The Hawai‘i State Senate welcomed Senator Dan Blue from North Carolina to the Senate chamber. Senator Blue is the current President of the National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL). NCSL is a non-governmental organization that provides communication and policy innovation to state legislatures nationwide. Senator Blue earned a law degree from Duke University Law School, before being elected as a State Representative in 1980 to the North Carolina General Assembly. He spent 22 years in the House prior to his election in the Senate, where he currently serves as Senate Minority Leader. To add to his list of accomplishments, Senator Blue is also the recipient of nine honorary doctorate degrees, and has served as Chair of the Duke University Board of Trustees.