma nurse who has helped set up programs around the country; and Aneesa Turbovsky, who tracks EMS-related legislation for NCSL.  Morrison discussed why these programs are a priority for NHTSA and how these programs could reduce the approximately 40,000 traffic crash fatalities in the U.S. each year. Schaefer reviewed some of the challenges in setting up prehospital blood programs and the role state lawmakers can play. And Turbovsky went into detail on the steps legislatures are taking to make it possible for paramedics to administer blood and how lawmakers can bring together the various parties needed to make these programs work. Resources EMS Legislation Database, NCSL Prehospital Blood Transfusions Give EMS Crews a Lifesaving Option, NCSL State Legislatures News Office of EMS Prehospital Blood Transfusion, NHTSA   Office of EMS Prehospital Blood Transfusion Infographics, NHTSA    Prehospital Blood Transfusion Coalition   Prehospital Blood Coalition Scope of Practice Map "Removing the Barrier to Prehospital Blood: A roadmap to success,"Journal of Trauma and Acute Care Surgery Funding Stat! States Secure Timely Support for EMS Systems, NCSL

    The Lifesaving Potential of Prehospital Blood | OAS Episode 261

  8. Mar 29

    The Evolution of Alzheimer’s Diagnosis and Treatment | OAS Episode 260

    Alzheimer’s disease affects a significant number of Americans over 65—more than 7 million—and is the sixth leading cause of death in that age group. It’s expected that more than 13 million people will be diagnosed by 2060. Beyond Alzheimer's, roughly 10% of U.S. adults over 65 have dementia.  On this podcast we talked with Dr. Ronald Petersen, a neurologist at the Mayo Clinic and an expert in Alzheimer’s disease and other cognitive disorders, and Jennifer Rosen, vice president for state affairs at the Alzheimer’s Association. Joining the podcast to offer the legislative perspective were Senator Laura Murphy of Illinois, a Democrat, and Senator T.J. Shope of Arizona, a Republican.  Dr Petersen explained the remarkable progress that has been made in recent years in the diagnosis and treatment of Alzheimer’s and the importance of early intervention. Rosen outlined the enormous financial impact of the disease on society, and the role state legislatures can play in supporting early detection and treatment.  Senators Shope and Murphy each laid out the legislation enacted in their states and how that legislation will aid both people with the disease and their families.  Resources Alzheimer’s Disease Treatment Clinic, Mayo Clinic Alzheimer’s Association Comprehensive Policy Approaches to Support the Aging Population, NCSL State Policy Approaches to Improving Alzheimer’s and Dementia Care, NCSL State Strategies to Reduce Costs and Provide Quality Care for Older Adults and People with Disabilities, NCSL

    The Evolution of Alzheimer’s Diagnosis and Treatment | OAS Episode 260
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4.8
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43 Ratings

About

Learn about the people, policies and politics of America's state legislatures with NCSL's three podcasts: "Our American States," "Across the Aisle" and the special limited series "Building Democracy."

Information

  • Creator
    NCSL
  • Years Active
    2016 - 2026
  • Episodes
    255
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © (c) National Conference of State Legislatures
  • Show Website
    NCSL Podcasts