This week's Illinois State Association of Counties (ISACo) News and Views e-newsletter links to the most recent episode of ISACo's Counties Count! Podcast, includes a link to photos from the 2023 ISACo Annual Luncheon, includes a link to ISACo's 2023 Public Acts Report, announces that registration is open for the upcoming National Association of Counties (NACo) Legislative Conference in Washington, D.C., links to newly tracked bills, shares a $13 million investment in the Job Training and Economic Development Program, makes county officials aware of an uptick in Covid-19 and other respiratory illnesses in the state, highlights $95.1 million awarded to improve the passenger rail system throughout the state, reports on improved water quality in the state, shares the Illinois Department of Insurance (IDOI) achieving reaccreditation, includes the third notice of funding opportunity for county solid waste planning, reports on $4 million granted to provide food to migrants through the end of the calendar year, announces a funding opportunity for the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant Program, links to news stories we are reading to stay up to date this week, shares upcoming NACo webinar opportunities, highlights ISACo corporate partner Mahoney, Silverman and Cross, LLC and invites counties to join ISACo. 

Counties Count! Podcast

Episode 2 of the ISACo Counties Count! Podcast is available by clicking on the image below.

ISACo Annual Luncheon

On Friday, December 8, county leaders and staff joined ISACo for our Annual Luncheon. The event was held at the Union League Club of Chicago. Photos from the 2023 ISACo Annual Luncheon are available by clicking on the image below.

Governor Bill Actions

Governor JB Pritzker has signed several more ISACo-tracked bills* into law. The bills are linked below:

HB 2878 (P.A. 103-0570) – Public Private Partnership Projects/Local Retainage Policy

SB 1559 (P.A. 103-0578) – Omnibus Cannabis Legislation

SB 1769 (P.A. 103-0581) – Govt Zero Emission Vehicles

SB 1988 (P.A. 103-0583) – Property Tax-Appeals

*An ISACo tracked bill includes bills that directly or tangentially impact county finances and operations, bills that may be of interest to county officials for the performance of their duties and legislation presented "for your information." 

Please click on the image below for our most updated comprehensive report on public acts of interest to counties.

List of Newly Tracked Bills

The following bills have recently been added to ISACo's tracked bill list. If there is no position listed then the bill is still under review by staff. A complete list of ISACo tracked bills is available via this link.

HB 4235 - IEMA-Performance Grants

HB 4240 - Forest Preserves-Commissioners

HB 4242 - Property Tax-Disabilities (No Position)

HB 4244 - Property Tax-Homestead Exemption (No Position)

HB 4248 - Eminent Domain-Value-Business

HB 4255 - Vehicle Code-Tow Truck Lights (No Position)

HB 4258 - Library-Publisher Contracts (No Position)

HB 4260 – FOID & Concealed Carry

HB 4262 - Abortion-Informed Consent (No Position)

HB 4263 – Juvenile Court-DCFS Photos of Minors 

*An ISACo tracked bill includes bills that directly or tangentially impact county finances and operations, bills that may be of interest to county officials for the performance of their duties and legislation presented "for your information." ISACo positions of "support" or "oppose" are usually reserved for bills that directly or tangentially impact county finances and operations. ISACo also supports member county initiatives that are consistent with ISACo's County Platform. 

Registration Open for NACo Legislative Conference

The National Association of Counties (NACo) Legislative Conference will be held from February 10-13, 2024, in Washington, D.C. The conference brings together nearly 2,000 elected and appointed county officials to focus on federal policy issues that impact counties and our residents.

Attendees have the opportunity to engage in second-to-none policy sessions, meet the members of Congress and interact with federal agency officials.

This is a one-of-a-kind advocacy opportunity to strengthen our intergovernmental partnerships for years to come.

Registration information is available via this link.

ISACo and the United Counties Council of Illinois (UCCI) will host a reception and dinner for conference attendees from Illinois. The dinner will be on the evening of Saturday, February 10 at the National Press Club. Additional information will be provided at a later date.

$13 Million Investment in Job Training and Economic Development Program

On November 30, 2023, Governor JB Pritzker and the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO) announced an additional $13 million investment in the Job Training and Economic Development Program (JTED) for workforce training and wrap-around services that will bolster equitable workforce recovery for Illinoisans struggling to gain meaningful employment. As part of Illinois’ workforce recovery efforts, JTED grants focus on helping increase employment among workers and industries hardest hit by COVID-19. Grantees will be selected through a competitive Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) process.

The press release is available via this link.

