Across the States

30: How Utility Companies are Supporting Consumers during COVID-19

April 16th, 2020  |  25 mins 58 secs

As we fight on during the COVID-19 pandemic, the private sector has stepped up to support consumers. Utility companies are just one, but they have an important role to play. To discuss the topic, host Dan Reynolds is joined by Grant Kidwell, ALEC Director of the Energy, Environment and Agriculture Task Force; Laura Schepis, Senior Director of National Security at Edison Electric Institute (EEI) and David Batz, Senior Director of Cyber and Infrastructure Security at EEI.

29: Legislative Response to COVID-19 w/ State Legislator of the Month Rep. Jena Powell

April 14th, 2020  |  17 mins 23 secs

As a COVID-19 response, many states have delayed their tax deadlines, but have done so via executive order or by a government agency’s decision. However, one bill in Ohio stands out. On this episode Dan Reynolds is joined by the April 2020 ALEC-FreedomWorks State Legislator of the Month, OH Rep. Jena Powell, to discuss the bill she sponsored with fellow ALEC member Rep. Derek Merrin, that authorized the Ohio Tax Commissioner to extend the deadlines for personal income tax filing and payment for OH taxpayers from April to July 15, as well as rolling back licensing requirements, increasing flexibility for school choice programs and many more pro-liberty responses to the pandemic.

28: Locally Executed Solutions During COVID-19 w/ ACCE

April 10th, 2020  |  22 mins 52 secs

To discuss the local response efforts during COVID-19, host Dan Reynolds is joined by Jon Russell, Director of the American City County Exchange (ACCE), an ALEC sister organization working to advance free market solutions at the local level. Also joining the podcast are Billy Hewes, Mayor of Gulfport, MS and Benny Zhang, Councilman of Williamsburg, VA. From local partnership with the private sector to recommendations for local decision-makers during this unprecedented time, this episode takes a dive into the locally executed and federally supported action taking place in America’s communities.

27: Civil Justice Policy Solutions for COVID-19 w/ Ronald Lampard

April 8th, 2020  |  19 mins 41 secs

In this episode of Across the States, host Dan Reynolds is joined by ALEC Senior Director of the Civil Justice and Criminal Justice Task Forces, Ronald Lampard to discuss COVID-19 policy solutions and how they can help civil justice and regulatory reform. Listen in on the responses to the pandemic, and how they play a part in reducing regulatory red tape, resolving potential court backlogs, limiting liability for volunteers and charitable organizations and ensuring individuals have access to information online.

26: Use Virtual Learning During COVID-19 w/ K12 Inc.

April 6th, 2020  |  23 mins 11 secs

Following national school closures due to COVID-19, all schools have been forced to transition to remote learning. In this episode of Across the States, host Dan Reynolds is joined by Jeff Kwitowski, K12 Inc. Senior Vice President of Public Affairs and Policy Communications; Dr. Tony Bennett, K12 Inc. Senior Vice President of Academics and External Relations, former State Superintendent in Indiana and Commissioner of Education in Florida and Scott Kauffman, Director of the ALEC Education and Workforce Development Task Force. Listen in on their discussion around how the pandemic has impacted online schools and the U.S. public education system, and what educators and policymakers should be thinking about now to rise to the challenge.

25: Criminal Justice Solutions to COVID-19 w/ Ronald Lampard

April 3rd, 2020  |  21 mins 32 secs

How is COVID-19 impacting the criminal justice system? Host Dan Reynolds is joined by Ronald Lampard, ALEC Senior Director of the Criminal Justice and Civil Justice Task Forces, to scratch the surface on how the pandemic is affecting law enforcement personnel; fines, fees and drivers licenses and jail and prison considerations. Listen in on Lampard’s proposed policy solutions that ensure continued safety and effectiveness in our criminal justice system.

24: Reforming the Jones Act w/ Colin Grabow from the Cato Institute

March 31st, 2020  |  22 mins 34 secs

In this episode of Across the States, host Dan Reynolds is joined by Colin Grabow, Trade Policy Analyst at the Cato Institute, and Karla Jones, Senior Director of the International Relations and Federalism Task Force at ALEC. The topic is the Jones Act: what it is, how it affects how we transport goods between states, which specific states it affects (spoiler: it’s all of them) and what this means for trade in the midst of the COVID-19 crisis.

23: Newt Gingrich on Getting America Back to Work

March 27th, 2020  |  27 mins 26 secs

On this special episode of Across the States, ALEC CEO Lisa B. Nelson speaks with Newt Gingrich in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic to discuss what needs to be done to keep the American economy running. Gingrich highlights realistic and practical steps state and local legislators can take during this time to ensure that once the curve is flattened, America gets back to work, and convening state and local elected officials and the private sector to share best practices is the start.

