This week's Illinois State Association of Counties (ISACo) News and Views e-newsletter includes an update on the final three days of the 2025 Veto Session, asks county officials and staff if their counties experience heavy trucks being navigated by GPS onto county roads not designed for these vehicles, reports on the repeal of Federal Solar Tax incentives by President Trump’s “One Big Beautiful Bill Act" (H.R. 1) that's triggered a year-end surge in rooftop solar installations across the state, invites county leaders to join the January 2026 National Association of Counties (NACo) Leadership Academy, shares information about a $50 Million Loan Program to help federal workers during the shutdown, links to articles ISACo staff is reading to stay informed, conveys information about upcoming NACo webinar opportunities, highlights ISACo corporate partner Ascendant App's "GovText" and invites counties to join ISACo.

Veto Session Update

The General Assembly convened from October 28-30 for the final three days of the 2025 Veto Session. While the first week of Veto Session was mostly uneventful, the past week saw several bills debated and approved. ISACo staff were present and engaged at the Statehouse during both weeks of the Veto Session. The following approved bills either impact or are of interest to counties.

General Assembly Approves Sweeping Transit Overhaul and Funding Package

Illinois lawmakers approved sweeping transit legislation that overhauls Chicago-area transit governance and creates a $1.5 billion annual funding plan to address looming budget shortfalls for CTA, Metra, and Pace. The package establishes the Northern Illinois Transit Authority to replace the RTA, redirects state motor-fuel tax and road-fund interest revenue to support transit service, and authorizes a regional sales tax increase and higher Illinois Tollway rates. It also includes the People Over Parking Act, limiting local authority to require minimum parking near transit. While proponents describe the bill as historic and necessary to prevent severe transit cuts, its diversion of traditional road funds and limitations on local land-use powers have raised significant concerns in downstate and rural counties. The legislation includes provisions that are likely to divide counties, with Chicago-area counties benefiting from transit stabilization and development tools, while downstate officials warn of reduced infrastructure funding and limited direct benefits. In addition, collar counties are likely to have concerns about the governance structure and regional oversight under the new authority, given their representation changes and new decision-making framework. Please click this link for more information.

Omnibus Energy Bill Approved

Both chambers have now approved the omnibus energy bill, sending it to Governor Pritzker for consideration. The House passed the amended bill on October 29 following a lengthy Senate Energy and Public Utilities Committee subject matter hearing earlier that day, where testimony underscored ongoing disagreements over battery storage costs, local siting authority, and expanded regulatory authority for the Illinois Commerce Commission (ICC). The Senate granted final passage on October 30. Additional information is available via this link. 

Illinois Bivens Act and Immigrant Access Protections Passed by General Assembly

HB 1312 establishes new state-level protections for individuals interacting with Illinois courts, hospitals, schools, and child-care centers during civil immigration enforcement activities. The legislation creates private rights of action for constitutional violations during civil immigration enforcement, restricts arrests of individuals attending state court proceedings, and requires hospitals and higher-education institutions to adopt policies governing interaction with law enforcement. Licensed day-care centers are also prohibited from disclosing immigration-status information except as legally required. Counties may face new training, policy, and courthouse-security considerations to ensure compliance with constitutional protections and avoid liability exposure. Additional information is available via this link.

Clean Slate Act Passes Both Chambers; Expands Record Sealing, Adds New Responsibilities for Counties

Illinois lawmakers approved the Clean Slate Act, a major overhaul of the state’s criminal record-sealing system designed to expand second-chance opportunities and streamline the sealing process. While the measure modernizes record procedures and introduces automatic sealing for certain offenses, it also creates new administrative, technology, and reporting demands for county court and law-enforcement systems. County officials would need to prepare for increased workload, system updates, and additional coordination requirements if the legislation is enacted into law. Click on the title for more information. Additional information is available via this link.

Omnibus Legislative Clean-Up Bill Approved; Extends Key Programs and Corrects Sunset Dates Across Numerous Acts

Lawmakers approved a wide-ranging omnibus bill that extends repeal dates, restores provisions that were unintentionally allowed to expire, and makes technical and timing corrections across multiple state statutes, including laws governing elections, procurement, criminal enforcement tools, tax programs, and public infrastructure authorities. The legislation also continues COVID-era transit farebox flexibility and adjusts filing timelines and vacancy procedures for certain local offices. While largely administrative in nature, the bill includes several provisions of interest to counties, particularly related to election administration, regional superintendent vacancies, and continued authority for Menard County’s quick-take eminent domain process. Additional information is available via this link.

