The Conference of Western Attorneys General (CWAG) may be a bipartisan cluster comprised of the chief legal officers of fifteen western states and 3 Pacific territories. Members embody, Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oregon, South Dakota, Utah, Washington, and Wyoming. The Conference additionally includes the Pacific jurisdictions of yankee Samoa, Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands and Guam. Associate Members embody the states of Connecticut, Florida, Iowa, Kansas, Nebraska, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Texas, Rhode Island, Vermont and West Virginia.
CWAG’s primary perform is to produce a forum for chief legal officers of member states and jurisdictions to cultivate information, cooperate on considerations and coordinate actions that improve the standard of legal services obtainable to members. CWAG focuses on common areas of interest to the west: water, fish and wildlife, public lands, minerals, environmental protection and Indian Law. Interest within the organization has been generated from states, countries and people from outside the west thanks to the evolution of the law on these matters and also the universality of the many of those problems.
Since 1982 CWAG has utilized its own employees to coordinate litigation, legislative efforts and data to help western states on each regional and national levels. CWAG provides help to members by serving as a central clearinghouse for data and legal ways, facilitating interstate operating relationships and enhancing experience by providing timely data.
CWAG plans and sponsors an annual conference in conjunction with many topic specific conferences such Indian Gaming Seminars, Takings Seminars and Energy problems Seminars. These conferences are attended by Attorneys General and their employees from at intervals the CWAG region, across the country and have had international exposure with participation by each Canadian and Mexican Attorneys General. CWAG maintains communication with federal officers and Congressional contacts, monitors legislation and provides queries for confirmation hearings. CWAG works closely with the National Association of Attorneys General on several comes, together with problems like methamphetamines, criminal law and identification theft.
CWAG provides data and articulates western state views on federal problems and legislation. CWAG maintains regular contacts with and initiates conferences with several federal agencies. The National Indian Gaming Commission, U.S. Department of Interior, U.S. Department of Justice and U.S. Department of Energy frequently solicit input and cooperation from CWAG on matters of concern or interest to western states. a standard theme with these entities is that the tension between state and federal sovereigns. CWAG has created a channel through that western considerations and suggestions are conveyed and answered.
WAGLAC (the Western Attorneys General Litigation Action Committee) is comprised of key deputies and employees individuals at intervals the Attorney General’s offices who are primarily accountable for ending the analysis of legal problems and coordination of litigation. every Attorney General designates one or a lot of employees members to attend conferences and perform committee comes. The committee provides a forum for study and discussion through quarterly conferences, seminars and dealing teams.
WAGLAC members contribute to each short term and long run comes together with filings of amicus briefs, exchange of legal experience and proposals on selected legal problems. Successful long run comes embody the publication in 1991 of the yank Indian Law Deskbook, a legal treatise that has received national recognition. The Deskbook is updated annually and a third Edition was printed in 2003 with yearly updates in 2004, 2005. The cluster was additionally instrumental in developing 2 books printed in 1987 and 1988, Federal Lands and Reserved Water Rights Settlement Manual.