Anchorage -- Alaska State Legislators are pleased to announce that the nation's largest state governmental association, the Council of State Governments, will hold its 2001 Annual Meeting and Leadership Forum for the first time ever in the State of Alaska.

The Executive Committee of the Council of State Governments voted at its recent annual meeting to have the State of Alaska play host to the CSG's Annual Meeting in Anchorage, Alaska in September of 2001. Each year the Annual Meeting is held in a different state, rotating among the four national regions.

Governor Tony Knowles, Senate President Drue Pearce and Speaker Brian Porter serve on the CSG's Governing Board for the State of Alaska. Representative Ramona Barnes serves on the CSG's Executive Committee. Senator Jerry Ward and Representative Ramona Barnes were appointed the Co-Chairs for the 2001 Annual Conference.

"The CSG is our country's most comprehensive state government association leading the way in gaining greater governing efficiency for all taxpayers," said 2001 CSG President and Idaho Governor Dirk Kempthorne. The CSG's annual meeting is expected to draw over 1,000 state government officials to Alaska to discuss policy issues and attend professional development sessions and it is estimated to draw approximately $1.5 million to the Anchorage economy and other Alaskan cities visited by the delegates.

CSG is the only group of its kind to serve all elected and appointed officials in all three branches of government in the United States, territories and some Canadian provinces. CSG is a non-partisan, not-for-profit association.