Our Story is One of Excellence

As a champion of excellence in state governance, The Council of State Governments West (CSG West) provides state legislators and legislative staff with valuable relationship building and professional growth opportunities through a variety of member-driven, regionally focused programs and services. Highly informative conversation and peer-to-peer collaboration are the focus of our regular convenings, with a keen eye on supporting important state and regional policy efforts.

Membership is automatic for western legislators and legislative staff, and our members value the chance to confer with peers from other states in a nonpartisan atmosphere as they share cross-border knowledge and lessons learned in a variety of areas.

Whether addressing concerns specific to the region, assessing international dynamics, or honing essential leadership and consensus-building skills, CSG West’s programs are designed to assist elected leaders throughout the west in becoming more effective in their work.

CSG West is particularly unique in the broader organization as the only region of CSG with dual international borders, a fact that is embraced and explored through several special programs and forums designed to foster the exchange of ideas, experiences and best practices on topics related to international relations and their intersection with state governance.

Quite unlike any other organization, the broader CSG structure enables our various operations to access valuable resources at the regional, national, and international levels. Three CSG key offerings available to members across all regions include:

Access to a national perspective on key topics to help expand their knowledge base
In the realm of justice reform, the CSG Justice Center offers access to objective, data-driven research to support state-based justice efforts
Through the National Center for Interstate Compacts, states can receive information and technical assistance to develop interstate compacts which promote multi-state problem solving.

Our History Withstands the Test of Time

Henry Wolcott Toll was a Colorado state Senator who believed that if states wished to maintain control over inherent state issues, interstate cooperation was imperative. The strength of his conviction led him to establish what was once the American Legislators Association in 1925 with one straightforward goal: to provide elected state legislators with information and opportunities to connect. Enjoying significant success, the effort evolved. Senator Toll and a dozen colleagues formally established The Council of State Governments (CSG) in 1933 as a national organization serving all three branches of government. Initially based in Chicago, Illinois, CSG moved its headquarters to Lexington, Kentucky in 1967 – where it remains to this day – providing essential leadership nationally and to the regional operations at CSG East, established in 1937; CSG Midwest, established in 1945; and CSG West and the Southern Legislative Conference, both established in 1947.

Our Member Services are Highly Valued

Through our work, we strive to keep members informed about critical issues, emerging trends, and best practices impacting the work of states. This includes opportunities to attend regularly scheduled meetings, participate in leadership training programs, receive informational updates, and utilize all available resources. Whether your interest is in attending meetings to collaborate with fellow leaders or requesting research assistance for your issue work, our staff is available to help. We can be reached via email or telephone at csgw@csg.org or 916-553-4423.

Our Governance is Member Driven

Governance of CSG West is run with member needs top of mind, particularly given the weighty responsibilities of our members. Composed of Executive Committee members, officers are elected annually and rotated to ensure a bi-partisan approach in their direct oversight of the organization’s work. Acting as our governing board, the Executive Committee is made up of legislative leaders from each state and meets each year during the CSG West Annual Meeting – our marquee event — to review the work of CSG West policy committees, adopt policy positions and recommendations, and review the ongoing development and effectiveness of the organization.

Officers

Senator Todd Weiler

Utah

Chair

Todd Weiler was born in Georgia and raised in the Chicago suburbs. He attended college at Brigham Young…

Senator Löki Tobin

Alaska

Chair-Elect

Born and raised in Nome, Alaska, Löki (she/her – pronounced Lew-key) is a graduate of the University of…

Representative Lauren Matsumoto

Vice-Chair

Hawaii

Representative Lauren Cheape Matsumoto traces her roots in Hawai‘i back to 1859. She is the 6th generation to…

Representative Mike Yin

Wyoming

Immediate Past Chair

Wyoming State Representative Mike Yin represents the residents of Jackson, Wyoming in the heart of Jackson Hole. In…

executive committee roster

Staff

Edgar Ruiz

Director

Edgar Ruiz serves as Director of The Council of State Governments West (CSG West), leading the organization since November 2011. He oversees CSG West’s many flagship programs and services that encourage peer-to-peer sharing and professional development…