Across the States

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From Family to Fiscal Reform: North Carolina Rep. Brian Echevarria at the ALEC Annual Meeting Aug 21, 2025

Show notes

One of North Carolina’s newest legislators tackles property tax reform with confidence and conviction.

North Carolina Representative Brian Echevarria spoke with ALEC Director of Policy Advancement and Media Relations Lars Dalseide on ALEC TV about turning a family challenge into a political calling by championing property tax reform.

Special Guest: Brian Echevarria.

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Marching Toward Zero: Arkansas Senator Jim Dotson at the ALEC Annual Meeting Aug 20, 2025

Show notes

ALEC Board Member Jim Dotson shares how Arkansas climbed into the top 10 in economic competitiveness and why it won't stop there.

Special Guest: Jim Dotson.

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Keeping Competitive at Home: Michigan Speaker Matt Hall at the ALEC Annual Meeting Aug 13, 2025

Show notes

At the 52nd ALEC Annual Meeting, Michigan Speaker Matt Hall described his priorities as rooted in the belief that economic growth and public safety go hand in hand. By focusing on a business climate that rewards investment, infrastructure spending that delivers results, and policies that respect the rule of law, he believes Michigan can compete with the strongest states in the nation while protecting the communities that call it home.

Special Guest: Matt Hall.

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Bringing Big Sky Spirit to Indiana: Rep. Kerri Seekins-Crowe at the ALEC Annual Meeting Aug 06, 2025

Show notes

Montana State Representative Kerri Seekins-Crowe may represent just over 10,000 constituents in Yellowstone County, but she carries the concerns of Montana’s working families with her wherever she goes. At ALEC’s 52nd Annual Meeting in Indianapolis, the ALEC State Chair reflected on her path into public service, her recent legislative priorities, and what she hopes to take home from the conference.

Special Guest: Kerri Seekins-Crowe.

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Kansas Leadership in Indiana: Speaker Daniel Hawkins at the ALEC Annual Meeting Jul 29, 2025

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Speaker Daniel Hawkins talks budget discipline, building camaraderie, and leadership at the ALEC Annual Meeting in Indianapolis.

Special Guest: Daniel Hawkins.

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Rich States Poor States Turns Eighteen: Across the States Special Edition Jun 23, 2025

Show notes

On a special edition of the Across the States podcast, ALEC Executive Vice President Lee Schalk and ALEC President and Chief Economist Jonathan Williams sat down to discuss the newest edition of Rich States, Poor States: The ALEC-Laffer State Economic Competitiveness Index. Now in its 18th year, the report has become one of the most anticipated annual releases for state lawmakers and policy watchers alike — and this year’s rankings didn’t disappoint.

Special Guest: Jonathan Williams.

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States That Work: A Roadmap to Labor Policy Reform Jun 17, 2025

Show notes

In a recent Breakdown from the American Legislative Exchange Council, Lars Dalseide sat down with ALEC Commerce, Insurance, and Economic Development (CIED) Task Force manager Alan Jernigan to discuss States That Work: A Labor Policy Roadmap Across America. The report, spearheaded by Jernigan, evaluates each state’s labor policies based on ten model reforms developed by the CIED Task Force.

Special Guest: Alan Jernigan.

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Identifying Bad Actors in Our Supply Chains: An ALEC Women’s Leadership Episode Apr 22, 2025

Show notes

Last month, as part of ALEC’s Women’s Leadership series, Brooklyn Roberts and I spoke with national security expert Dr. Meg Reiss about how states can defend themselves and the nation from People’s Republic of China (PRC) influence, interference, and infiltration. Dr. Reiss served as former US Senator Mitt Romney’s national security policy advisor and is a nonresident Senior Fellow at the Atlantic Council, as well as a fellow at the National Security Institution at George Mason University. Dr. Reiss is also the founder and CEO of SolidIntel, a company that uses generative AI to derisk supply chains.

Special Guest: Dr. Megan Reiss.

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Germany’s Political Shift: An ALEC Women’s Leadership Episode Mar 24, 2025

Show notes

Germany’s recent election drew an 82% voter turnout – a number unheard of here in the States. The Christian Democratic Union (CDU) and Christian Social Union (CSU) sister parties clinched a plurality with 28.5% of the vote, while the right-wing Alternative für Deutschland (AfD), founded just 12 years ago, captured a striking 20.9%. Christiane von Czettritz und Neuhaus and Sibel Öztürk-Bastanoglu from the Hanns Seidel Foundation joined Karla Jones, Vice President of the ALEC Center for International Freedom, to dissect these outcomes and detail the coalition-building process poised to steer Germany’s future.

Special Guests: Christiane von Czettritz und Neuhaus and Sibel Öztürk-Bastanoglu.

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Civil Justice Reform in Georgia: Nino Marchese & Mark Behrens on ALEC TV Mar 12, 2025

Show notes

Georgia’s legislature, under Governor Brian Kemp’s leadership, has unveiled a bold package of tort and civil litigation reforms aimed at addressing what many see as a growing crisis of lawsuit abuse. Mark Behrens, a longtime advisor to the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) and former chair of its Civil Justice Task Force, joined Nino Marchese on ALEC TV to discuss the implications of Senate Bills 68 and 69. Behrens, a staunch supporter of the reforms, sees them as a critical step toward balancing Georgia’s legal system while boosting its economic prospects.

Special Guest: Mark Behrens.

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