CSG West

We’re kicking off a series previewing policy committee sessions at the 2026 CSG West Annual Meeting — open to all attendees and focused on timely issues shaping the West. First up: CSG West Health & Human Services Committee 💰 Following the Money: Legislative Oversight of Rural Health Transformation Funding 📅 Wednesday, July 8 | 10:30 AM – 12:30 PM 📍 Salt Lake City, Utah | July 7–10, 2026 $50 billion in federal dollars is flowing into rural health infrastructure — and legislators need the right tools to make sure those funds reach the communities that need them most. Featuring @Benjamin_Eikey from the @Levin_Center for Oversight and Democracy, this session dives into practical oversight strategies for tracking grant dollars, closing accountability gaps, and driving real outcomes across the West. Co-chaired by Rep. Matt Soper (CO) and Rep. My-Linh Thai (WA) 🔗 Registration and agenda: cvent.me/o3g4w8 See you in Salt Lake City! #RuralHealth #HealthPolicy #LegislativeOversight #WesternStates #CSGWest2026

CSG remembers former Hawai‘i Gov. George Ariyoshi for his dedication to public service and his enduring legacy as a leader. Ariyoshi was Hawai‘i’s longest-serving governor and the first U.S. governor of Asian American descent.

Wildfire policy is accelerating across the West. CSG West has updated its Forging a Resilient West dashboard with new legislative briefs and expanded wildfire bill tracking to help policymakers stay ahead of emerging trends. Recent additions include: • Wyoming’s newly enacted wildfire measures • Wildfire technology • Prescribed burning • Mitigation funding • Insurance policy The dashboard also tracks 300+ wildfire-related bills across 11 Western states — including 50+ sponsored by members of CSG West’s Wildfire & Disaster Preparedness Committee. 🔗 Explore the latest updates at the dashboard link and stay informed on regional wildfire policy: quorum.us/dashboard/exte… #WildfirePolicy #WildfireMitigation #WildfireTechnology

How are smartphones & #AI impacting the mental #wellbeing of youth? Join @aaas & the #Midwestern Legislative Conference in a free 1-hour webinar on Wednesday, March 25, to discover what the science says. See more & register: bit.ly/4b7yP15

🎤We’re pleased to welcome Evy Poumpouras and Elizabeth Smart as keynote speakers for the 79th CSG West Annual Meeting, July 7–10 in Salt Lake City. Their perspectives on leadership, resilience, and public service will help set the tone for a meaningful convening of Western legislators. See you in Salt Lake City! 🔗 Explore full biographies for both keynote speakers at the 2026 Annual Meeting site: cvent.me/o3g4w8

We were pleased to see Boise State Public Radio highlight CSG West's "Forging a Resilient West" wildfire bill tracker in a recent article examining how Western states are responding to wildfire risk, mitigation, and insurance challenges. Developed through CSG West's Wildfire & Disaster Preparedness Committee, the tracker helps lawmakers and staff explore wildfire-related legislation and resources across the region — reinforcing the idea solutions benefit from shared learning. Special thanks to our CSG West colleague Joe Kolman, who led the development of the tracker, and to the committee co-chairs, Nevada Assemblymember @HowardWattsNV and Oregon Senator @DavidBrockSmith, for helping elevate the importance of regional collaboration on this issue. #WildfirePolicy #DisasterPreparedness #StateLegislatures boisestatepublicradio.org/politics-gover…

2026 @CSGMidwest Chair: Mary Kunesh, Senate Assistant Majority Leader, Minnesota 2025-26 @CSGSouth Chair: David Meade, House Speaker Pro Tempore, Kentucky 2026 @CSGWEST Chair: Todd Weiler, Senator, Utah

In their own words — at CSG West, we believe no one tells our story better than our members. We’re thrilled to premiere our new video feature, Voices of the West: What CSG West Means to Legislators, in which Western legislators share what CSG West means to them — a uniquely nonpartisan space to connect authentically, grow as leaders, and collaborate on the issues shaping the West. Filmed during the 2025 CSG West Annual Meeting in Jackson, Wyoming. We’re grateful to everyone who shared their experience — and to Drew Long from @CSGovts for bringing this project to life. 🎥 Watch and hear directly from our members — we hope you enjoy it as much as we did! Nevada Asm. Howard Watts @HowardWattsNV Colorado Sen. Janice Marchman @Janice_Marchman Utah Sen. Todd Weiler @gopTODD Idaho Rep. Marco Erickson Hawaii Sen. Troy Hashimoto @TroyHashimoto Alaska Sen. Löki Tobin @lgtobin

A meaningful year is ahead at CSG West. From water & natural resources to cross-border policy, legislative leadership, and professional development, our 2026 programs create a trusted, nonpartisan space for collaboration across the West. We look forward to connecting during state visits and working together in 2026!

What happens when leaders from across the West come together in one place? We’re excited to announce that registration is now open for the 79th CSG West Annual Meeting, taking place July 7–10, 2026, in Salt Lake City, Utah. Join legislators, policy leaders, and innovators from across the region for meaningful collaboration, shared learning, and connection — all centered on our theme, Building a Better West. Early bird registration is now available. 🔗 Registration link: web.cvent.com/event/2d19a769… We look forward to seeing you in Salt Lake City! @UtahGov @utahreps @utahsenate

The CSG West family has heavy hearts upon learning of the passing of Oregon Representative Hòa Nguyễn, who died at age 41 after bravely battling cancer. We were honored to know Rep. Nguyễn as a member of the Western Legislative Academy Class of 2024, where she brought warmth, insight, and leadership to our program in Colorado Springs. Respected by her colleagues, she exemplified dedication to public service and her community. All of us at CSG West extend our deepest condolences to her family, friends, and all who had the pleasure of knowing her.

