By: Elizabeth Tansing, Director of State Government Relations, Food Marketing Institute 
It may only be January, but the 2015 state legislative sessions are in full swing. Forty-four state legislatures will convene by the end of this month, five more by March, and Louisiana ambles in by April.
Unlike the U.S. Congress, which generally works throughout the year, many state legislatures will wrap up their business by June. This more compressed timeframe can make tracking state-level activity seem even more chaotic and overwhelming. Indeed, over 4,000 bills already have been introduced in the issue areas FMI monitors!
To help prepare for this onslaught of state legislative and regulatory activity, FMI releases the 50 State Legislative Outlook every January. This annual report examines the issues our industry expects to confront during the upcoming legislative session on a state-by-state basis.
Additionally, it analyzes the previous November’s election results – and the potential consequences of those results – for each state, and provides a look forward to the next elections.
To compile the document, FMI staff surveys state association executives, FMI member companies and holds four regional meetings across the country.
Don’t be caught off guard by an issue in your state this year. Read the full 2015 State Legislative Outlook online.
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