COVID-19 and Other Respiratory Viruses are Spreading Across the State

The Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) announced that with the holidays approaching, data indicates that the impact of respiratory viruses is being felt across the state with 44 counties now at an elevated level for COVID-19 hospitalizations, according to the Center for Disease Control's (CDC) national COVID Data Tracker, as of the week ending November 25. COVID-19 hospitalization data indicate that 39 counties are at medium level and five are at high level. Statewide there were 1,039 new hospitalizations reported, an increase of 20 percent over the previous week.

The press release is available via this link. 

State Announces Passenger Rail Investment 

On December 7, 2023, the Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) announced that Illinois has received $95.1 million from the Federal Railroad Administration to invest in passenger rail, highlighted by almost $94 million to improve and modernize Chicago’s Union Station.

The press release is available via this link.

Water Quality Report Released

The Illinois Environmental Protection Agency (IEPA), Illinois Department of Agriculture (IDOA) and the University of Illinois Extension released the 2023 Biennial Report of the Illinois Nutrient Loss Strategy (NLRS). The report is available at go.illinois.edu/NLRS.

The press release is available via this link. 

IDOI Achieves Reaccreditation

On November 30, 2023, the Illinois Department of Insurance (IDOI) announced its reaccreditation by the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC), the membership organization for state DOIs that sets insurance regulatory standards for all U.S. states, the District of Columbia and five U.S. territories. IDOI has received NAIC accreditation ongoing since 1993.

The press release is available via this link. 

Third Notice of Funding Opportunity for County Solid Waste Planning

On November 30, 2023, IEPA Director John J. Kim announced the latest funding opportunity to assist counties and other units of local government in implementing their solid waste planning obligations under the Illinois Solid Waste Planning and Recycling Act (SWPRA). A Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) has been posted to IEPA's website.

Eligible projects include, but are not limited to, conducting a local solid waste and materials management needs assessment, surveying local solid waste and materials management stakeholders to determine programmatic expansion viability, internally authoring solid waste management plan updates or procuring consulting services to prepare solid waste management plan updates. Each county or unit of local government is eligible for up to $10,000 in funding.

Information to sign up and the press release is available via this link. 

Update on Illinois' Migrant Response

Using a data-driven plan to improve the asylum seeker response, Governor JB Pritzker, the Illinois Department of Human Services (IDHS) and the Greater Chicago Food Depository (GCFD) announced an additional $4 million investment to provide meals to migrants through the end of the calendar year. The additional $2 million state investment will be matched by philanthropy through the Food Depository.

The press release is available via this link.

Funding Opportunity for the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant Program

The IEPA Office of Energy has announced almost $3 million in grant funding available for the development of local strategic energy plans as well as energy efficiency audits and local government building upgrades. Under the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant Program (EECBG), grant awards ranging from $200,000 to $249,900 will aim to create long-term sustainability and energy reduction roadmaps and reduce energy usage for Illinois municipalities and counties.

The press release is available via this link. 

What We're Reading

U.S. Department of Transportation Announces $1.5M Funding Opportunity (American City and County)

New Illinois Sports Betting High Helps Record-Breaking September In US (LSR)

New Law Paves the Way for Increased Diversity, Efficiency in State Contracting (WICS)

What to Know About Illinois’ Assault Weapons Ban (Capitol News Illinois)

Illinois has Created a Rural Education Advisory Council. Teachers Don’t Have to Be On It (IPM News)

Upcoming NACo Webinars

NACo has announced the following upcoming webinar opportunities. ISACo is a proud partner with NACo and encourages counties to participate in NACo membership and activities. 

Public Promise Procurement, Announces Newest Cooperative Contract for Elevators, Walkways & Lifts

(Tuesday, December 12, 2023, 2:00pm-3:00pm CST)

NACo’s new purchasing cooperative, Public Promise Procurement, has partnered with Maricopa County, Arizona to solicit and award a national cooperative contract to KONE Corporation for elevator, escalator, walkway and lift new construction, modernization, maintenance and repair services. Join NACo for a 30-minute webinar where you’ll hear from Maricopa County’s procurement team regarding the sourcing and selection process and from KONE about their newest solutions available to all public agencies through the contract.

Click on this link to register for the webinar.

Charting Your AI Growth: Practical Generative AI - Steps for Productivity Improvements

(Wednesday, December 13, 2023, 12:00pm-1:00pm CST)

The date above is for the TechKnow Webinar Series following the Tech Xchange Overview where there will be a discussion regarding the developments of Generative AI as a tool, its use cases and the potential in productivity improvements.

Click on this link to register for the webinar. 

