States & Nation Policy Summit: Day One

Posted by Brad Johnson Wed, 04 Dec 2013 12:00:00 GMT

At the Grand Hyatt.

Agenda

7:00am – 6:00pm Registration
7:00am – 9:00am Exhibitor Set Up
7:30am – 11:30am Subcommittee Meetings of the Communications and Technology Task Force
7:30am – 8:00am E-Commerce Subcommittee
7:30am Welcome and Introductions
7:35am Presentation – “Bitcoin: Primer for Policymakers”
7:45am Policy Discussion: Fiduciary Access to Digital Assets Act
8:00am Adjourn
8:05am – 8:35am Innovation Subcommittee
8:05am Welcome and Introductions
8:10am Presentation – State University Public-Private Partnerships: how state universities help businesses deliver market-ready solutions
8:35am Adjourn
8:40am – 9:25am Information Technology Subcommittee
8:40 am Welcome and Introductions
8:45am Policy Discussion on Resolution to Support the Work of the Telehealth Working Group on Interstate Compact
8:55am Policy Discussion on Draft Resolution Affirming the Digital Right to Repair
9:05am Policy Discussion on An Act Protecting Digital Equipment Owners and Small Businesses in Repairing Digital Electronic Equipment
9:15am Policy Discussion on Consumer Protection Through Disclosure of Digital Rights Model Act
9:30am – 10:10am Consumer Protection, Critical Infrastructure, and Security Technologies Subcommittee
9:30am Welcome and Introductions
9:35am Presentation — Critical Infrastructure: securing the nation’s backbone
Policy Discussion on Statement of Principles for Cybersecurity
Policy Discussion on Statement of Principles for the Electronic Communications Privacy Act
10:10am Adjourn
10:15am – 11:15am Broadband Subcommittee of the Communications and Technology Task Force
10:15am Welcome and Introductions
10:20am Presentation – Interconnection: Technology and Policy
11:15am Adjourn
8:00am – 11:00am Subcommittee Meeting of the Education Task Force
8:00am Welcome and Introductions
8:10am Review of the Operating Procedures
8:20am Introduce New Subcommittee: Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) Education 8:30am K-12 Education Reform
Proposed Model Bills for Consideration
  • Early Intervention Program Act
  • K-1 Technology-Based Reading Intervention for English Learners Act
  • Course Choice Act
  • Student Achievement Backpack Act
  • Student Futures Program Act
  • Technical Amendments
  • The Foster Child Scholarship Program Act
  • The Education Savings Account Act
  • Sunset Review
  • Personal Financial Literacy Act (2009)
  • 10:00am Presentations
  • “Student-Focused Funding Solutions for Public Education”
  • “Public Education Appropriations in North Dakota”
  • 10:30am Policy Priorities Discussion
  • Higher Education
  • Digital Learning 11:00am Good of the Order/Adjournment
  • 8:00am – 10:15am Subcommittee Meetings of the International Relations Task Force and Federalism Working Group
    8:00am – 9:00am Federalism Subcommittee
    9:15am – 10:15am Intellectual Property Subcommittee
    9:00am – 11:30am Subcommittee Meetings of the Commerce, Insurance and Economic Development Task Force
    9:00am – 10:15am Labor and Business Regulation Subcommittee of the Commerce, Insurance and Economic Development Task Force
    9:00am Welcome and Introductions by Representative Gary Daniels, New Hampshire, Public Sector Chair and Mr. F. Vincent Vernuccio, Mackinac Center, Private Sector Chair
    9:05am Proposed Model Legislation: Discussion and Advisory Vote on the Private Certification Act
    9:25am Proposed Model Legislation: Discussion and Advisory Vote on the Public Employee Choice Act
    9:40am Proposed Model Legislation: Discussion and Advisory Vote on the Resolution against Legislation that Interferes with Business Agreements
    10:05am Discussion and Advisory Vote on the Amendments to ALEC’s Resolution on Business and Franchise Agreement Legislation
    10:10am For the Good of the Order
    10:15am Adjournment
    10:30am – 11:30am Transportation and Infrastructure Subcommittee of the Commerce, Insurance and Economic Development Task Force
    10:30am Welcome and Introductions by Mr. Jim Kvedaras, CN, Private Sector Chair and Public Sector Chair TBA
    10:35am “Let’s  Get  Moving: How America Finances its Different Modes of Transportation”: Moving our nation’s people and products is of vital importance to the American economy, and it is imperative that different modes of transportation are able to seamlessly work together. Come hear from a panel of industry experts how America finances the different modes of transportation—surface, rail, aviation, and waterways — and how state policymakers can create an environment in which they can work together to further America’s economic growth.
    11:10am Proposed Model Legislation: Discussion and Advisory Vote on Resolution on Autonomous Vehicle Legislation and Regulation
    11:25am For the Good of the Order
    11:30am Adjournment
    9:45am – 11:30am Subcommittee Meetings of the Energy, Environment, and Agriculture Task Force
    9:45am – 11:15am EPA Strategy Session of the Energy, Environment, and Agriculture Task Force
    9:45am Call to Order, Welcome, and Introductions
    9:50am Discussion of strategies legislative and private sector members can employ to address EPA’s rulemaking to limit greenhouse gas emissions from new and existing power plants
    11:15am Adjournment
    10:00am – 11:00am Subcommittee Meetings of the Civil Justice Task Force
    10:00am – 11:00am Workers’ Compensation Subcommittee
    10:00am Welcome and Introductions
    10:30am Discussion: Developing Guidelines for Workers’ Compensation Reform
    11:00am Adjourn
    9:00am – 5:00pm ALEC Exhibition Hall Open
    9:00am – 11:00am State Chairs Meeting
    11:00am – 12:00pm New Members and Attendees Orientation
    11:30am – 1:15pm Opening Luncheon with Sen. Ron Johnson (R-Wisc.)
    1:30pm – 2:45pm Workshops (Topics TBA)
    3:00pm – 4:15pm Workshops (Topics TBA)
    5:30pm – 7:00pm Thomas Jefferson Reception with Rep. Paul Ryan (R-Wisc.)
    9:00pm – 11:00pm Hats Off to Texas: A 41st Annual Meeting Preview Reception