📢Open to all! Join us this Thursday for a virtual conversation on real-world approaches to homelessness and public safety. The Westrends Board at CSG West presents: Legislative Exchange on Homelessness in Utah: A Policy Perspective from Law Enforcement 📅 Thursday, July 17 ⏰ 10:00–11:00 a.m. PT Utah Representative Tyler Clancy, who also serves as a police officer, will share how Utah is working to reduce its homeless population and prevent entry into the criminal justice system. 🎙️Moderated by Utah Representative Andrew Stoddard, Westrends Board Co-Chair. Legislators are encouraged to join and share what’s working in their own states — and where challenges remain. Members of the public are welcome! Register here: csg-org.zoom.us/meeting/regist…

The Future of Nuclear Energy in the West: Announcing Our 2025 Chair’s Forum at the 78th CSG West Annual Meeting 🗓 Wednesday, Sept. 17 | 8:30–10:00 AM 📍 Jackson, Wyoming As Western states work to meet growing energy demands and climate goals, nuclear energy is gaining renewed attention from policymakers. This session will explore recent legislative and federal actions supporting nuclear power, including lifting moratoriums, introducing incentives, and setting emission targets. It will also examine the role of nuclear energy in the regional grid and address public concerns around plant safety and nuclear waste storage. 💬 Moderator: John Kotek, Nuclear Energy Institute, @NEI 🎙️Panelists: Rob Creager, Wyoming Energy Authority, @WYOENERGY Commissioner Brad Crowell, Nuclear Regulatory Commission, @NRCgov More speakers announced soon! Stay tuned for additional Chair’s Forums, Legislative Learning Labs, and session previews for the 2025 CSG Annual Meeting in Jackson — Innovating at New Heights! #NuclearEnergy #CSGWest2025 Learn More: csgwest.org/events/78th-an…

🚨Deadline extended! Know a state-elected, appointed or merit-based official who could benefit from a trusted leadership development experience? Nominate or encourage them to apply for the 2025 CSG Henry Toll Fellowship! 🗓New deadline: May 8

Next week, we'll cover the latest developments in federal funding and what they mean for states in a virtual webinar: "The Impact of Federal Spending on the States." Featuring CSG Executive Director/CEO David Adkins; Justin Theal, senior officer at The Pew Charitable Trusts; and Marcia Howard, executive director at Federal Funds Information for States.

Join us this week for an important conversation on child welfare policy! CSG West is excited to partner with @CaseyPrograms for a CSG West Legislative Exchange: Improving Child Welfare and Outcomes for Children and Families on March 7, from 11:00 AM – 12:00 PM Pacific. This Child Welfare 101 webinar will explore the hallmarks of a well-functioning child protection agency. Former Washington Representative Eric Pettigrew, Trustee, Casey Family Programs, and David Sanders, Ph.D., Executive Vice President of Systems Improvement, Casey Family Programs, will share key data and policy levers that can strengthen state child welfare and foster care systems. Policymakers will also have the opportunity to share insights on how policymakers can drive meaningful improvements in these systems. We invite you to reserve your spot today and take part in this important conversation! 📅 Registration is free—sign up at the link below! csg-org.zoom.us/meeting/regist… #ChildWelfare #FosterCare #CaseyFamilyPrograms #LegislativeExchange

This week marks a special occasion as we convene the CSG Delegation to Mexico City! Over the next few days, our delegation will engage with Mexican and U.S. federal officials, as well as key stakeholders, to foster cooperation, strengthen cross-border relations, and identify areas of mutual interest—particularly in trade, economic development, and investment. Led by CSG West Chair-Elect and Utah Senator Todd Weiler and California Assemblymember David Alvarez (Chair Designate, California Assembly Select Committee on California – Mexico Binational Affairs), the delegation includes California Assemblymembers Anamarie Ávila Farías, Jasmeet Bains, MD, José Luis Solache, Jr., and Utah Representative Ken Ivory. CSG West Director Edgar Ruiz and staff are proud to spearhead this initiative, which runs from February 23–26. Yesterday, we kicked off with discussions at the Mexico Ministry of Energy (@SENER_mx), Mexico Ministry of Foreign Affairs (@SRE_mx), and the American Chamber of Commerce of Mexico (@AmChamMexico). This morning, we are excited to see Senator Weiler and Assemblymember Alvarez take part in a panel at the @SelectUSA Mexico Conference, where over 600 attendees are gathering to discuss investment trends between Mexico and the U.S. Special thanks to Tayrin S Riojas and Gerardo Ramos from Lazos International and Arturo Carmona from Tzunu Strategies for supporting the delegation. We look forward to a productive week ahead! #USMexicoRelations #SelectUSA #CSG

Check out our newly updated Criminal Justice Data Snapshots—available for all 50 states! We’ve created a one-stop resource with data about every major point in the criminal justice system to empower and inform decision-makers. Find your state’s data at bit.ly/CJData

Great to be back in Montana this week! Yesterday, we had a fantastic time reconnecting with Western Legislative Academy alumni at a luncheon in the capitol. Tonight, we're hosting @MTLegislature members for a reception in Helena after today’s session. Looking forward to it! #Montana