This week's Illinois State Association of Counties (ISACo) News and Views e-newsletter includes bills signed into legislation by Governor JB Pritzker, highlights a new episode of ISACo's Counties Count! Podcast about transit funding and reform, discusses a new study about a housing shortage in the state, reports on Illinois' employment rates for May, includes information regarding investment earnings for the state portfolio, 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 Comcast and invites counties to join ISACo.

Governor Bill Actions

SB 2437 (P.A. 104-0001) - Medicaid-Maternal Health-Doulas

SB 2510 (P.A. 104-0010) - Appropriations Bill

Bills of Interest to Counties in 2025

ISACo has published our Bills Approved by Both Chambers: Legislation of Interest to Counties in 2025 report. The report organizes approved bills by category, includes a synopsis and ISACo's position. The report will be updated frequently as the Governor signs legislation into law. Please click on the image for our most updated comprehensive report on bills approved by both chambers of interest to counties.

*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's 2025 post-session information is available via this link.

New Episode of ISACo's Counties Count! Podcast 

In this episode of the Counties Count! Podcast we break down the latest developments in Illinois transit reform following the General Assembly’s spring session. Despite significant debate and a late push in the Senate, a comprehensive funding and governance overhaul fell short of final passage. We explore what was proposed, why it stalled, and what could come next as lawmakers, transit agencies, and local leaders prepare for renewed discussions this summer and fall. Tune in to learn what’s at stake for counties and commuters.

Illinois Faces Urgent Housing Shortage, Study Finds

The Chicago Tribune reports that Illinois is facing a severe housing shortfall, with a current deficit of approximately 142,000 units and a need to build 227,000 more over the next five years just to meet demand, according to a new report by the Illinois Economic Policy Institute and the Project for Middle Class Renewal at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. The study warns that to meet this goal, the state would need to double its recent annual housing production levels.

Despite remaining more affordable than coastal cities like New York and Los Angeles, Illinois’ housing crunch is fueling growing affordability concerns. Rising incomes, increased homeownership, and population growth are driving demand, but new home listings and construction permits have dropped significantly in recent years. Vacancy rates have reached historic lows, while home prices have surged 37% since 2019. Meanwhile, rent in Chicago is climbing faster than the national average, with a 5% year-over-year increase placing it among the fastest-growing rental markets nationwide.

The study also highlights how investors are increasingly crowding out regular homebuyers, with investor-owned housing in the Chicago area growing from 8% in 2010 to 14% in 2023. Local regulations—like restrictive zoning and parking requirements—are also cited as barriers to new development.

The report calls for state and local officials to reduce regulatory hurdles, accelerate permitting, offer incentives to repurpose vacant commercial buildings, and address the proliferation of short-term rentals. As economist Frank Manzo put it, “The data certainly argues in favor of policy changes that boost supply in order to improve affordability.”

The full report published by the Illinois Economic Policy Institute and Project for Middle Class Renewal is available here.

Illinois Employment Rates for May

The Illinois Department of Employment Security (IDES) announced on Friday, June 20th, that nonfarm payrolls were nearly unchanged over-the-month, up +100 (0.0%) to 6,166,100 in May. Additionally, the April monthly change in payrolls was revised from the preliminary report, from +4,100 to -2,400.

The unemployment rate was 4.8 percent in May, while the revised April unemployment rate was 4.8 percent, unchanged from the preliminary April unemployment rate. The May payroll jobs estimate and unemployment rate reflect activity for the week including the 12th.

The press release is available via this link.

$5 Billion In Investment Earnings for State Portfolio

Illinois Treasurer Michael Frerichs announced on Tuesday, June 24, that he has made more than $5 billion in investment earnings from the state portfolio during his time in office.

Treasurer Frerichs also has surpassed $3 billion in gross investment earnings for cities, villages, school districts, counties and other units of government that take part in the highly rated Illinois Funds local government investment pool the State Treasurer’s Office operates. The Illinois Funds has received the highest rating of AAA from Fitch, a national credit ratings agency.

The press release is available via this link.

What We're Reading

Students Can Soon Earn Automatic Admission to State's Universities, Hoping to Keep More in Illinois (WGLT)

OpenAI ‘For Government’ Initiative Aims to Further Integrate AI into Public Sector Operations (American City and County)

What Can Be Done to Shield State and Local Officials From Political Violence? (Governing)

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.   

