Capitol Comments

Early Childhood Education and Care

Early childhood education and care remains at the forefront of the CSG/ERC Education Policy Program.

Massachusetts Sen. Edward Kennedy is the keynote speaker of a two-day conference, Powerless People Need Powerful Friends: A Policymaker’s Conference on Early Childhood Education and Care – Using the Data, set for Sept. 6-7 at the University of Massachusetts/Boston campus.

The offices of Connecticut Gov. M. Jodi Rell, Delaware Gov. Ruth Ann Minner, Vermont Gov. Jim Douglas and Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick have been invited to participate, along with Nobel prize-winning economist James Heckman and Harvard pediatric researcher Dr. Jack Shonkoff.

The CSG/ERC Education Steering Committee is chaired by New Jersey Sen. Bob Martin.

Please contact Dave Magnani for more information.

Comprehensive Smoking Prevention Programs

Smoking is the leading preventable cuase of death in the United States. Studies show it results in an estimated 438,000 deaths and $92 billion in lost productivity each year.

In addition, for every person who dies, there are 20 more living with a smoking-related disease.

A new policy brief from The Healthy States Initiative, a partnership of The Council of State Governments, the National Black Caucus of State Legislators and the National Hispanic Caucus of State Legislators, provides state policymakers with key background information about smoking and identifies proven and cost-effective prevention strategies for states.

Policymakers can find, among other information, things they can do to help prevent smoking, such as:

They've Got Next

Research indicates that Generation Next -- those young people born between 1981 and 1988 -- are less civically engaged than any other generation when they were the same age.

What can policymakers do to prompt higher participation? Find out in this May 2007 State News article.

Among the suggestions from experts in the area:

• Engage with youth, not for youth. Avoid the stereotypes in dealing with young people.
• Make issues pertinent to young people.
• Get the party involved. Political parties should strive for greater impact on young people.