State-Federal Relations and Standing Committees

NCSL is nationally recognized as a formidable lobbying force in Washington, D.C. Year-in and year-out, the organization effectively works to enhance the role of states and state legislatures in the federal system. We oppose unfunded federal mandates and preemption of state authority, and seek to provide state legislatures the flexibility they need to innovate and be responsive to the unique needs of the residents of each state.

These state-federal activities are guided by NCSL's 12 standing committees. These committees develop the official policy statements that determine our positions on the wide range of federal actions that affect the states. In addition, they are fertile venues for sharing ideas about policy and legislative management innovations in state legislatures. The committees, whose jurisdictions are similar to those of committees in state legislatures, are made up of legislators and legislative staff from the 50 states and the territories. Their work is guided by legislator and legislative staff officers, who are named each year by the NCSL President and Staff Chair.

The committees meet three times each year--at Fall Forum, the Spring Forum and the annual NCSL Legislative Summit. The meetings feature speakers from Congress and federal agencies, as well as experts on state issues. Each meeting also includes debate on the state-federal position statements developed by the committees.

The committees have support from NCSL staff in the Washington and Denver offices. The staff produce various documents related to both state and federal matters, including, research and analysis on federal and state issues, action and information alerts, legislative summaries, side-by-side charts, 50-state surveys and committee e-mail list serves. The state-federal work is highlighted each week in Capitol to Capitol, which is e-mailed and faxed to legislative leaders, committee members and others.

Listen to the 2010 webinar that discusses the NCSL Standing Committees and reviewed committee rules and procedures.  Here are the PowerPoint presentations that were presented in the webinar.