Senior Property Tax Relief Expansion and County Flexibility Measures Approved

Legislation expanding senior property tax relief and granting counties new flexibility in managing tax payments was approved by both chambers. The bill amends the Senior Freeze Property Tax Exemption for homeowners age 65 and older to $75,000 beginning with taxes owed in 2027. The threshold will rise further to $77,000 for taxes owed in 2028 and $79,000 in subsequent years. The legislation also clarifies delinquency dates and interest rates for first installment 2025 property taxes to provide additional time for counties as they wait on the General Assembly to amend state law to comply with the United States Supreme Court decision in Tyler v. Hennepin County. It further authorizes county clerks to offer payment plans and waive interest penalties for qualifying seniors participating in the tax deferral program. While the bill may modestly delay some property tax collections and reduce penalty revenue, counties and other taxing bodies will ultimately receive the underlying tax dollars. The bill also aligns income thresholds for the state's Senior Deferral program, which allows eligible seniors to borrow up to $7,500 annually against their taxes and repay the amount when the home is sold or the owner dies. The changes aim to assist low-and fixed-income seniors while providing counties with tools to support taxpayers struggling to keep up with rising property costs.

Additional information is available via this link.

Economic Development Financing Tool Approved; Film and Tax Provisions Updated

Legislation was approved by both chambers to authorize counties and municipalities to use Sales Tax and Revenue (STAR) bonds to support major tourism, entertainment, and retail projects, subject to approval by the Governor and the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity. The bill also extends Illinois’ pass-through entity tax election, updates bonus depreciation conformity, and modifies the state’s film production tax credit, including limits on eligible executive producer wages and new payroll withholding rules. Additionally, the measure transfers funds to support state audit expenses and sets a 2039 sunset for awarding new film credits. The STAR bond authority is intended to promote large-scale economic development opportunities across the state, with counties now positioned to pursue qualifying projects in partnership with the state. Additional information is available via this link.

Public Official Safety and Privacy Act Approved by Both Chambers

Legislation creating the Public Official Safety and Privacy Act would prohibit the public posting or online display of a public official’s personal information once the official has requested privacy protection. The measure also amends several laws to allow redaction of home addresses from election filings, public records, and identification documents, and permits public officials to use work addresses on state-issued IDs and vehicle registrations. The proposal responds to growing concerns over online harassment and physical threats against public officials and would take effect immediately upon becoming law. Additional information is available via this link.

ISACo will continue monitoring these bills as they move to the Governor for consideration and will provide updates on implementation timelines, guidance, and any administrative requirements affecting counties.

Counties Experiencing GPS-Directed Truck Traffic on Unsuitable Roads

ISACo has been made aware of an emerging issue reported by counties in other states — and we want to know if Illinois counties are experiencing it as well.

Counties in Kansas have reported that large commercial trucks are being routed by navigation systems (e.g., Google Maps, Garmin) onto county roads not designed to support heavy truck traffic. These routes often reflect common passenger-vehicle travel paths rather than roads appropriate for commercial freight movement.

This routing has resulted in:

• Trucks becoming stuck or unable to maneuver on narrow county roads
• Roadway damage due to excessive vehicle weight
• Accidents, including rollovers and shoulder failures
• Increased safety concerns for local motorists and truck drivers

Because individual counties — and even single states — may not have sufficient influence to prompt navigation platform adjustments, efforts are underway to gauge interest in building a multi-state coalition to address this with digital mapping and routing companies.

Has your county experienced similar problems with heavy trucks being routed onto county roads by navigation systems?

If so, please contact ISACo Legislative Advocacy and Research Manager Nekya Hall at nhall@isacoil.org to share your experience. Your input will help determine whether Illinois should participate in a broader coordinated advocacy effort on this issue.

Illinois Solar Installers Rush to Beat Federal Rebate Repeal

Based on reporting from the Chicago Tribune, the repeal of federal solar tax incentives by President Trump’s “One Big Beautiful Bill” (H.R. 1) has triggered a year-end surge in rooftop solar installations across Illinois. ISACo is actively monitoring wind and solar technology issues and how they may impact local renewable energy markets and county-level siting considerations. Additional information is available via this link.

Join County Leaders Nationwide in the January 2026 NACo Leadership Academy

On behalf of NACo Executive Director Matt Chase and myself, you are invited to join your fellow elected county leaders from across the state and the nation in the NACo High Performance Leadership Academy, beginning this January.

