Utah Gov. Gary Herbert officially became the new chair of the National Governors Association at the closing session of the NGA Summer Meeting. Virginia Gov. Terry McAuliffe was named vice chair.
At the session, Gov. Herbert unveiled his 2015-2016 chair’s initiative, States: Finding Solutions, Improving Lives, which is designed to highlight governors’ innovative solutions to today’s most pressing problems.
“To find real solutions to the issues we face every day, we will look to the real innovators—states, our laboratories of democracy,” said Gov. Herbert. “I believe my colleagues have implemented some of the most innovative solutions across the country. My initiative will showcase their breakthroughs.”
The goals of States: Finding Solutions, Improving Lives are to:
· Enhance a collaborative state-federal partnership;
· Highlight state solutions; and
· Share best practices.
Over the next year, Gov. Herbert will examine recent solutions to state challenges in all 55 states and territories and look for ways to apply those lessons to present-day challenges. The knowledge gained over the year about solutions that are innovative, relevant and good for the public will be put into a practical guide for governors; made available on the NGA website; and distributed widely to Congress, the Administration and all federal agencies.
The next reconvening of the nation’s governors will be February 19-22, 2016, in Washington, D.C., for the NGA Winter Meeting. Next year’s Summer Meeting will be held in Des Moines, Iowa.