Impacts of Federal Action on Local Jurisdictions: A Conversation on County Administration

(Monday, June 16, 2025, 2:00pm-3:00pm CST)

National policy has far-reaching implications across our entire country, but distilling its impacts on specific states and localities can be difficult. Join NACo staff and representatives of the National Association of County Administrators (NACA) for deep dive into how recent federal action is impacting county government administration and management. In this webinar, you will hear from a panel of county administrators as they unpack their local responses to the current federal and political environment and, ultimately, prioritize good governance and high-quality service delivery.

Click on this link to register for the webinar. 

Building Trust: The Framework for Responsible AI

(Monday, June 23, 2025, 12:00pm-1:00pm CST)

As AI becomes an integral part of business operations, the imperative for responsible integration with existing county technology grows. This webinar will explore the critical considerations and frameworks necessary for implementing AI ethically and effectively. By exploring the core themes of transparency, accountability, reliability, safety, privacy, security, fairness, and human oversight, we aim to provide a comprehensive guide for harnessing AI's potential responsibly.
 
Our county guest speakers will share their experiences with AI deployments, providing valuable insights into overcoming challenges like reducing fears, addressing bias, and enhancing constituent trust. They'll share practical strategies for ensuring AI initiatives are both effective and efficient, delivering tangible benefits to communities. 

Key Takeaways

• Transparency and Accountability: Discover how to ensure AI systems are open and accountable, enabling trust and preventing misuse by clearly defining roles and responsibilities.
• Reliability and Safety: Learn about robust validation techniques to ensure AI systems perform accurately and safely in varied scenarios, protecting public welfare.
• Privacy and Security: Gain insights into safeguarding sensitive data and securing AI systems from breaches, in compliance with legal and ethical standards.
• Fairness and Non-Discrimination: Understand how to design AI systems that avoid biased outcomes, ensuring equitable treatment for all demographics and upholding civil rights.
• Human Oversight and Autonomy: Explore the importance of maintaining informed human oversight in AI processes to empower individuals and preserve their agency in decision-making.

By attending this webinar, you'll be equipped with the knowledge and tools to build a robust framework for responsible AI use.

Click on this link to register for the webinar.  

New BRECC Toolkit: Coal Communities’ Pathways for Economic Diversification

(Wednesday, June 25, 2025, 1:00pm-2:00pm CST)

Join the BRECC National Network to learn how coal counties are diversifying their economies through increasing housing supply, providing innovative workforce development opportunities and revitalizing downtowns. NACo will unveil our new economic diversification toolkit with six proven strategies for coal and other rural communities. For more information on BRECC's National Network learning series and other programming, visit naco.org/brecc. 

Click on this link to register for the webinar. 

Faster, Smarter Disaster Relief: How LA County Used AI & Geospatial Mapping to Deliver $20M in Aid

(Thursday, June 26, 2025, 1:00pm-2:00pm CST)

Disaster response demands speed, coordination, and accessible tools to reach communities when they need it most. When wildfires struck LA County, officials launched two major relief programs in just two weeks - delivering $2,000 grants to impacted workers and up to $25,000 to affected businesses. Join LA County and AidKit to explore actionable strategies and replicable tech solutions that can strengthen your jurisdiction’s readiness for future crises.

Key Takeaways:
- Strategies for incorporating geospatial technology in disaster planning and response.
- Techniques for using identity verification tools to balance security and accessibility.
- Best practices for building public-private partnerships in times of crisis.

Click on this link to register for the webinar. 

CORPORATE PARTNER SPOTLIGHT  

 

Comcast Corporation is a global media and technology company with three primary businesses: Comcast Cable, NBCUniversal, and Sky. Comcast Cable is one of the United States’ largest video, high-speed internet, and phone providers to residential customers under the Xfinity brand, and also provides these services to businesses. It also provides wireless and security and automation services to residential customers under the Xfinity brand. NBCUniversal is global and operates news, entertainment, and sports cable networks, the NBC and Telemundo broadcast networks, television production operations, television station groups, Universal Pictures, and Universal Parks and Resorts. Sky is one of Europe’s leading media and entertainment companies, connecting customers to a broad range of video content through its pay television services. It also provides communications services, including residential high-speed internet, phone, and wireless services. Sky operates the Sky News broadcast network and sports and entertainment networks, produces original content and has exclusive content rights.

With more than 6,000 local employees, Comcast’s Greater Chicago Region (https://chicago.comcast.com) serves customers in central and northern Illinois, including the Chicago area, northwest Indiana and southwest Michigan.

​Click here to learn more about Comcast.

 Is your county a member of ISACo? If not, why not?