Brownstein Podcast Series

We are at a critical and exciting juncture where multiple industries and interests are converging to rise to the challenges of ensuring a resilient and accessible water future. Brownstein and WestWater Research have teamed up to co-host the Sustainable Water Investment Summit March 9-10 at the Terranea Resort in Rancho Palos Verdes, California to provide a forum for candid and insightful conversations on investing in a sustainable water future. This summit brings together leaders throughout the water sector to connect and discuss a wide range of topics around investing in our most vital natural resource. Tune in as Brownstein’s Rebecca Tucker moderates a conversation with Shareholder Brad Herrema and WestWater Research CEO and founder Clay Landry about key issues in sustainable water investing and what will be covered at the Sustainable Water Investment Summit next month.

Since the Great Depression, Congress has passed a farm bill every five years to fund projects from agricultural research to nutrition programs to rural development and more. This year, the bill poses a significant test to a divided government. In our conversation today, we will cover what we have seen in past farm bills, areas of possible bipartisan agreement, where roadblocks to the bill lie and how the negotiation and passage of the legislation might play out.

Although Environmental, Social and Governance—more commonly known as ESG—principles are often portrayed as a new trend, the concept has been around for decades and fundamentally is about ensuring long-term value. Listen as co-chairs of Brownstein’s ESG practice Jason Downs, Carrie Johnson and Rebecca Tucker talk about what ESG is and what it is not. The group discusses how ESG can be simply understood as a risk assessment framework and how companies can be more competitive by responding to workforce and market expectations and mitigating against natural and man-made disasters in an increasingly connected world.

Nov. 8 has come and gone, but control of Congress is still up in the air. While the predicted “red wave” failed to materialize, Republicans may yet take control of both chambers from the Democrats. Policy Directors Will Dunham, Nadeam Elshami, Brian McGuire and Carmencita Whonder, representing experience from the four corners of Congressional leadership, come together again to discuss the possibility of the GOP taking the majority in the House for the first time since 2018, Democrats being favored to win the 50 seats they need in the Senate and what this means for both parties moving forward in the 118th Congress and beyond. Brownstein Strategic Advisor and former Alaska Sen. Mark Begich moderates the conversation.

From water infrastructure failures in Jackson, Mississippi, to a megadrought of historic proportions in California, water affordability is an emerging policy concern for an industry already facing huge challenges. Tune is as Brownstein’s Jessica Diaz speaks to industry experts Jennifer Capitolo and April Ballou about how the issue of water affordability and fragmentation is playing out among providers, the potential and pitfalls that come with federal assistance programs and the critical balance of providing affordable water without sacrificing safety or reliability. April Ballou is general counsel and vice president of state regulatory affairs for the National Association of Water Companies and Jennifer Capitolo is the executive director of the California Water Association.

With the 2022 midterms fast approaching, the heads of our Washington, D.C. Technology and Telecommunications group, Al Mottur and Greta Joynes, provide perspective, and banter, from both sides of the aisle on the upcoming elections, Senate and House leadership predictions, thoughts on what will happen in the lame duck and legislative priorities through the end of the year.

Brownstein's senior policy directors representing the four corners of congressional leadership join together for a discussion on the upcoming midterms. Nadeam Elshami, Carmencita Whonder, Brian McGuire and the Brownstein Policy team's newest member, Will Dunham, give their predictions for the results of the 2022 elections and dive into how these changes might affect the legislative priorities of the next Congress. Brownstein Strategic Advisor and former Alaska Sen. Mark Begich moderates the conversation. This podcast was recorded at a live panel event on Oct. 26, 2022.

Among a batch of significant changes to Colorado’s employment laws passed this year, a major overhaul to the state’s noncompete and restrictive covenant laws take effect Aug. 10. The revisions significantly impact how employers protect information like trade secrets, expand coverage to restrictive covenants much more broadly and significant alter exemptions and penalties. In this episode, Brownstein’s Employment Group break down the background of the bill and the changes it brings.

With the rise of Big Tech and social media, privacy advocates have rung the alarm on how these large organizations treat their users’ data. Outside of a few lawmakers, this issue never gained traction on Capitol Hill or in the White House, until now. The introduction of the bipartisan American Privacy and Data Protection Act, as well as new regulatory interest in privacy policy, signal possible progress. In this podcast, the Brownstein Government Relations team discusses what these policy moves entail, why it has become an issue now and possible roadblocks new legislation and regulation faces.

