Capitol Comments

Pondering the Role of the Lieutenant Governor

The office of lieutenant governor in Illinois may be on the ropes, but the person who holds the office in neighboring Indiana stays busy.

In fact, Indiana Lt. Gov. Becky Skillman has more duties than any other lieutenant governor nationwide, according to Julia Hurst, executive director of the National Lieutenant Governors Association, an affiliate of The Council of State Governments.

A controversial primary election, and subsequent withdrawal of the Democratic nominee, in Illinois has left the embattled position of lieutenant governor with somewhat of an endangered status. Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan introduced a constitutional amendment to dissolve the position.

Hurst said the trend, starting in the last decade, has been to expand the responsibilities of the lieutenant governor.

Learn more about this story at Fox Chicago News.

 

One-Quarter of Decade’s Gubernatorial Successions to Happen in 2009

Twenty-five percent of the decade’s gubernatorial successions are to happen this year alone, according to the National Lieutenant Governors Association, an affiliate of The Council of State Governments.

“Of the gubernatorial successions to occur this decade, one-quarter are slated to happen in the first seven months of this year alone,” said Julia Hurst, NLGA executive director.

The pending gubernatorial successions of the lieutenant governors of Alaska and Utah—once they become official—means there will be five NLGA members who succeed to governor so far this year, Hurst said.

“The ever increasing impact of the office of lieutenant governor on the leadership of the nation in the states is renewing interest in the office of lieutenant governor,” said Hurst.

Here are some more facts about the office of lieutenant governor, according to NLGA:

NEMA Supports Obama Nominee for FEMA Administrator

The National Emergency Management Association, known as NEMA, strongly supports the nomination of Craig Fugate to serve as administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency. NEMA is an affiliate of The Council of State Governments. 

NEMA President Nancy Dragani said the pick demonstrates that President Obama understands the importance of having an experienced emergency manager at the helm of FEMA.

“Craig Fugate is one of the brightest and most experienced emergency managers in the nation and President Obama has made an outstanding choice,” Dragani said. The key is his vision, she said. “Under his leadership I think we have the opportunity to redefine emergency management at the federal, state and local level.”

In a statement, NEMA officials said they look forward to working with Fugate and his team to enhance the nation’s ability to respond to all emergencies and disasters and to build greater capabilities for state and local governments.

In 2008 and 2009 Fugate chaired the NEMA Response and Recovery Committee and served on the association board of directors. 

For more information on NEMA, contact Karen Cobuluis, meeting and marketing coordinator, at (859) 244-8143.

Lieutenant Governors Explore Economic Options in China

By Julia Hurst

The economies of the United States and China are intrinsically linked, China Assistant Foreign Affairs Minister Liu Jieyi told five lieutenant governors during a National Lieutenant Governors Association economic development and humanitarian mission to China in October.

Jieyi said China has supported the United States through its economic downturn, in part, by issuing statements of support and optimism.

Exploring Sustainable Development in China

By Julia Hurst

Environmentally responsible urban and rural development is a challenge.

And that’s not just true in the United States. Many other nations around the world face that same challenge, as five lieutenant governors found out in October during a trip to China as part of a National Lieutenant Governors Association economic development and humanitarian mission.

China Housing Vice Minister Dr. Qiu Baoxing said China needs to build housing and infrastructure for its growing population of more than 1.3 billion people and to maintain an expressway second in length only to one in the U.S.

Development of walkable cities, public transit and green buildings are keys to future plans, Baoxing told lieutenant governors from Alabama, Connecticut, Kansas, Nevada and Wisconsin. He also said that China will need technical support, financial support and human capacity to learn quickly how to complete urban and rural development correctly.

Lieutenant Governors See Devastation of Chinese Earthquake

NLGA Executive Director Julia Hurst joins dozens of chidlren who survived an earthquake in China. The children and their families are staying temporarily at a Sichuan high school. 

By Julia Hurst

As a part of an economic development and humanitarian mission to China, five members of the National Lieutenant Governors Association visited China’s Sichuan Province where more than 69,000 Chinese people died as a result of the May 12, 2008, earthquake. That earthquake measured 8.0 magnitude on the Richter scale.

“Thank you with heartfelt gratitude for coming to investigate the tragedy which has befallen this area,” said Mianyang Vice Mayor Wan Lianpo. The Sichuan Province suffered more than $450 billion in damage and lost more than 7,000 school classrooms, according to The New York Times.   
 

NLGA’s China Mission Solidifies Importance of Sister Provinces

By Julia Hurst

During the National Lieutenant Governors Association economic development and humanitarian mission to China in October, several lieutenant governors met with officials from the sister provinces of their states. These relationships gave rise to exchange of information, education, trade and more.

“The mission offered an insight into the unique opportunities that exist in forming relationships between China and our respective states,” said Alabama Lt. Gov. Jim Folsom.

The mission was part of NLGA Chair Wisconsin Lt. Gov. Barbara Lawton’s focus on bringing jobs and economic development to the U.S. Lawton met with Zhao Erli, Heilongjiang Province’s director-general of the Overseas Chinese Affairs Office. Erli expressed interest in hosting a delegation of Wisconsin agriculture, dairy, animal husbandry and cranberry experts to discuss best practices, dairy modernization and potential trade opportunities.

Rhode Island Attorney General Makes History

Rhode Island Attorney General Patrick Lynch was unanimously elected as the 101st president of the National Association of Attorneys General last week. He is the first attorney general from Rhode Island selected for the post.

“I am immensely honored to serve NAAG in this leadership capacity and eager to work with the new officers and NAAG’s entire membership to embark on the challenging work ahead,” Lynch said.

Attorneys general also elected Nebraska Attorney General Jon Bruning as president-elect; North Carolina Attorney General Roy Cooper as vice president; and Idaho Attorney General Lawrence Wasden as immediate past president for the 2008-2009 term.

The Association also announced its annual award winners:

Wilson Wins Rooney Award

Sara Redding Wilson, director of Virginia Human Resource Management, has been selected as the winner of the 2008 National Association of State Personnel Executives Eugene H. Rooney Jr. Leadership Award.

Wilson was appointed director of the Virginia Department of Human Resource Management in April 1998 and is the first person to be reappointed twice to that position since 1974. During her tenure, she has been instrumental in the re-engineering of human resource programs statewide and introducing technological solutions to HR initiatives.

NLGA Pursues Energy, Health, Children's Programs

The nation’s lieutenant governors are pursuing programs regarding energy, health and children as they welcome new officers to lead the National Lieutenant Governors Association (NLGA).  Thirty-one NLGA members gathered in Williamsburg, Va., for the NLGA Annual Meeting in July.   

The members passed three resolutions, as follows:
• Energy Independence and Climate Protection Resolution
• Resolution in Support of Mentoring
• Reduction of Phosphorous in Household Dishwashing Detergents Resolution