Southern Legislative Conference

Southern Legislative Conference
Name	Southern Legislative Conference
Abbreviation	SLC
Formation	1935
Headquarters	Atlanta, Georgia
Region served	Southern United States
Membership	State legislators from member states and territories
Leader title	Executive Director

Southern Legislative Conference The Southern Legislative Conference is a regional association of state legislators formed to foster cooperation among policymakers from Southern states and territories, including representatives from Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Texas, Virginia, Louisiana and other member jurisdictions; it convenes lawmakers, staff, and experts from bodies such as the United States Senate, United States House of Representatives, National Conference of State Legislatures, Council of State Governments and regional commissions. The Conference advances model resolutions, research, and training for members including participants from institutions like Vanderbilt University, University of Georgia, Emory University, Duke University and policy centers such as the Brookings Institution, Heritage Foundation, Pew Research Center, Bipartisan Policy Center.

History

Founded during the interwar period with roots in 1930s regional cooperation efforts involving delegations from Arkansas, Oklahoma, Mississippi, North Carolina and South Carolina, the Conference traces lineage to earlier meetings hosted in cities such as Atlanta, Georgia, New Orleans, Charlotte, North Carolina, Nashville, Tennessee and Birmingham, Alabama. Early gatherings featured speakers with connections to national figures including Franklin D. Roosevelt, Harry S. Truman, Earl Long and policy advisors affiliated with organizations like the United States Department of Agriculture, Tennessee Valley Authority, War Industries Board and Works Progress Administration. Postwar expansion saw interactions with delegations from Puerto Rico, District of Columbia, Virgin Islands, and collaboration with regional entities like the Appalachian Regional Commission, Southeastern Power Administration, Southern Governors' Association and the Interstate Oil and Gas Compact Commission. In the late 20th century, the Conference engaged with issues championed by leaders connected to Lyndon B. Johnson, George H. W. Bush, Jimmy Carter, Bill Clinton and participated in policy dialogues that intersected with laws such as the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Social Security Act amendments and federal programs overseen by the Environmental Protection Agency.

Organization and Membership

The Conference's membership comprises state legislators and legislative staff from member jurisdictions including Alabama Legislature, Florida Legislature, Georgia General Assembly, Kentucky General Assembly, Maryland General Assembly, Mississippi Legislature, Missouri General Assembly, North Carolina General Assembly and delegations that often include members from the Louisiana State Legislature, Oklahoma Legislature, South Carolina Legislature and Texas Legislature. Structurally, the SLC operates through standing committees and task forces modeled on practices used by the American Legislative Exchange Council, National Governors Association, National Association of State Budget Officers and the Council of State Governments West. Administrative functions are performed from offices located near policy hubs such as Atlanta, with professional staff liaising with partner organizations including the Pew Charitable Trusts, Kaiser Family Foundation, Urban Institute, RAND Corporation and regional legislative services like the Southern Legislative Conference Staff and state legislative research bureaus.

Programs and Initiatives

The Conference administers professional development programs, fellowship tracks, policy academies and technical assistance that draw on curricula from Harvard Kennedy School, Princeton School of Public and International Affairs, University of Virginia, Stanford University, and research collaboration with think tanks such as the Cato Institute, American Enterprise Institute, Center for American Progress and Manhattan Institute. Initiatives include budget modeling workshops using methodologies from the Congressional Budget Office, health policy roundtables referencing work by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, infrastructure forums involving the Federal Highway Administration, energy summits with participation from the Department of Energy, and education panels informed by research from Johns Hopkins University, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, University of Texas at Austin and Georgia State University.

Policy Areas and Resolutions

Committees within the Conference draft model resolutions and policy statements on topics such as fiscal policy coordinated with recommendations from the Office of Management and Budget, criminal justice measures echoing research from the Bureau of Justice Statistics, public health responses aligned with Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidance, energy policy reflecting analysis from the Energy Information Administration, and transportation priorities in concert with the Federal Transit Administration. Past adopted resolutions have referenced national statutes and court decisions tied to entities like the Supreme Court of the United States, Department of Homeland Security, Social Security Administration, Federal Communications Commission, and federal programs administered by the Department of Education and Department of Health and Human Services.

Meetings and Events

The SLC holds annual meetings, interim committee sessions, policy conferences and leadership academies in rotating host cities including Charleston, South Carolina, Savannah, Georgia, Baton Rouge, Louisiana, Jackson, Mississippi, Raleigh, North Carolina, Austin, Texas and Nashville, Tennessee. Major events often feature keynote addresses by figures from the United States Congress, state governors such as those from Florida, Georgia, Texas and speakers affiliated with universities like Emory University School of Law, Vanderbilt Law School, Columbia Law School and national institutes including the Brookings Institution and Council on Foreign Relations.

Leadership and Governance

Governance is conducted by an executive committee and officers elected from among legislators representing chambers such as the Alabama Senate, Florida House of Representatives, Georgia House of Representatives, Louisiana House of Representatives, Missouri Senate and Virginia Senate, with staff leadership often recruited from professional backgrounds tied to the National Conference of State Legislatures and policy directorates comparable to those of the Legislative Counsel Bureau and state legislative services. The Conference maintains bylaws, standing rules and procedural practices influenced by parliamentary procedures used in bodies like the United States House of Representatives and United States Senate.

Criticism and Impact

Critics have challenged the Conference on grounds cited by commentators from outlets such as the New York Times, Washington Post, Wall Street Journal, Politico and advocacy groups including ACLU, League of Women Voters, Southern Poverty Law Center and Common Cause—raising concerns about policy influence, transparency, and alignment with corporate stakeholders like energy companies, healthcare conglomerates and transportation firms represented by trade groups such as the American Petroleum Institute, Chamber of Commerce of the United States, National Association of Manufacturers and American Hospital Association. Supporters point to measurable impacts on state legislation, intergovernmental coordination with agencies such as the Federal Emergency Management Agency and economic development projects linked to regional partnerships with the Economic Development Administration, interstate compacts, and academic evaluations from centers including the Urban Institute and Pew Charitable Trusts.

Category:Organizations based in Atlanta Category:State legislative organizations of the United States