SENATE RESOLUTION 12

(By Senator Blair [Mr. President])

[Introduced January 23, 2023]

Commemorating the 77th Southern Legislative Conference of the Council of State Governments Southern Office.

Whereas, The Council of State Governments Southern Office (CSG South) is a nonpartisan, nonprofit member organization that serves the southern legislatures of Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, and West Virginia; and

Whereas, With regionally-based leadership and perspective, and national-level resources, CSG South provides southern legislators and government staff with a wide variety of programs and services that facilitate regional cooperation and encourages the exchange of information; and

Whereas, CSG South is governed by an executive committee made up of legislative leadership, and policy topics are overseen by six standing policy committees which consist of legislators and government staff from the member states; and

Whereas, The mission of the organization is to serve as a community of the states, committed to connecting, informing, inspiring, and empowering public servants in all three branches of state government to put the best ideas and solutions into practice; and

Whereas, In pursuit of this mission, CSG South has convened the Southern Legislative Conference (SLC) for the past 76 years, beginning with its inception in Hot Springs, Arkansas, and moving into decades of fellowship and cooperation between the 15 southern states; and

Whereas, The 77th Southern Legislative Conference will convene in Charleston, South Carolina from July 8 to July 12, 2023; and

Whereas, More than 1,500 southern legislators, government staff, and their families will gather to discuss policy matters specifically affecting southern states to bridge commonalities and discuss solutions for current policy trends, challenges, and opportunities; and

Whereas, Commending and highlighting the 77th annual Southern Legislative Conference, and offering a welcome to all southern legislative, executive, and judicial officials to attend; therefore, be it

Resolved by the Senate:

That the Senate commemorates the 77th Southern Legislative Conference of the Council of State Government and recognizes the decades of service CSG has offered to all 15 southern states to ensure the exchange of information; and, be it

Further Resolved, That the West Virginia Legislature is proud to host the 78th Southern Legislative Conference in White Sulphur Springs at the Greenbrier in 2024; and, be it

Further Resolved, That the Clerk is hereby directed to forward a copy of this resolution to Lindsey Gray, Regional Director of Council of State Governments: Southern Office.