This week's Illinois State Association of Counties (ISACo) News and Views e-newsletter includes the General Assembly schedule for this week, reports on an amendment to the statewide Public Defender Act legislation, provides an Illinois budget update, highlights a new episode of ISACo's Counties Count! Podcast, includes information about applying for Stretch Energy Code grants, reports on employment rates for April, conveys information about mandatory human trafficking recognition training for casinos, provides the Illinois Department of Revenue's (IDOR) Information Bulletin for the month of May, links to articles ISACo staff is reading to stay informed, makes county officials and staff aware of available grant funding for outdoor fitness courts in counties, conveys information about the upcoming National Association of Counties (NACo) Annual Conference, highlights ISACo corporate partner Advanced Correctional Healthcare, Inc. and invites counties to join ISACo.
General Assembly Schedule This Week
The House and Senate are in session this week. Both chambers will meet from May 20-23. The next significant deadline is May 23, which is the date by which House bills must be approved by the Senate and Senate bills must be approved by the House. The House Calendar is available here. The Senate Calendar is available here.
A complete list of ISACo-tracked bills is available via this link. ISACo staff continues to keep this resource for counties updated and current following the introduction of numerous amendments. ISACo-tracked bills are searchable by number, category, keyword, or whether they would create a mandate or reduce revenues. ISACo has taken positions on many of these bills in accordance with our County Platform.
Amendment Filed for Statewide Public Defender Act Legislation
HB 3363 is legislation to create a Statewide Office of Public Defender. Our analysis of the most recent filed amendment (SCA 1) is available via this link. We continue to take “no position” on the legislation in recognition that some counties support the bill while some would like to retain the option to appoint their public defender locally. The amendment is currently assigned to the Senate Executive Committee.
ISACo previously developed a podcast about the Statewide Public Defender Act for educational purposes. That podcast is available via this link.
Illinois Budget Outlook Darkens Amid Revenue and Spending Concerns
Illinois’ budget outlook is worsening as the Governor’s Office of Management and Budget lowers its revenue forecast by $536 million, still falling short of fiscal reality. State spending has also surged $1.6 billion beyond projections, driven largely by pension and healthcare costs. Lawmakers may be forced to pass a stopgap budget and return later this year to address the growing shortfall. Additional information is available via this link.
New Episode of ISACo's Counties Count! Podcast
ISACo’s Counties Count! Podcast continues to explore key topics impacting Illinois counties. Episode 8 is titled “Strong Counties, Stronger Communities: Bringing Outdoor Fitness to Illinois.” The podcast discusses free, accessible outdoor wellness opportunities for counties and schools across Illinois, thanks to a continued partnership between National Fitness Campaign (NFC) and Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Illinois.
Find out how your county can apply for an outdoor fitness court!
Click on the image below to listen.
All previous and future ISACo podcasts are available via this link as well as on the Apple Podcast App and Spotify.
Stretch Code Application Grants
The Illinois Climate Bank has released a Notice of Funding Opportunity (available via this link) for a round of grants to support local governments in the adoption and implementation of the 2023 Illinois Stretch Energy Code. Grants of up to $200,000 will be awarded to selected municipalities, with an anticipated total of $3.6 million available statewide in the first round. Funding may be used for staff training, community engagement, technical assistance, internal planning, permitting process updates and tracking emissions impacts. The deadline to apply is Friday, May 23, 2025. Applications (available via this link) may be submitted online, and the Illinois Climate Bank has published an application guide (available via this link).
Illinois Payroll Jobs
The Illinois Department of Employment Security (IDES) announced today nonfarm payrolls increased +4,100 (+0.1%) over-the-month to a new record high of 6,172,500 in April. The previous record was set in last month, with 6,168,400 jobs. Additionally, the March monthly change in payrolls was revised from the preliminary report of +14,800 to +10,900.
The press release is available via this link.
New Human Trafficking Training for Casinos
New Illinois Gaming Board (IGB) administrative rules now require all casinos statewide to conduct mandatory human trafficking recognition training, develop, document and implement human trafficking training and reporting procedures, and post human trafficking awareness notices.
The press release is available via this link.
IDOR Informational Bulletins
Click here to view the Illinois Department of Revenue's latest information bulletin for the month of May.
What We're Reading
Biden Diagnosed with "Aggressive Form" of Prostate Cancer, his Office Says (CBS News)
Illinois State Parks Draw Highest Number of Visitors in More Than a Decade (Illinois Capitol News)
Avoiding a Trillion-Dollar Mistake: Cities Push Congress for Infrastructure Funding (Governing)
Why Many City and County Fleets Still Lack the Tools to Truly Manage Total Cost of Ownership (American City and County)
Longtime Chicago Friend Describes First American Pope as ‘Very Dedicated’ (Capitol News Illinois)
Grant Funding Available for Outdoor Fitness Courts by National Fitness Campaign (NFC)
ISACo is excited to share an opportunity for county officials and staff to benefit their counties. County officials are invited to apply for an outdoor fitness court through ISACo's corporate sponsorship with National Fitness Campaign.
