This week's Illinois State Association of Counties (ISACo) News and Views E-Newsletter includes a state legislative schedule update, provides a report on ISACo-tracked bills approved by committees last week, shares ISACo's testimony against yet another bill that seeks to preempt local authority, delivers an update about a committee hearing for a bill encouraging adaptive reuse of commercial buildings for housing, links to the most recent Counties Count! Podcast discussing voter sentiment about affordable housing efforts, reports on the Illinois Commerce Commission (ICC) investing more than $300 million into rail safety improvement across the state, includes registration information for the 2026 ISACo/UCCI Legislative Conference, links to articles ISACo staff are reading to stay informed, conveys information about upcoming NACo webinar opportunities, highlights ISACo corporate partner Intergovernmental Personnel Benefit Cooperative (IPBC), and invites counties to join ISACo.

Legislative Update

The General Assembly will not convene this week. The House reconvenes on April 7, and the Senate reconvenes on April 14.

The deadline to move bills out of their chamber of origin is April 17.

The House and Senate calendars are linked below:

House Calendar

Senate Calendar

Bills Approved by Committees

During legislative action from March 24-27, several bills tracked by the Illinois State Association of Counties (ISACo) were moved out of House Committees. The report, with summaries of the legislation as well as ISACo's positions, is available via this link.

ISACo filed 104 witness slips on bills scheduled for committee hearings last week. Not every bill was heard, but ISACo continues to advocate in support of counties on a significant volume of legislation. 

ISACo Testimony Opposing HB 1429: Homeless Bill of Rights

ISACo provided testimony (linked here) last week to the House Housing Committee in opposition to HB 1429 (Rep. Olickal, D-Chicago), a bill that would significantly restrict the ability of counties to regulate "life-sustaining activities" like sleeping or storing property on public land. While the legislation aims to protect the unsheltered population, ISACo argued that the bill creates an impractical seven-day notice mandate for addressing encampments and preempts local home rule authority without providing the necessary state funding for shelter and social services. Our testimony emphasized that while counties are committed to solving housing insecurity, this "one-size-fits-all" approach undermines public safety and leaves local officials with few tools to manage hazardous conditions in their communities. 

The bill was approved by a vote of 11-6 and will next be considered on the House floor. 

House Committee Advances Proposal to Encourage Adaptive Reuse of Commercial Buildings for Housing

Last week, the House Counties and Townships Committee advanced HB 4835 (Rep. Delgado, D-Chicago), legislation aimed at converting underutilized commercial properties into housing, signaling continued momentum around affordability solutions in Illinois. While lawmakers expressed interest in the concept of adaptive reuse, concerns remain about statewide mandates and the need to preserve local control. ISACo filed a witness slip opposing the legislation for its preemption of local control.

The bill now heads to the House floor as discussions continue toward possible amendments, with potential implications for local governments, zoning authority, and local infrastructure planning. Additional information about what transpired during the committee hearing is available via this link. 

Counties Count! Podcast Discusses a Recent Poll Showing Support for Legislative Action to Address Affordable Housing

A new statewide poll, first reported by Capitol Fax, reveals overwhelming concern about housing affordability—and strong bipartisan support for legislative action. In this episode of the Counties Count! Podcast, we break down what voters are saying, how proposed solutions like “missing middle” housing could reshape communities, and what it all means for counties navigating the balance between state policy and local control. Click on the image below to listen to the podcast.

Over $300 Million for Rail Safety Improvements

The Illinois Commerce Commission (ICC) approved its annual five-year Crossing Safety Improvement Program (FY 2027-2031) to implement life-saving safety upgrades at highway-rail crossings. The plan authorizes $376 million in funding for grade crossing safety improvements and highway-rail grade separations at approximately 387 crossing locations.

The press release is available via this link. 

2026 ISACo/UCCI Legislative Conference Registration

For the third consecutive year, ISACo and our friends at the United Counties Council of Illinois (UCCI) will hold a legislative conference for county officials and staff on April 14-15, 2026. ISACo members are invited to attend the April 14 events that will include a breakfast buffet and legislative briefing at the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and an evening legislative reception at the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Museum. State officials will also be invited to attend the reception. Activities on April 15 are reserved for UCCI members. Registration information and additional details are available via this link.

What We're Reading

Forty-Three Percent of Public Sector Employees use AI at Least a Few Times a Year, Gallup Finds (SmartCitiesDive)

The Sangamon County Board Tables Vote on a Massive Data Center (NPR)

‘People are Being Evicted’: TSA Union says Shutdown is Pushing Workers to Economic Brink (DailyHerald)

OpenAI Pulls the Plug on Sora, the Viral AI Video App that Sparked Deepfake Concerns (AssociatedPress) 

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.  

AI Meets Information Governance in the Public Sector

Wednesday, April 8, 2026, 12:00 p.m. - 1:00 p.m. CST

Public sector AI adoption is caught in a "regulatory paradox": a strong push for rapid innovation occurring alongside a lack of clear roadmaps and regulations for information safety. Data privacy regulations remain in full force.

For government information owners, the burden of responsibility for information governance has landed squarely on your shoulders. To innovate and modernize while keeping your information safe, you need a responsible information governance model that ensures only high-quality, compliant data is available for AI tools.

During this session, we’ll explore the four immediate steps you can take to ensure your agency’s AI adoption is secure, compliant, and trustworthy.

Registration is available via this link. 

Emerging Dynamics in the Pharmacy Marketplace: Direct-to-Consumer and Plan Sponsors’ Rx Benefits

Thursday, April 9, 2026, 12:00 p.m. - 1:00 p.m. CST

This webinar will feature Josh Fredell, Senior Vice President, PBM, Payor and Life Science Solutions at CVS Health, who will provide an expert overview of the rapidly evolving world of pharmacy benefits. Key discussion points will include the impact of the Direct to Consumer marketplace and prominent entrants such as TrumpRx, Mark Cuban’s Cost Plus model, GoodRx, and others, with a particular focus on GLP‑1 therapies.

The session will explore current industry trends, how plan sponsors are responding, and strategic considerations for navigating this shifting landscape. Attendees will gain valuable insight into market forces shaping consumer access, payer decision‑making, and future implications for benefit design.

Registration for the webinar is available via this link. 

NACo Policy Insider Webinar Series: Understanding the Federal Landscape for Counties

Thursday, April 9, 2026, 2:30 p.m. - 3:30 p.m. CST

Last year's Inside Washington series is now NACo Policy Insider, a bi-weekly webinar offering an overview of the full federal policy landscape impacting counties, as well as deeper dives into specific policy areas, equipping county leaders with insights, context, and strategies to engage effectively on key issues from transportation and infrastructure, to public lands, to health and human services and more.

Registration for the webinar is available via this link. 

CORPORATE PARTNER SPOTLIGHT   

 IPBC is a partnership of Illinois local government entities who are committed to the philosophy of risk pooling and working together to provide cost-effective health and related benefits to their employees and their families.

Click here to learn more about IPBC. 

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