Govs On Deck – July 15, 2019

Good Monday morning! 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.
Coming up this week:

• Today, MAINE Gov. Janet MILLS will convene an opioid summit to address the state’s ongoing epidemic. Under Gov. MILLS, Maine continues to make progress fighting the opioid epidemic, but more work is needed.
• NORTH CAROLINA Gov. Roy COOPER will continue to travel the state highlighting the urgent need for Medicaid expansion. The governor will visit a rural hospital, speak with early childhood educators about their need for Medicaid expansion at a childcare center, and meet with other North Carolinians who find themselves in the coverage gap.
• Gov. Michelle LUJAN GRISHAM will start a five-day trip across NEW MEXICO that will take her from Ruidoso to Taos. The tour will highlight the outdoor recreation and tourism opportunities across the state. The governor created an Outdoor Recreation Division with the state’s Economic Development Department to promote its tourism industry.
• Today, RHODE ISLAND Gov. Gina RAIMONDO will announce a new commercial construction workforce initiative through Real Jobs Rhode Island.

Did you see that? | The New York Times: Three Governors on How They’re Fighting Trump’s Census Manipulation 
If you haven’t read it already, check out last week’s New York Times op-ed by Gov. Gavin NEWSOM, Gov. Jay INSLEE, and Gov. Kate BROWN about what is at stake in the 2020 census and how governors are fighting for a complete count.
“We will not sit idly by, and we are committed to reassuring our communities that they can feel secure in taking part in the census and that their participation matters.”
Some news from this past week:

• Health care:
  • CONNECTICUT Gov. Ned LAMONT signed a bill into law that will provide emergency workers compensation in certain situations that result in mental or emotional impairments, such as post-traumatic stress disorder, or PTSD.
• Education:
  • NORTH CAROLINA Gov. Roy COOPER announced that more than 1,700 Finish Line grants have helped students complete workforce training over the past year. The grants provide financial assistance to community college students thrown off course by a financial emergency.
• Climate change:
  • RHODE ISLAND Gov. Gina RAIMONDO signed an executive order to advance the state’s development of heating technologies that will be affordable and reliable, while also reducing its overall carbon footprint.
• Economy:
  • MAINE Gov. Janet MILLS pushed back on NOAA regulations that would hurt the state’s lobster industry.
• USWNT
  • NEVADA Gov. Steve SISOLAK, COLORADO Gov. Jared POLIS, and MICHIGAN Gov. Gretchen WHITMER all invited the Women’s World Cup champions to visit. All three have taken action to close the gender pay gap since taking office in January.
• Food fight:
  • COLORADO Gov. Jared POLIS and NEW MEXICO Gov. Michelle LUJAN GRISHAM got into a heated debate over which state has the best chile and a chile taste-off was proposed. I’ve made myself available for bad puns and chile tasting.

Name that governor:
This governor was born in Madrid, Spain…
Think you know? Shoot me your answer at amestoy@dga.net.
Last week’s winner is Zac McCrary (ALG Polling) who correctly identified WISCONSIN Gov. Tony EVERS as the answer to this question:
This governor met their significant other in kindergarten class…
Gov. Evers met his wife Kathy in Mrs. Potter’s kindergarten class. Their first date was at junior prom.
Have a great week!