National Fitness Campaign (NFC) and Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Illinois have announced $750,000 in new grant funding to communities and schools in the state of Illinois. This funding will be allocated to support counties across the state to join the growing National Fitness Campaign, building healthy infrastructure for smart communities and schools of the future.
If you are not familiar with the Campaign, the program is designed to bring world-class healthy infrastructure to public spaces, along with consulting, funding and community programming support.
Information about National Fitness Campaign (NFC) is available via this link.
Grant application information is available via this link.
Click on the photo below to watch a video about NFC!
Please contact Member Services and Communications Manager Tiffani Homer at thomer@isacoil.org if you have additional questions.
NACo Annual Conference
The NACo Annual Conference is the premier gathering of elected and appointed officials from the nation’s 3,069 counties, parishes and boroughs.
This year, the conference will take place from July 11, 2025, to July 14, 2025, in Philadelphia, PA.
County officials and staff will have the opportunity to participate in discussions of federal policies impacting counties, workshops lifting up county best practices, engaging general sessions, mobile tours across our host county and more.
This is a one-of-a-kind advocacy opportunity to strengthen our intergovernmental partnerships for years to come.
Click on this link to register for the conference.
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.
Inside Washington: County Impacts from the White House & Congress (Part 2)
(Monday, May 19, 2025, 12:00pm-1:00pm CST)
Hosted by the Local Government Legal Center (LGLC), join NACo for a second informational (not for CLE) webinar regarding the executive orders issued this year and federal policies in the area of immigration and how they may impact local governments and local government officials. Presenters will provide a high-level overview of the laws at issue and their impact on local government operations and duties.
The LGLC is a coalition of national local government organizations formed in 2023 by the National Association of Counties (NACo), National League of Cities (NLC) and International Municipal Lawyers Association (IMLA) to provide education to local governments regarding the Supreme Court and its impact on local governments and local officials and to advocate for local government positions at the Supreme Court in appropriate cases. Visit the Local Government Legal Center to learn more.
Click on this link to register for the webinar.
Safeguarding Taxpayer Assets: Inside Suffolk County’s Bank Account Collateralization Program
(Wednesday, May 21, 2025, 12:00pm-1:00pm CST)
In today’s evolving regulatory and banking landscape, public entities must have clear visibility into their deposits, collateralization, and verification processes. Yet, many municipalities lack a comprehensive solution to streamline this complex responsibility.
Join NACo for an inside look at how Suffolk County has implemented a cutting-edge bank account collateralization program. This session will explore:
- How having a single point of reference for bank collateral enhances audit functions and strengthens financial oversight
- Common misconceptions about collateralization programs—why more counties aren’t adopting them and whether implementation is as complex as it seems
- The impact of a well-structured collateralization program on credit ratings and financial stability
Protecting taxpayer assets requires more than just compliance—it requires certainty. Discover how to bring transparency and security to your entity’s financial management.
Click on this link to register for the webinar.
Chart Your Course: Real Stories of Counties Advancing with AI Online Learning
(Thursday, May 29, 2025, 12:00pm-1:00pm CST)
A continuation of our "Chart Your Course" digital learning program, this webinar will highlight how counties are leveraging the Microsoft online learning platform to upskill their workforce in artificial intelligence and related technologies. Hear directly from county representatives as they share real-world examples, practical strategies, and lessons learned from integrating digital learning into their staff development efforts. Whether you're just getting started or looking to strengthen existing programs, this session will offer valuable insights to support your journey.
Click on this link to register for the webinar.
CORPORATE PARTNER SPOTLIGHT
Advanced Correctional Healthcare, Inc. (ACH) is the nation’s largest jail contract management company, managing contracts for health care teams and customized programs in a variety of correctional settings, including county jails, juvenile detention centers, mental health units, work release centers, and drug rehabilitation centers across 22 states. We lead the industry in a higher standard of care for an underserved population.
Click here to learn more about Advanced Correctional Healthcare, Inc.
Become an ISACo Member!
Is your county a member of ISACo? If not, why not?
ISACo is a statewide association whose mission is to empower county officials to provide excellent service to their residents.
ISACo member counties are comprised of forward-thinking public servants who recognize that the challenges confronting county governments require new and innovative ideas, collaborative solutions and collective advocacy at the state and federal levels of government.
Members of the association will benefit from education and training opportunities, peer-to-peer networking, shared resources and robust representation before policymakers at various levels of government. ISACo creates and connects county officials to these opportunities and successfully equips them to make counties ideal places to live, work and play.
If your county is interested in discussing membership in ISACo, please contact Member Services and Communications Manager Tiffani Homer at (217) 679-3368 or thomer@isacoil.org. ISACo member counties are listed here. Thank you for your consideration.