NCSL Podcasts

2026 State Elections Preview | OAS Episode 271

The 2026 elections will see 6,139 of the nation’s 7,386 legislative seats on the ballot. There will be 146 measures on the November ballot, and including measures voted o

Cybersecurity Threats Facing Utilities | OAS Episode 270

Our focus on this podcast is cybersecurity at utilities. Electric, gas, and water utilities face billions of automated probes every year. While only a fraction of probes

Putting Data to Work in the Criminal Justice System | OAS Episode 269

The focus of this podcast is how to use criminal justice data to better understand how a range of programs affect people in the justice system and how policymakers can us

Focus on Energy Affordability: Part 2 | OAS Episode 268

This is the second part of a two-part podcast on energy affordability. In our previous episode, we talked with Representative Craig Williams of Pennsylvania and Janine Be

ROI and the Workforce | OAS Episode 267

The focus of the podcast is how states are working toward connecting education and training systems with the workforce. State policymakers are keenly interested in measur

Focus on Energy Affordability: Part 1 | OAS Episode 266

Our topic on this episode is energy affordability. In the worlds of both politics and policy, energy affordability is a hot topic. The U.S. saw largely flat electricity d

Assessing Mid-Decade Redistricting | OAS Episode 265

The last year has seen an unusual spate of mid-decade redistricting. It was initiated by President Trump in 2025 when he urged the Texas legislature to redraw maps to fav

Mental Health and the Workplace | OAS Episode 264 | May 17, 2026

This episode explored mental health and behavioral health in the workplace, including the role of employers and legislators in helping people facing mental health conditi

As July 4 Anniversary Approaches, We Remember Some State History | OAS Episode 263

As the nation prepares to celebrate the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence, NCSL gathered a trio of experts to discuss the origin stories

Using Wage Records to Help Workers | OAS Episode 262

Our focus on this podcast is enhanced wage records and the role they can play in helping states better understand their workforce, evaluate job training programs and show

The Lifesaving Potential of Prehospital Blood | OAS Episode 261

Prehospital blood programs that allow emergency responders to administer blood at the scene to trauma victims are drawing increased attention from state lawmakers. A tech

The Evolution of Alzheimer’s Diagnosis and Treatment | OAS Episode 260

Alzheimer’s disease affects a significant number of Americans over 65—more than 7 million—and is the sixth leading cause of death in that age group. It’s expected that mo

Understanding the Cost of Health Care | March 8, 2026

The U.S. health care system is massive. It's a $5 trillion behemoth, nearly 20% of the U.S. economy or more than $15,000 per person per year. The cost of health care for

The Legislature’s Oversight Role | OAS Episode 258

In one fashion or another, all state legislatures exercise oversight of state agencies and programs. They do this in a variety of ways using standing committees, rules re

Big Changes for Medicaid | OAS Episode 257

SUMMARY Medicaid is the joint state -federal program created in 1965 that provides free or low -cost health care to about 70 million Americans, including low-income elde

Growing Focus on Data Centers | OAS Episode 256

There are more than 5,000 data centers in the U.S. and thousands more on the drawing board. The centers are big consumers of energy to power the racks of servers and big

Getting Ready for the 2026 Legislative Session | OAS Episode 255

As a new year and a new state legislative session gets underway, we sat down with Tim Storey, the CEO of NCSL, to discuss the coming legislative session and where he expe

The Power of Mentoring | OAS Episode 254

Institutional knowledge among legislative staff is a core element to maintaining continuity in legislatures around the country. But passing on that knowledge has become c

Legislative Leadership and the Infinite Game | OAS Episode 253

On this episode we sat down with Curt Stedron, director of NCSL’s Legislative Training Institute, to discuss a presentation he made at this year’s Legislative Summit in B

Power and the People: Distributed Energy Resources and Virtual Power Plants | OAS Episode 252

Distributed energy resources or DERs, things such as rooftop solar panels on homes and small businesses, home or business batteries and electric vehicles are an important