Another election year, another ballot cycle in Colorado. In this episode, Brownstein’s Sarah Mercer, David Meschke and Denver Donchez talk about the state’s ballot measure process and what voters can expect in this even-year election.

May 9 marked the start of the bicameral conference to negotiate the House-passed USICA and Senate-passed COMPETES Act—both designed to counter China’s growing global influence and improve U.S. competitiveness. Brownstein’s Government Relations team sits down to discuss this rarely used political practice, possible roadblocks, the timeline and the potential effects of a successful or failed conference.

The $1.2 trillion Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act is a once-in-a-generation investment in the nation’s infrastructure. With state and local politics increasingly driving national outcomes, our state Government Relations team takes a deep dive into how these funds trickle down from federal coffers to state and local projects from coast to coast. Tune in as they discuss the mechanics of the process and how projects like EV infrastructure and broadband expansion represent opportunities for private business.

With President Biden’s policy plans largely stalled in Congress, we’re seeing the administration’s priorities materialize in the regulatory world. Our Government Relations team dissects one of most controversial rules proposed by the Securities and Exchange Commission: the new regulations surrounding reporting of climate impacts by public companies. The discussion covers how we reached this point, how this new rule will affect companies, what SEC enforcement of this regulation might look like and potential challenges to implementation moving forward.

The implementation of the $1.2 trillion bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act represents the largest infusion of infrastructure funds in a generation. With so much funding up for grabs, road bumps are to be expected. Our federal Government Relations team discusses what implementation of this historic bill looks like, what will get funded, potential oversight of these funds and how the Biden administration’s legislative agenda will be affected going forward.

As gridlock on Capitol Hill continues, state and local politics become more and more relevant every election cycle. With 36 of 50 states holding gubernatorial elections this year, governors are largely shaping national policy on issues ranging from COVID mandates and crime to education policy and infrastructure repairs. Tune in as our State Government Relations team dissects the most significant 2022 governor races, the balance of red and blue states on the electoral map, issues impacting Republicans versus Democrats on state ballots, and why—in the end—all politics are local.

Even as more states legalize cannabis, it is still federally prohibited despite attempts from a bipartisan group of lawmakers to pass industry-friendly legislation. In this panel discussion, Shareholder Melissa Kuipers Blake and Policy Directors Drew Littman and Brian Wild swap insights on the status of federal legislation including the SAFE Banking Act, MORE Act and Cannabis Administration and Opportunity Act. They also discuss possible impacts from the upcoming 2022 midterm elections on the cannabis industry.

Based in California, the White Buffalo Land Trust is a leader in an international regenerative agriculture movement. Shareholder Beth Collins joins its Founder and President Steve Finkel and Director of Land Stewardship Jesse Smith to discuss the acquisition of 1,000 acres on the Gaviota Coast in Santa Barbara County and their plans to preserve habitat while improving human health and supply chains for regenerative products–creating a model for sustainable farms of the future.

Colorado is the latest state with its own comprehensive data privacy law. Tune in to hear about the legislative debates before the bill became law, why nuances and differences among state and international privacy laws will make compliance difficult for some companies, what rules and regulations may shape the Colorado privacy landscape in the coming months and what companies should do to prepare before the law goes into effect two years from now.

President Biden’s health care agenda has come into focus after the release of his FY 2022 budget request. However, most of the proposals outlined by the president are unlikely to pass through a deeply divided congress. In this segment, Brownstein’s government relations team discusses all the latest activity on health care including which provisions made it into the budget request, what can realistically be included in a potential reconciliation package, and why budget reconciliation may be the only viable path to enactment for many of the cornerstones of President Biden’s ambitious agenda.

With President Biden reaching 100 days in office this Friday, his administration’s China policy apparatus is nearly solidified. In this segment, the Brownstein government relations team discusses the latest activity on China policy, from developments on Capitol Hill to Pennsylvania Avenue, as well as how bipartisan focus on US-China relations could recalibrate private sector advocacy in Washington, D.C.