ATLANTA – State Representative Mickey Stephens (D-Savannah) was recently appointed to serve on the National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL) Transportation Committee by House Speaker David Ralston (R-Blue Ridge). Rep. Stephens will serve a term running during the 2011-2012 biennium.
“It is an honor to be selected by Speaker Ralston to serve on this important committee within the National Conference of State Legislatures,” said Representative Stephens. “With the upcoming regional transportation sales tax vote and the ongoing Transit Governance Study Commission, Georgians will soon have major decisions to make – decisions that will affect their families and communities for years to come. I look forward to using my position on the NCSL Transportation Committee to help Georgians make informed decisions that will best serve their needs.”
The Transportation Committee is one of NCSL’s 12 standing committees. These standing committees serve an important role in representing state interests in Washington, D.C and the facilitation of policy innovation among the state and territorial legislatures. The committees also provide a unique forum for the discussion of major issues facing the states, which allows legislators to learn from the experiences of other states.
The NCSL Transportation Committee has jurisdiction over the states’ interests in transportation and develops policy positions on federal issues that relate to the states. This vital committee plays an integral part in assisting state legislatures with their responsibilities concerning our nation’s transportation systems, which are key to America’s economic growth, mobility and quality of life.
Transportation issues include coordinated human service transportation, hazardous materials transportation, traffic congestion, and traffic safety. Other areas of focus for transportation include aviation, transportation finance and rail issues.
With representation from all the states, the NCSL Transportation Committee meets three times a year, including once in Washington, D.C., once in a city elsewhere in the country, and once at the NCSL Legislative Summit. The remaining committee meetings for this year will be held at the NCSL’s Legislative Summit in San Antonio, Texas, August 8-11, and the Fall Forum in Tampa, Florida, November 30-December 2.
NCSL is a bipartisan organization that serves legislators and staffs from the nation’s 50 states. It provides research, technical assistance and opportunities for policymakers to exchange ideas on the most pressing state issues and is an effective and respected advocate for the interests of the states in the American federal system.
For more information about NCSL and its transportation committee, please click here.
Representative Mickey Stephens represents the citizens of District 161, which includes portions of Chatham County. He was elected into the House of Representatives in 2008, and currently serves on the Health & Human Services, Insurance, Reapportionment, and Ways & Means committees.
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