Across the States

82: Real Solutions for Energy Independence w/Landon Stevens

April 20th, 2021  |  11 mins 53 secs

When there are challenges facing the country’s energy sector, every American feels it. Landon Stevens, Director of Policy & Advocacy at the Conservative Energy Network, and Carly Good, Manager of the ALEC Energy, Environment and Agriculture task force, join Matthew Fisher to discuss obstacles in the energy sector and the free market approach to developing America’s vast energy potential.

81: Welcome to ACCE, New Local Lawmakers

April 15th, 2021  |  10 mins 10 secs

Hunter Hamberlin sits down with ALEC CEO Lisa B. Nelson, EVP of Policy Jonathan Williams and Director of the American City County Exchange (ACCE) Andre Cushing to welcome the newest state legislators to ALEC and ACCE. Whether you are new to public service or a seasoned servant leader, ACCE and ALEC have something to offer to you. Listen in to find out how.

80: Regulatory Sandbox w/ James Czerniawksi of Libertas and Jonathon Hauenschild

April 9th, 2021  |  20 mins 21 secs

alec, economy, libertas, politics, regulation, sandbox

The COVID-19 pandemic and lockdowns have severely impacted business across America. But the state of Utah recently passed legislation to give businesses a major break from coronavirus regulations. Join James Czerniawksi, Policy Analyst for Tech & Innovation at Libertas, and Jonathon Hauenschild, Director of the ALEC Communications and Technology Task Force, as they discuss how state lawmakers can use regulatory sandboxes to spur innovation and growth.

79: Protecting Privacy w/ James Czerniawski and Jonathon Hauenschild

April 6th, 2021  |  18 mins 47 secs

nsa, police, politics, privacy, surveillance, washington

The federal government usually dominates the debate over surveillance and privacy. But what about the states and local authorities? James Czerniawski, Policy Analyst for Tech and Innovation at Libertas, joins Jonathon Hauenschild and Matthew Fisher to discuss the importance of privacy and how lawmakers can address the issue going forward.

78: Good States, Bad Cities II: Local Minimum Wages

April 2nd, 2021  |  10 mins 33 secs

What is the impact of local minimum wages on small businesses and our communities? On this episode of Across the States, Hunter Hamberlin sits down with Associate Director of the ALEC Tax and Fiscal Policy Task Force Skip Estes to discuss why an unwise minimum wage set by state and local authorities can backfire when it comes to creating jobs and opportunity for constituents.

77: The Texas Energy Crisis w/ Michael Jewell and Carly Good

March 30th, 2021  |  14 mins 49 secs

conservatives, energy, politics, renewables, texas

Many wondered what caused Texas Energy Crisis. On today’s episode of Across the States, Michael Jewell of the Conservative Energy Network and the Conservative Coalition Research Institute join Matthew Fisher and Carly Good to break down what happened in the Lonestar State in February and explain how state lawmakers can lead the way in delivering secure and affordable power and electricity to the people.

76: Executive Overreach w/ Jonathon Hauenschild

March 26th, 2021  |  15 mins 28 secs

alec, covid, cuomo, new york, overreach, politics, power

The coronavirus pandemic has opened Pandora's box of questions and concerns regarding emergency powers and executive overreach on the state level. What is the role of the legislature during a crisis? How much power is too much power for a chief executive to boast? Matt Fisher sits down with Jonathon Hauenschild to discuss the dangers and inadequacies of unilateral executive authority during crises and how state legislatures can get more involved in overcoming emergencies.

75: EdChoice and the Future of Education w/ Jason Bedrick

March 24th, 2021  |  13 mins 7 secs

alec, covid, education, politics

From lockdowns and union disputes to remote learning, the past year has tested America’s education system in unprecedented ways. This week on Across the States, Matthew Fisher sits down with Jason Bedrick of EdChoice and Andrew Handel of ALEC to discuss how lawmakers are taking the initiative to give parents and students more freedom in the classroom. Find out how EdChoice is working with statehouses to rebuild K-12 education in the United States.