This innovative, online leadership development program—created in partnership with the National Association of Counties (NACo) and General Colin Powell—is designed specifically for county officials and staff. The nearly 20,000 county graduates can attest that this program uniquely focuses on real-world leadership skills you can apply immediately in your role, including:

• Leveraging positive leadership strategies and mindset for positive outcomes
• Building high-trust for high-performance teams
• Leading effectively through change and uncertainty
• Strengthening communication and collaboration across departments
• Enhancing accountability and results

The program is fully facilitated online, creating a very convenient format and accommodating your busy schedule; participants can complete the program on their own schedule while connecting with peers nationwide in an engaging, interactive environment.

More than two-thirds of counties across the country use this program to help make existing leaders better and emerging leaders ready to address the pressing issues of our day—and we hope you’ll be part of the next cohort starting in January 2026. We have secured the price of $1,000 for you (retail is $2,995).

Learn more and apply here: www.naco.org/skills 

If you have questions or would like to connect with past participants from our state, please contact Managing Director Luke Afeman at lukea@pdaleadership.com.

We hope you’ll take advantage of this opportunity to invest in your professional growth and join your colleagues in this nationally recognized leadership program.

$50 Million Loan Program to Help Federal Workers During Shutdown

Illinois State Treasurer Michael Frerichs is committing $50 million to fund zero-interest and low-interest loans to unpaid federal workers during the government shutdown.

The loans will be issued through participating banks and credit unions across Illinois with money made available through the Treasurer’s linked-deposit program. An estimated 153,000 federal employees live and work in Illinois. It is uncertain how many are not receiving their salaries since Oct. 1, when the shutdown began.

The press release is available via this link. 

What We're Reading

Housing Prices Show Signs of Slowing. Will It Last? (Governing)

Chronic Absenteeism Numbers Dip for Third Year; State Launches Special Task Force to Address Problem (Daily Herald)

Lawmakers Approve $1.5B Transit Funding Package Without Statewide Tax Increases (Capitol News Illinois)

Learn more about IPRIME

Founded in 2019, the Illinois Public Reserves Investment Management Trust™ (IPRIME™) referred to as “the Fund” is an investment pool for Municipal Treasurers acting on behalf of counties, townships, cities, towns, villages, libraries, park districts, water supply districts, fire protection districts, sanitary districts, housing authorities and other subdivisions of the State of Illinois.

The IPRIME Investment Shares Series is rated AAAm by Standard & Poor’s.

The Investment Shares Series is comprised of money market instruments having a maximum remaining maturity of one year (except U.S. government obligations that may have remaining maturities of up to two years).

The primary objectives of the Investment Shares Series are to offer the highest possible investment yield, protect principal, preserve liquidity and maintain Standard & Poor’s highest local government investment pool rating of AAAm. In addition, the Fund offers access to PMA Financial Network, LLC’s Fixed Income and Deposit Programs. With the experience and expertise of PMA, the Investment Shares Series grants investors access to a powerful investment management team that functions with a high standard of vision, synergy, and quality.

Click on the photo below to learn more about IPRIME!

 

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. 

Allocating Opioid Settlement Funds for Lasting Community Benefit: How Counties Use Stage CARES

(Wednesday, November 5, 2025, 1:30 p.m. - 2:30 p.m. CST)

Counties across the nation are working to allocate opioid settlement funds strategically, transparently, and in ways that generate lasting community benefit. This NACo-sponsored webinar will highlight Stage CARES’ patent-pending opioid abatement analytics technology platform. Stage CARES empowers counties to make data-driven decisions easily by streamlining community feedback, data collection, and demonstrating measurable outcomes.

Josh Speakman, Collector and Treasurer of Stoddard County, Missouri, and Dr. Audrey Arona, former CEO and District Health Medical Director for Gwinnett, Newton, and Rockdale County, Georgia, will share county-level insights on the challenges and opportunities in effectively managing opioid settlement funds and how Stage CARES helps overcome them.

This session will explore practical approaches to:

• Align settlement investments with local priorities and community needs
• Track and manage budgets and disbursements with transparency and compliance
• Leverage data dashboards to monitor progress and inform decision-making
• Measure outcomes to demonstrate accountability and community impact and benefit

Participants will gain practical strategies and real-world examples of how counties are partnering with Stage CARES to enhance transparency, strengthen coordination, and sustain impact and benefits in their communities’ opioid response.

Click on this link to register for this webinar. 