22: Fight COVID-19 w/ State-Based Telehealth

March 23rd, 2020  |  14 mins 56 secs

Today’s podcast is being recorded in a completely virtual manner – we’re practicing social distancing. What if there was a virtual tool that kept you at home – that kept you social distancing – but still put you in front of a doctor for your check-ups and questions? That’s what telehealth offers and it will be such a crucial tool in combatting COVID-19. ALEC Director of the Health and Human Services Task Force Brooklyn Roberts joins the podcast with Latoya Thomas, the Director of Policy and Government Affairs for Doctor on Demand. Learn what state legislators should do to enable telehealth to combat COVID-19 and learn about the exciting organization that is Doctor on Demand.

21: Market Volatility and State Solutions

March 17th, 2020  |  19 mins 9 secs

Host Bill Meierling sits down with ALEC EVP for Policy Jonathan Williams and ALEC Center for State Fiscal Reform Senior Director Lee Schalk to discuss the recent market volatility. The United States is currently facing this market situation because of COVID-19 and the uncertainty it brings. But market volatility also affects state pensions, state budgets, and state spending. The state that have followed ALEC principles are better prepared for volatility like we're seeing.

Read more about the ALEC Center for State Fiscal Reform here: https://www.alec.org/policy-center/center-for-state-fiscal-reform/

20: Improving Safety for Foster Children w/ Gen Justice

March 12th, 2020  |  16 mins 14 secs

Darcy Olsen, Founder and President of Gen Justice, sits down with Across the States host Dan Reynolds to discuss the organization’s work in improving safety for more than 35,000 foster children. Gen Justice seeks to give abused and abandoned foster children something they lack—an advocate and a voice. Gen Justice reforms include requiring kids to be quickly moved from government care to permanent homes and, in addition, the organization has built a network of attorneys to provide free legal help when bureaucratic failures trap kids in the foster system.

Learn more about Gen Justice: www.genjustice.org

ALEC Model Relative Search Act: https://www.alec.org/model-policy/relative-search-act/.
ALEC Model Family Stability Act.
Darcy Olsen with AZ Governor Dough Ducey at the 2019 ALEC States and Nation Policy Summit: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rONf8TvubRI.
Gen Justice Wins Inaugural Peterson Prize at the ALEC States & Nation Policy Summit: https://www.alec.org/press-release/generation-justice-wins-inaugural-peterson-prize-at-alec-states-nation-policy-summit/.

19: Understanding the Drug Crisis: A New Perspective

March 5th, 2020  |  26 mins 49 secs

Christina Dent is the founder of End It for Good, a conservative nonprofit that offers alternatives to the Drug War. Dent sits down with host Dan Reynolds to discuss the organization’s approach to solving America’s drug crisis – beginning by challenging the way we understand the core of the crisis itself.

https://www.ted.com/talks/christina_dent_end_the_war_on_drugs_for_good

18: From Autonomous Vehicles to Licensing Reform in Oklahoma

February 27th, 2020  |  11 mins 26 secs

In this episode of Across the States, Oklahoma Senator and February’s ALEC-FreedomWorks State Legislator of the Month Micheal Bergstrom discusses his work on policies, such as autonomous vehicles to occupational licensing. This month, Senator Bergstrom introduced Senate Bill 1678, the Occupational License Review Act, which ensures that occupational license regulation keeps people safe while also improving the workforce.

Read Senate Bill 1678 here: http://www.oklegislature.gov/BillInfo.aspx?Bill=sb1678&Session=2000

17: Trying to Reform Taxes in North Dakota

February 20th, 2020  |  23 mins 9 secs

This episode of Across the States features North Dakota Representatives Vicky Steiner and Craig Headland, who filed House Bill 1530 in 2019 to repeal the state personal income tax. While this bill didn’t pass, the story is one other state legislators should consider when attempting to move the ball forward on sound tax policies. They are joined by ALEC Executive Vice President for Policy, Jonathan Williams.

16: The Presidency, States, and Federalism

February 13th, 2020  |  21 mins 54 secs

At the time of this posting, Presidents’ Day is right around the corner. The Constitution gives instructions and limits on power, including the President’s power. But how does the Presidency relate to the local states? Former Utah state representative Ken Ivory joins Across the States to discuss this intersection. Ivory currently serves as the Chair of the ALEC Center to Restore the Balance in Government — a research center focused on promoting federalism.

Purchase Ivory’s book “Where’s the Line?” here: https://www.amazon.com/Wheres-Line-States-Protect-Constitution-ebook/dp/B01N9UUBZQ/ref=sr_1_2?keywords=where%27s+the+line+ken+ivory&qid=1581089974&sr=8-2.
Or, read the digital-only version here: http://3greatrights.com/wherestheline.html.

Check out the ALEC Center to Restore the Balance in Government here: https://www.alec.org/policy-center/center-to-restore-the-balance-of-government/.

15: State Energy Policy w/ Life:Powered

February 6th, 2020  |  20 mins 34 secs

Jason Isaac is a former Texas state representative who is now the senior manager at Life:Powered — a new policy initiative from the Texas Public Policy Foundation. He joins Dan Reynolds on Across the States with Grant Kidwell, the ALEC director of the energy, environment and agriculture task force, to discuss his time as a state legislator, and to discuss energy policies that improve the quality of life for all people.

Learn more about Life:Powered here: https://lifepowered.org/.