This week's Illinois State Association of Counties (ISACo) News and Views e-newsletter includes bills signed into legislation by Governor JB Pritzker, features the ISACo July County Quarterly, reports on a newly-enacted law pertaining to pay transparency and equity, makes county officials and staff aware of a bipartisan federal FEMA reform bill that would benefit counties, highlights an AI Action Plan developed by the Trump Administration, links to ISACo's AI Resource Page for counties, reports on an executive order from the White House that targets homelessness, includes the U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA) plan to reorganize and expand its regional presence, 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 Public Surplus and invites counties to join ISACo.

Governor Bill Actions

HB 1373 (P.A. 104-0030) - Peace Officer & Firearms-Etrace

SB 0008 (P.A. 104-0031) - Safe Gun Storage

SB 1563 (P.A. 104-0029) - Eviction-Criminal Trespass

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.

ISACo July County Quarterly

The July County Quarterly includes an Executive Director's Report, includes a recap of the 2025 Spring Legislative Session, explores new grant funding opportunities for outdoor fitness courts in Illinois counties, highlights ISACo's participation at the 2025 National Association of Counties (NACo) Annual Conference in Philadelphia and shares the dates for the 2026 NACo Legislative Conference in Washington, D.C., and invites counties to submit a legislative proposal and join an ISACo Policy Committee. 

The ISACo July County Quarterly is available by clicking on the image below.

Illinois Reinforces Commitment to Pay Transparency and Equity

Governor JB Pritzker has signed HB 2488 into law, simplifying the Illinois Equal Pay Act of 2003 by eliminating all references to a federally-mandated program that requires employers to provide wage data to the federal government.

In 2021, Gov. Pritzker signed into law legislation requiring businesses with 100 or more employees to provide IDOL with certain payroll data. The intent of that 2021 amendment was to allow the State of Illinois to review employer pay practices for disparities through the Equal Pay Registration Certificate program (EPRC).

The press release is available via this link.

Bipartisan FEMA Reform Bill Introduced Would Significantly Benefit Counties

On July 23, House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Chair Sam Graves (R-Mo.) and Ranking Member Rick Larsen (D-Wash.) formally introduced the bipartisan Fixing Emergency Management for Americans (FEMA) Act (H.R. 4669). The legislation reflects many of the priorities advanced by local government advocates and marks a significant step toward improving how federal disaster assistance is delivered to communities.

Among the key county-focused benefits in the bill are provisions to:

• Transition FEMA’s Public Assistance Program from a reimbursement model to a direct grant structure, including the option for counties to receive funds directly.
• Create a universal disaster application to streamline support for disaster survivors.
• Restructure FEMA’s pre-disaster mitigation program into a formula-based grant system.
• Launch a Public Assistance dashboard to publicly track major disaster declarations.
• Streamline environmental and historic preservation review processes.
• With Congress now in August recess, House committee staff anticipate a markup of the bill in early September. County officials are strongly encouraged to engage with their congressional delegations while lawmakers are back in their districts.

A high-level overview of the FEMA Act’s provisions from NACo is available via this link. NACo will also host a national membership call on Tuesday, July 29 at 1:30 p.m. CST to discuss the bill’s implications for counties. Please click here to register for the webinar.

NACo Emphasizes Local Role in White House AI Action Plan

On July 23, the White House released America’s AI Action Plan, a national strategy stemming from Executive Order 14179 to guide federal policymaking and infrastructure development around artificial intelligence. Counties recognize AI’s growing impact on the U.S. economy and are thoughtfully incorporating it into local services. Given their central role in implementing federal programs and delivering essential services, counties offer valuable insights into the real-world opportunities and challenges of AI. Counties look forward to partnering across levels of government to shape AI policy, build infrastructure, train a skilled workforce, and prioritize cybersecurity to better serve their communities.

The National Association of Counties (NACo) provides additional information about the White House's AI Action Plan via this link.

Generative AI Resource Page

Generative artificial intelligence (AI) is rapidly transforming how governments operate and deliver services—and counties are no exception. As this technology becomes more accessible and powerful, it’s important that county officials and staff have a clear understanding of what generative AI is, how it works, and the considerations that come with its use in the public sector.

ISACo has created a new webpage designed as a resource hub for Illinois counties. Here, you’ll find foundational information about generative AI, emerging policy frameworks, legal and ethical considerations, and practical guidance for responsible adoption. Whether your county is exploring AI to improve internal efficiency, enhance public communication, or support decision-making, this webpage intends to support informed and thoughtful implementation aligned with public values and community needs. Click on the image below to access the webpage.

White House Executive Order Targets Homelessness with Focus on Safety and Treatment

On July 24, the White House issued an Executive Order directing federal agencies to focus on civil commitment, public safety, and treatment-centered approaches to address homelessness and related issues. The order proposes reforms to key grant programs and policy areas that directly affect county governments.

More information from NACo is available via this link.

USDA Announces Major Reorganization to Expand Regional Presence

On July 24, U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins unveiled a significant reorganization of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). The plan includes relocating thousands of federal employees, restructuring regional offices, and consolidating administrative operations. This effort is aimed at reducing USDA’s footprint in Washington, D.C., while strengthening its presence through expanded regional hubs across the country.

More information from NACo is available via this link.