Unlock the Full Potential of Retirement Plans: Discover the Advantages of Today's Lifetime Income

(Wednesday, November 5, 2025, 12 p.m. - 1 p.m. CST)

A recent survey by the Nationwide Retirement Institute® revealed that roughly ¾ of Americans fear they’ll run out of money before they run out of time.¹

Join Nationwide and NACo EDGE for a presentation that discusses how lifetime income solutions can build participant confidence. Many misconceptions surround incorporating lifetime income into retirement planning. This presentation offers positive reality checks about solutions that can help participants achieve a more secure retirement. 

This webinar is brought to you by NACo EDGE, establishing people, purchasing, and performance cost-saving solutions that can be applied to counties nationwide. EDGE is owned by NACo, advised by county leaders and 100% focused on solutions for U.S. Counties. Learn more about NACo EDGE here.

1. “Century Club Insights Report,” prepared by Edelman for Nationwide, March 2025. Guarantees are subject to the claims-paying ability of the issuing insurance company. Provisions of these options may vary based on plan selection and/or by state regulation. These investment options may not be available in all states. This material is not a recommendation to buy or sell a financial product or to adopt an investment strategy. Investors should discuss NRM-23166AO.1 (06/25).

Click on this link to register for this webinar. 

Grant Management Success: Quality, Consistency, and Cost Control

(Thursday, November 6, 2025, 1 p.m. - 2 p.m. CST)

Join a panel of Authorium’s alums of public service – having served in county, state, and federal offices – as they share their experience providing oversight and direction to departments awarding, managing, and leveraging grants. The panel will discuss strategies to support every step of the grant management process, from pre-award (for grantmakers) to project administration and budget tracking (for grantees).

Participants will explore: 

• How to stop software sprawl
• Techniques for tackling document-heavy, approval-stalled workflows
• Considerations for leveraging responsible AI to support grant management

Click on this link to register for this webinar. 

Modern Networks, Smarter Budgets: A County Leader’s Perspective

(Thursday, November 6, 2025, 1 p.m. - 2 p.m. CST)

Join us for a fireside chat with Orleans County, NY, as they share how their team successfully transitioned from a traditional capital expense (CapEx) model to an operational expense (OpEx) model for network services.

When faced with rising maintenance costs and an expiring carrier contract, the county seized the opportunity to modernize its network and lock in predictable monthly costs. By bundling connectivity services with unified communications, they achieved immediate savings of over $124,000, eliminated recurring charges such as long-distance fees and third-party integration costs, and gained access to operational upgrades like call analytics and auto-attendants.

This shift not only strengthened financial planning through fixed monthly expenses but also freed up IT staff to focus on strategic initiatives.

Key takeaway: Rethinking your budget model can be just as impactful as upgrading your technology — delivering fiscal stability and enhanced services for your community.

Click on this link to register for this webinar.   

Grant Management Success: Quality, Consistency, and Cost Control

(Thursday, November 6, 2025, 1 p.m. - 2 p.m. CST)

Join a panel of Authorium’s alums of public service – having served in county, state, and federal offices – as they share their experience providing oversight and direction to departments awarding, managing, and leveraging grants. The panel will discuss strategies to support every step of the grant management process, from pre-award (for grantmakers) to project administration and budget tracking (for grantees).

Participants will explore: 

• How to stop software sprawl
• Techniques for tackling document-heavy, approval-stalled workflows
• Considerations for leveraging responsible AI to support grant management

Click on this link to register for this webinar. 

Checks, Balances, and Firewalls: Navigating Governance

(Thursday, November 12, 2025, 1 p.m. - 2 p.m. CST)

This session explores the intersection where securing election operations meets digital realities. In an interconnected world, where officials face increased cyber threats and scrutiny, governance forms the backbone of order. This training unravels the fundamentals of governance to strengthen democracy in the digital age, with a particular focus on supply chain and data management.

Click on this link to register for this webinar. 

CORPORATE PARTNER SPOTLIGHT  

 

Ascendant App, Inc.

Ascendant App's GovText AI uses SMS-based technology to empower government agencies with real-time, two-way communication, enhancing citizen engagement and streamlining operations. Our platform simplifies complex processes and improves service delivery by enabling seamless communication across departments. This integration helps governments deliver timely support and vital information, from emergency notifications to community outreach, building more connected communities. By driving digital transformation and prioritizing accessibility, GovText makes public services more efficient and citizen-focused, paving the way for communities to thrive in the digital age.

Become an ISACo Member! 

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