    Day Two

    Day Three

    ALEC DC Summit Speakers Lineup: Top Republican 2016 Presidential Contenders, Climate Conspiracy Theorists

    Posted by Brad Johnson Wed, 20 Nov 2013 06:55:00 GMT

    ALEC Summit speakers
    Rep. Paul Ryan (R-Wis.), Gov. Mike Pence (R-Ind.), Gov. Matt Mead (R-Wyo.), Sen. Ron Johnson (R-Wis.), Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas)
    The upcoming American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) States & Nation Policy Summit will feature several nationally prominent Republicans with potential aspirations for the U.S. 2016 presidential nomination. The announced speakers at the annual conference of the lobbying group, which links corporations and conservative foundations with Republican state legislators, include, in order of appearance:

    All five reject the science of climate change, arguing that scientists are part of a conspiracy to attack the use of fossil fuels.

    • Johnson: “I absolutely do not believe in the science of man-caused climate change. It’s not proven by any stretch of the imagination. It’s far more likely that it’s sunspot activity or just something in the geologic eons of time.”
    • Ryan: Scientists are guilty of a “perversion of the scientific method, where data were manipulated to support a predetermined conclusion” to “use statistical tricks to distort their findings and intentionally mislead the public on the issue of climate change.”
    • Mead: “I am unconvinced that climate change is man-made, but I do recognize we may face challenges presented by those who propose and believe they can change our climate by law with ill-thought-out policy like cap and trade (the latest version of which is the Senate Climate Bill, S. 1733, unveiled May 12th).”
    • Cruz: “There remains considerable uncertainty about the effect of the many factors that influence climate: the sun, the oceans, clouds, the behavior of water vapor (the main greenhouse gas), volcanic activity, and human activity. Nonetheless, climate-change proponents based their models on assumptions about those factors, and now we know that many of those assumptions were wrong.”
    • Pence: “I think the science is very mixed on the subject of global warming. . . In the mainstream media, Chris, there is a denial of the growing skepticism in the scientific community about global warming.”

    Also scheduled to speak is Ajit Pai, a former Verizon lobbyist appointed by President Obama in 2012 as a Republican FCC Commissioner, and rising Republican star State Sen. Mark Green (R-Tenn.-22), a military veteran, former field surgeon, and radical gun-rights advocate.

    The climate accountability organization Forecast the Facts is protesting Google’s support for ALEC on account of the council’s opposition to Google’s stated support for climate policy action.