ARPA and Beyond: County Perspectives on Using Federal Funds to Address Affordable Housing Challenges

(Thursday, December 14, 2023, 1:00pm-2:00pm CST)

Counties across the U.S. have used their American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds to address their affordable and supportive housing goals. Housing is a critical issue in many communities, exacerbated by the pandemic, rising construction costs, and interest rates. Thanks to the guidance from the U.S. Department of Treasury and an Affordable Housing How-To Guide published jointly with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), counties have had more direction in investing their ARPA funds in housing projects successfully. With the ARPA obligation deadline approaching at the end of 2024, counties are thinking about what comes next.

This webinar will examine how two counties leverage their ARPA funds for housing. It will also explore approaches post-ARPA for accessing federal funds from the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) for housing, as well as other methods to blending, braiding, and leveraging federal, state, and local funds for affordable housing projects, programs, and planning.

Travis County, TX, invested $110M of ARPA State & Local Fiscal Recovery Funds to build 2,000 units of supportive housing.
Baltimore County, MD, invested $12M of ARPA SLFRF funds to create a new Housing Opportunities Fund.

Guidehouse has supported over 80 state and local clients with their COVID relief efforts, including approaches to use federal funds for housing programs and projects.

Click on this link to register for the webinar. 

2024 Tech & AI Strategies: Gain Insights from Industry Leaders

(Friday, December 15, 2023, 1:00pm-2:00pm CST)

Join David Linthicum (Deloitte) and Dion Hinchcliffe (Constellation Research) as they discuss recent tech disruption and future trends. Register today for exclusive access to their insights on navigating the evolving tech landscape and seizing transformation opportunities.

In this session attendees will learn about:

Recent transformative shifts
Key 2024 tech priorities
Avoiding investment pitfalls
Maximizing enterprise AI returns

Click on this link to register for the webinar.

Rural Prenatal-to-Three Peer Learning Network: Centering Family Voice in Local Policy

(Monday, December 18, 2023, 1:00pm-2:00pm CST)

Families are children’s first teachers. Yet policies impacting young children are often created without input from parents and families. By meaningfully engaging families in policy and program design, counties can transform services and systems to help young children achieve economic mobility, housing stability and improved health and well-being. Join this virtual convening to learn more about how and why county governments can engage families in planning and implementation efforts.

Note: This convening will focus on strategies for rural and smaller suburban counties. To learn more about strategies for urban counties, please join the December 19 session.

Click on this link to register for the webinar.

Urban Prenatal-to-Three Peer Learning Network: Centering Family Voice in Local Policy

(Tuesday, December 19, 2023, 1:00pm-2:00pm CST)

Families are children’s first teachers. Yet policies impacting young children are often created without input from parents and families. By meaningfully engaging families in policy and program design, counties can transform services and systems to help young children achieve economic mobility, housing stability and improved health and well-being. Join this virtual convening to learn more about how and why county governments can engage families in planning and implementation efforts.

Note: This convening will focus on strategies for urban and larger suburban counties.

Click on this link to register for the webinar.

Building a Behavioral Health Continuum of Care: The Role of Elected Officials and I/DD Directors

(Thursday, January 11, 2024, 1:00pm-2:00pm CST)

Counties play a critical role in supporting community members living with behavioral health conditions or experiencing a behavioral health crisis. To build an effective and robust behavioral health system, counties need strong leadership to promote dialogue in the community and implement programs and policies that benefit all residents. This webinar will highlight two local leadership roles: county elected officials and intellectual and developmental disability (I/DD) directors. Attendees will engage in a panel discussion with representatives of these roles to learn about how elected officials and I/DD directors can identify solutions and cultivate support for sustainable, accessible behavioral health care.

This webinar is hosted by the National Association of Counties (NACo) in partnership with the National Association of County Behavioral Health and Development Disability Directors (NACBHDD). It is the first in a series of three webinars that will spotlight specific kinds of local leaders and how they can leverage their unique roles to advance behavioral health care.

Click on this link to register for the webinar.

First-Time Attendee Orientation

(Wednesday, January 31, 2024, 2:00pm-3:00pm CST)

Learn tips and tricks to maximize the value of your first NACo conference.

Click on this link to register for the webinar.

CORPORATE SPONSOR SPOTLIGHT

This week's corporate partner spotlight highlights ISACo's partnership with Mahoney, Silverman and Cross, LLC. 

The Law Firm of Mahoney, Silverman and Cross, LLC strives to provide superior legal representation with the objective of exceeding their clients’ expectations. Each member of the firm is committed to utilizing critical analysis and innovative approaches to achieve timely resolutions with the best possible results for their clients.

More information about the services provided by Mahoney, Silverman and Cross, LLC is available via this link.

Click on this link to learn more about the benefits and opportunities available through ISACo's Corporate Partner Program.

Become an ISACo Member!