74: Cross-State Telehealth w/ Naomi Lopez and Michael Cannon

March 19th, 2021  |  20 mins 18 secs

The future of medicine lies in telehealth. But government regulations and bureaucracy can act as roadblocks to innovation in healthcare. Host Matthew Fisher and Health and Human Sciences Task Force Senior Director Brooklyn Roberts sit down with Naomi Lopez of the Goldwater Institute and Michael Cannon from the CATO Institute to discuss how state lawmakers are taking the initiative in the coronavirus pandemic to unleash the full potential that telehealth has to offer.

73: Universal Recognition in Mississippi w/ State Legislator of the Month Rep. Becky Currie

March 16th, 2021  |  12 mins 19 secs

Over 40 million Americans are employed with occupational licenses, yet the majority lose their licenses once they cross state lines. But in Mississippi, that is beginning to change with universal recognition, which helps ease the overly burdensome and duplicative licensing process that prevents workers from out of state gaining employment in their chosen profession. Since this recording, the Mississippi legislation has made its way to Governor Reeves' desk. Join host Hunter Hamberlin as he sits down with ALEC director of the Commerce, Insurance and Economic Development task force Michael Slabinski and ALEC State Legislator of the Month Representative Becky Currie to discuss how she took the lead on making universal recognition a reality.

72: The Collins Vision for Contactless Travel w/ LeAnn Ridgeway

March 9th, 2021  |  19 mins 57 secs

It has been a difficult year for airlines as domestic and international travel is down due to the pandemic. But as we begin to leave the pandemic and lockdowns behind, Collins Aerospace is ready to help Americans take flight again with their innovation in contactless travel. Join your host Bill Meierling as he sits down with Collins Aerospace Vice President and General Manager of Information Management Solutions LeAnn Ridgeway, who charts the course to how states can build consumer confidence and return to flight.

71: Smart Cities II w/ Jonathon Hauenschild

February 25th, 2021  |  13 mins 11 secs

Join us this week as we continue our discussion with Jonathon Hauenschild on an increasingly relevant issue facing our nation’s rural and urban centers: reliable, quality, cost-effective internet access. Smart Cities have existed in foreign countries for decades. Learn how barriers like government over-regulation and free-market throttling contribute to the U.S. falling behind in connecting its citizens to the web – and the solutions we can act on now.

70: Good States, Bad Cities w/ Skip Estes

February 12th, 2021  |  21 mins 34 secs

Despite the financial consequences from an economic shutdown, several states are posting impressive growth numbers. Host Hunter Hamberlin is joined by ALEC Associate Director of the Tax and Fiscal Policy task force to explore how the growing cities in these states are getting good results by exploring indicators such as job growth, wage growth and new residents. Listen to learn how these cities implement sound fiscal policies – like no state income tax – to realize the benefits of growth and prosperity.

69: “Smart” Cities w/ Jonathon Hauenschild

February 4th, 2021  |  13 mins 59 secs

Do you know how smart your city is? On today’s episode, host Hunter Hamberlin sits down with ALEC Communication and Technology Task Force Director Jonathon Hauneschild to discuss what makes a city “smart,” how it can improve communities and the risks that may come with “smart” city data.

68: Keeping Utah Resilient During COVID-19 w/ State Legislator of the Month Pres. Stuart Adams

January 28th, 2021  |  15 mins 39 secs

Join ALEC CEO Lisa Nelson as she discusses the success Utah demonstrates during the trials and tribulations of COVID-19 with the ALEC 2021 Chairman and January State Legislator of the Month, Utah Senate President Stuart Adams. President Adams offers insight into the policies and practices that have saved lives – and livelihoods – in the Beehive State. From remaining open for business since May 2020 to giving teachers raises, Utah has demonstrated that local legislative approaches couched in sound economic policies are more than capable of keeping things running smoothly.

67: Counterfeit Drugs in the States w/ Pfizer

December 17th, 2020  |  16 mins 13 secs

Counterfeit drugs have been found in all 50 states and threaten the safety and health of Americans. Industry leaders have stepped up to do their part in keeping them out of the hands of unknowing Americans. Since 2004, Pfizer has stopped over 260 million doses of counterfeit drugs in the states. On the podcast to discuss this and the state policy that plays a role are Pfizer Vice President and Chief Security Officer Lev Kubiak and ALEC Director of the Health and Human Services Task Force Brooklyn Roberts.