| Highlights from Oregon Senate President Peter Courtney’s Welcoming Remarks to the CSG-WEST Spring Executive Committee Meeting in Portland, Oregon, March 19, 2010. | |
| - 7 states with Democratic control in Legislature: California, Montana, New Mexico, Arizona, Nevada, Colorado, Oregon, and Washington
| - 4 states with Republican states control in Legislature: Alaska, Arizona, Idaho, and Wyoming
| - 2 states where Republicans control one chamber and the other is tied: Alaska and Montana
| | - California is the nation’s most populated state.
| - Wyoming is the nation’s least popular state.
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| - Twenty-three percent of the nation’s population overall is in the West which is about 71.4 million people.
| - Nine of the ten largest states in geographic area are in CSG-WEST: Alaska, California, Montana, New Mexico, Arizona, Nevada, Colorado, Oregon, and Wyoming
| - Together the states make up nearly one-half of all the land area in the US. 3 of the 5 remaining states where the Legislature meets only every other year are in the West: Montana, Nevada, North Dakota, Oregon, and Texas
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| | | | The 1307 legislators in the 13 CSG-WEST states equal 18 percent of the 7,382 Legislators in the 50 states
This is an all-star team. And they are performing like it. State Legislatures are where the real work gets done. Here’s what you and your CSG-WEST colleagues have been working on this year: |  | 
| Alaska – The Last Frontier Lawmakers are tackling the issue of better integrating K-12 education with properly preparing students from college. Their goal is to increase the number college graduates in the state because almost 80 percent of those who enroll in college don't graduate. |
| Arizona – The Grand Canyon State Senate President Bob Burns decided the state budget crisis was so critical that he temporarily suspended hearings of all standing policy committees to ensure that every member of the Senate was focused on solving the state’s budget issues. |  |
 | California – The Golden State The Legislature is moving to reform state government to improve its effectiveness, stabilize the state’s finances, increase accountability and enhance public oversight. While they’re at it, Assembly Speaker John A. Pérez and Senate President pro Tem Darrell Steinberg have decided to reform the institution of the Legislature, prioritize key issues and promote bipartisanship. |
| Colorado – The Centennial State Lawmakers moved to create thousands of clean and green jobs by raising the state’s Re-newable Energy Standard to 30 percent by 2020. The effect, they say, will be the attraction new companies to Colorado. |  |
 | Hawaii – The Aloha State Lawmakers acted to reduce increases in unemployment taxes for Hawaii businesses, while maintaining funding for unemployment benefits. |
| Idaho – The Gem State Seizing on the success of a similar fund that has helped balance the budget for K-12 schools, the Legislature is creating the Higher Education Stability Fund by redirecting interest on revenue from tuition and fees at Idaho’s State colleges and universities. |  | | | |
 | Montana – The Treasure State In their off-year, lawmakers are taking on reforms to the Teachers' Retirement System and, possibly, the Public Employees' Retirement System to make both more stable and reduce their drain on state government. |
| Nevada – The Silver State Using existing tax dollars, lawmakers acted to create 1,000 new jobs in SB5, “the jobs bill.” The new law funds numerous “shovel-ready” road projects around the state by bonding against existing fuel taxes and other existing taxes approved by voters in 2002. |  |
 | New Mexico – The Land of Enchantment Lawmakers reformed the State Investment Council by requiring appointed members to have 10 years of financial or investment experience so that the state’s $13 billion in investments can be better managed in both good times and bad. | | | |
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