What We're Reading

Federal Housing Credit Expansion Could Increase Affordable Rental Units in Illinois: Report (Capitol News Illinois)

Archetype AI is Helping this Washington City Monitor Pedestrian Safety in Real Time (American City and County)

AI’s Power Problem: Who Pays the Price? (Governing)

Following State Rep’s Encounter, Pritzker Signs ‘Squatter Bill’ into Law (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. 

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.  

Unlocking Federal Reform: What the FEMA Act Means for Counties

(Tuesday, July 29, 2025, 1:30pm-2:30pm CST)

​​​​​​​​​​​​Join NACo for a national membership call to learn about the newly released FEMA Act and its potential to transform how counties prepare for, respond to and recover from disasters. This session will highlight key provisions — such as the universal disaster application, improvements to Public Assistance, and increased transparency — and outline what they mean for local governments.

Click on this link to register for the webinar.

Exploring the Art of the Possible with AI for Countywide Services

(Wednesday, August 6, 2025, 1:00pm-2:00pm CST)

Join the National Association of Counties (NACo) and C3 AI for a webinar on how artificial intelligence (AI) is transforming county-level government services. Building on NACo’s successful Technology Information Forum, this session brings together AI experts and county leaders to explore real-world use cases, opportunities for pilots and proofs of concept, and practical tips to launch AI initiatives.

From automating property assessments to enhancing public safety investigations and improving constituent engagement, counties are already leveraging AI to modernize services, reduce costs, and deliver better outcomes for residents. This webinar will showcase how counties can responsibly implement AI to meet their missions faster, smarter, and more equitably.

Key topics include:

Property Appraisal Modernization: Discover how counties are using AI to streamline residential and commercial valuations by integrating data from MLS, GIS, and CAMA systems while ensuring compliance with IAAO standards.

Constituent Services Powered by Generative AI: Learn how counties can deploy multilingual AI chat tools to provide residents with timely and accurate answers on housing, healthcare, economic development, and more—backed by secure data and source citations.

Public Safety & Criminal Investigations: See how AI is helping county law enforcement unify data from records management, dispatch, and evidence systems to accelerate investigations and improve interagency collaboration.

Whether you're just starting out or scaling up, this session will offer insights and tools to help your county lead in AI-powered digital transformation.

Click on this link to register for the webinar.

Robert's Rules 102: Advancing Your Meeting Mastery for Effective Governance

(Tuesday, September 16, 2025, 1:00pm-2:00pm CST)

​​​​​​Robert’s Rules can help you run effective meetings. Don’t forget to attend “Roberts Rules 101 – Mastering the Basics” being held at the NACo Annual Conference in Philadelphia, Pa.Whether you're a newbie or an experienced leader, Robert's Rules 102 goes beyond the basics to equip you with the skills needed to orchestrate meetings that truly make an impact. Learn to minimize disruptions, establish proper procedures and apply Robert's Rules to real-life parliamentary examples.

Click on this link to register for the webinar. 

Enhancing Child Welfare: Best Practices for Measuring and Improving Outcomes

(Tuesday, September 23, 2025, 1:00pm-2:00pm CST)

​​​​​​Join NACo for an insightful webinar focusing on child welfare specifically designed for county governments. We will delve into evidence-based practices, informed funding decisions, cost efficiencies, and effective program management. Key areas of discussion will include out-of-home placements, prevention services, and reunification services.

During the webinar, NACo panel of county leaders will share the latest methodologies for outcomes monitoring and discuss the importance of translating these outcomes into actionable practices. Attendees will gain valuable insights into identifying service gaps, leveraging data for increased service utilization, and supporting fiscal efficiencies. This session will empower county executives and department leaders with strategies to measure outcomes effectively and implement best practices for continuous quality improvement. 

Key takeaways:
1.    Understanding the importance of outcomes monitoring
2.    Measuring and reporting best practices to enhance accountability and transparency
3.    Improving preventative and early intervention services
4.    Optimizing resource allocation and enhancing collaboration
5.    Implementing standardized assessments and continuous quality improvement initiatives

Click on this link to register for the webinar.

Unity in Uncertainty: Thriving Through Turbulence

(Tuesday, October 9, 2025, 2:00pm-3:00pm CST)

​​​​​​This training will focus on the current operating environment and emphasize core partnerships to identify opportunities and strengthen infrastructure security and resilience. Comprehensive partnerships and diverse perspectives can solidify and fortify operations during uncertain times. 

Click on this link to register for the webinar.  

CORPORATE PARTNER SPOTLIGHT  

Public Surplus is an online auction platform that offers services to local government agencies. Their system was created with unique capabilities specifically for public agencies, making it much more than an auction site.

ISACo has partnered with Public Surplus to provide large discounts for our county members when it comes to doing online auctions, specifically real estate sales.

Through a partnership with ISACo, Illinois counties are eligible to list items with a reduced buyer's premium, which will encourage competitive bidding on surplus items listed. With Public Surplus, buyers are responsible for all service fees, and it costs counties nothing to use the service.

Public Surplus will also provide a 10% rebate to ISACo on each sale so that the Association can continue to offer a high level of service at minimal cost to members.

To visit the Public Surplus website, click here. 

To register an account with Public Surplus, click here. 

Become an ISACo Member! 

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