Govs On Deck – November 18, 2019
Good Monday afternoon! Welcome to this week’s edition of “Govs on Deck” – the weekly tip sheet dedicated to keeping you informed about what is happening in Democratic governors’ offices around the country.
Questions or suggestions? Send me a note at amestoy@dga.net. You can find us all on Twitter too – @A_Tall_Turner, @CEAmestoy, and @MichBeyer.
Programming note: we are taking a break next week and will return in December. May your turkey be moist, your mashed potatoes creamy, and may you avoid all flight connections through CTL.
Coming up this week:
- This morning, MINNESOTA Gov. Tim WALZ is expected to give an update on lawmakers’ efforts to address high insulin costs. Lawmakers had given themselves a 30-day deadline to deliver next steps. That deadline expires today.
- On Tuesday, MAINE Gov. Janet MILLS will join former U.S. Senator Olympia Snowe for the opening session of the Olympia Snowe Women’s Leadership Institute. Gov. Mills and Sen. Snowe will answer questions from the student participants.
- MAINE Gov. Janet MILLS on Tuesday will also receive the Empow[h]er Award from A Company of Girls. The award is presented to someone who is a role model for girls to look up to not just their success, but for their leadership, grit, and compassion.
- On Tuesday, NEW JERSEY Gov. Phil MURPHY and First Lady Tammy Murphy will be joined by Vice President Al Gore at Liberty Science Center in Jersey City for a special clean energy announcement.
- Friday, MAINE Gov. Janet MILLS will join L.L. Bean to celebrate Maine’s recent signing of the Confluence Accords, which is a set of common principles shared by several states across the country to promote outdoor recreation and grow the outdoor recreation economy.
How ‘bout Dem govs: college affordability
Dem govs get it done.
Last week, COLORADO Gov. Jared POLIS laid out a three-phase plan to make college more affordable for Coloradans.
The first phase aims at the time it takes to receive a degree, the costs of textbooks, and the lack of a comprehensive source of information to help students and families facing financial decisions.
The second phase asks colleges to look for savings and restructure degree programs to include more work-based credit.
The third phase relies on building relationships with specific industries so colleges can better educate students entering the workforce after graduating.
Some news from this past week:
- Wooohoooo!
- Wildfire prevention
- NEVADA Gov. Steve SISOLAK, the U.S. Forest Service, the Bureau of Land Management, and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service finalized a landmark agreement that calls on state and federal agencies to increase their collaborative efforts to reduce the risk and impacts of catastrophic wildfire.
- Clean energy
- RHODE ISLAND Gov. Gina RAIMONDO attended the groundbreaking of the largest community solar project ever in the state. The two arrays could supply power to more than 2,000 subscribers when they come on line.
- NORTH CAROLINA Gov. Roy COOPER said it’s time to end legislative battles over wind energy, vowing to veto any kind of wind moratorium. The governor said wind power needs to be part of a future clean energy system in the state.
- Economic development
- MAINE Gov. Janet MILLS hosted a rural economic development discussion that brought together business owners, economic development leaders, and local lawmakers to focus on ideas and strategies to foster economic growth in rural Maine.
Name that governor:
This governor was the editor of a small weekly newspaper in Vermont…
Think you know? Shoot me your answer at amestoy@dga.net.
PENNSYLVANIA Gov. Tom WOLF was the answer to last week’s question: This governor strongly believes that hot dogs count as sandwiches…