2003 Part I

1. 2002 2003 Part I

2. Welcome to an overview of The Council of State Governments’ Suggested State Legislation Program (SSL)

3. The SSL Program highlights • legislation that results from or generates patterns of change • the first state legislation about an issue • the best state legislation on public policy • new legislative approaches to ongoing state issues

4. The SSL Program consists of • a committee • a process • electronic and printed products

5. Under SSL Bylaws • CSG members and CSG Associates can submit legislation to the SSL program • other interested parties can submit legislation to the program through a CSG member or their staff • on a year-round basis

6. SSL committee members are • state legislators and legislative staff • CSG Affiliate members • CSG task force chairs and co-chairs • CSG Toll Fellows

7. The SSL process involves at least two meetings a year • one in conjunction with CSG’s annual meeting • one in conjunction with CSG’s spring meeting, and as necessary, • a summer or fall meeting

8. The SSL Committee • meets at least twice in a year-long SSL cycle to select the legislation that will be highlighted in the electronic and printed formats of an SSL Volume

9. The SSL Committee • screens approximately 210 bills each year, or about 70 items per meeting • selects between 35 and 40 bills per year for publication in the electronic and printed formats of SSL volumes

10. SSL Volumes • contain draft legislation • summarize draft legislation • offer notes about state actions on public policy • provide the bill numbers, status and names of the originating states’ submissions • report federal legislative mandates

11. SSL Volumes • are published electronically, in segments (e.g., Part I, Part II, etc.) • are published in the STARS Database after every SSL meeting • are published in a printed format at the end of every SSL cycle (usually in December) • are distributed to state legislative service agencies, state libraries and other selected agencies in state government around the country

12. The SSL Program • solicits legislation for SSL dockets year-round

13. For more information contact SSL staff at bvoit@csg.org 859-244-8230 Thank You!