Bill Pound NCSL leadership for more than 30 years to step down

After leading NCSL for more than three decades, Pound tells Governing in an exclusive interview that he will step down by the time of the group's next annual meeting in August 2019. He will be leaving at a moment when the group faces a changing political landscape. "In the early years, it was hard sometimes to tell the Democrats from the Republicans," Pound says. "The growth of partisanship in the country is the greatest challenge we've had in the country."Despite that challenge, Pound says NCSL has been able to flourish in large part due to its founding bylaws, which require its four legislative officer positions to be split evenly between the parties. Others credit Pound himself for the group's ability to maintain a bipartisan approach in an increasingly partisan era."NCSL has been able to focus on those policy issues and those challenges that states have in common," says Bramble. "Bill has been able to navigate some fairly turbulent political waters over the years, and he's done so successfully. If you look at the success of governing at the state level -- it's not a cause and effect, but it's a reflection of Bill's ability to lead an organization that has some very diverse political elements."