Martha I. Walters, President of the National Conference of Commissioners on Uniform State Laws, a 116 year old legal organization that advances laws common to all states and territories, has appointed Attorney Tom Bolt, a Uniform Law Commissioner from the U.S. Virgin Islands, to assist her and the national leadership in advancing a legislative strategy for the organization.

Bolt, who serves as a member of NCCUSL’s Legislative Council, met with its officers and other leaders this past weekend in Chicago to review current legislative strategy, as well as various other aspects of the work of the Conference including working with drafting committees and reporters, developing a public information program for NCCUSL, establishing a working relationship with various external organization and with state and territorial drafting adgencies.

The legislative strategy meeting concluded on Saturday with a number of recommendations.  It was agreed by all the participants that a "one size fits all" plan would not work for the Conference.  Each jurisdiction is different.  Commissioner Bolt urged the retreat participants to adopt a "tool kit" strategy, something akin to a cafeteria plan, where Uniform Law Commissioner can pick and choose various strategies that could facilitate their legislative plans.

Other ideas Bolt advanced at the weekend retreat included teaching legislative lobbying skills to Commissioners at the organization’s annual meeting and establish a blog on the Conference’s website, www.nccusl.org.

President Walters, who serves a justice for the Oregon Supreme Court, thanked Commissioner Bolt and the other Commissioners in attendance over the weekend for their ideas and contributions to the organization.  "Together we can move the Conference forward and adopt more uniform acts in the future." she said.