House Speaker Nathaniel Ledbetter Elected Chair of The Council of State Governments Southern Office (CSG South)

September 3, 2024 - MONTGOMERY, ALA – House Speaker Nathaniel Ledbetter (R-Rainsville) has been elected chair of CSG South for 2024- 2025. As chair, Speaker Ledbetter will preside over the Executive Committee of CSG South and the 79th Southern Legislative Conference, which will be held in Birmingham, Alabama, July 19-23, 2025.

The meeting, which is the nation's largest regional state government forum, is expected to draw more than 1,800 attendees from the South. Registration will open in February 2025 at csgsouth.org.

"It's an honor to serve as chairman of the 79th Southern Legislative Conference, and I'm grateful that my peers from CSG South's 15 member states saw me fit to serve in this capacity," said House Speaker Nathaniel Ledbetter. "I'm excited to welcome legislators, staffers, private partners and their guests to the great state of Alabama for what I know will be an insightful and exciting meeting. From our award-winning musicians to our nationally renowned culinary scene, we plan to showcase what makes Sweet Home Alabama so special."

Speaker Ledbetter was officially elected chairman after serving as chair-elect of the 78th annual Southern Legislative Conference meeting, held at the Greenbrier Resort in West Virginia July 21 – 25, 2024.

CSG South was established In 1947, The Council of State Governments Southern Office (CSG South) is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization that exists to support members in all three branches of state government. At CSG South we act as an extension of state government, fostering the exchange of insights and ideas to help state officials shape public policy and create problem-solving partnerships.

The mission of CSG South is to promote and strengthen intergovernmental cooperation among its 15 member states: Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, and West Virginia. Predominantly, this is achieved through the ongoing work of CSG South's seven standing committees and supporting groups.

Legislative leadership, members, and staff depend on CSG South to identify and analyze solutions for the most prevalent and unique policy issues facing Southern state governments. We facilitate outreach in state capitols, leadership development, staff exchange programs, domestic and international policy delegations, and other efforts to support state policymakers and legislative staff in their work to build stronger, more successful states.

The Southern Legislative Conference (SLC) is the largest regional gathering of legislative members and staff. SLC boasts an array of well-established programs-focusing on both existing and emerging state government innovations and solutions-providing policymakers and staff diverse opportunities to interact with policy experts and share their knowledge with colleagues.