This week's Illinois State Association of Counties (ISACo) News and Views E-Newsletter mourns the loss of two members of the Deer Family, shares a General Assembly schedule update, makes county officials and staff aware of bills approved by the House or Senate for consideration in the opposite chamber, reports on a House Executive Committee hearing on data centers and energy demand, shares the Illinois employment rates for February, announces recipients of tourism grant program awards, recaps the 2026 ISACo/UCCI Legislative Conference, links to articles ISACo staff is reading to stay informed, conveys information about upcoming NACo webinar opportunities, highlights ISACo corporate partner Wight & Company and invites counties to join ISACo.
General Assembly Schedule
The House reconvenes on April 21. The Senate is not in session this week and will reconvene on April 28.
The House and Senate calendars are linked below:
House Calendar
Senate Calendar
Bills Approved by the House or Senate for Consideration in the Opposite Chamber
The Illinois House and Senate passed many bills that will next be considered by the opposite chamber. Several ISACo-tracked bills were among the legislation advanced during the week of April 13-17. A report with summaries of the ISACo-tracked bills is available via this link.
Illinois Lawmakers Examine Data Center Energy Demand in House Executive Committee Hearing
On April 15, state lawmakers, utilities, and industry stakeholders convened to examine the rapid growth of data centers and their implications for Illinois’ electric grid, consumer costs, and long-term energy policy. A report about the hearing is available via this link.
On Wednesday, April 22, the House Executive Committee will hold a 10:00 am subject matter hearing on data center water impacts. The hearing will be in Room 122 of the Capitol Building and can be watched remotely by clicking on a link associated with Room 122 that will become available on this webpage.
ISACo President Matt Prochaska's Statement on the Deer Family
Illinois Employment Rates for February
The Illinois Department of Employment Security (IDES) announced today that the unemployment rate was 5.0 percent in February, up +0.1 percentage point from January, and up +0.3 percentage point from the same month, one year ago, based on data provided by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). The revised January unemployment rate was 4.9 percent.
Total nonfarm payrolls decreased over-the-month in February, down -17,800 (-0.3%) to 6,137,200. The January monthly change in payrolls was revised from the preliminary report, from +18,000 to +6,200. The February payroll jobs estimate and unemployment rate reflect activity for the week including the 12th.
The press release is available via this link.
Over 60 Tourism Grant Program Awards
Governor JB Pritzker and the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO) announced more than $4.85 million in grant funding has been awarded to 66 grantees through three grant programs – the Tourism Attractions Grant Program ($2 million), Tourism Marketing Partnership Grant Program ($2.25 million), and Tourism Private Sector Grant Program ($598,900) – as part of the State’s efforts to build upon the record-breaking tourism industry and welcome more visitors to Illinois.
The press release is available via this link.
Recap of 2026 ISACo/UCCI Legislative Conference
ISACo and the United Counties Council of Illinois (UCCI) hosted the third annual Spring Legislative Conference on April 14, 2026, in Springfield.
County officials attended the event to discuss key policy issues and advocate on behalf of their constituents.
The day began with a legislative briefing at the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library. Attendees at the briefing heard presentations from Illinois House Republican Leader Tony McCombie, Senate Republican Leader John Curran and Senate President Don Harmon.
The priority issues document provided to briefing attendees is available via this link.
Following the briefing, attendees visited the Illinois Statehouse to advocate in support of issues beneficial to counties and their residents.
A reception was held for county officials and state legislators that evening, and provided additional opportunities to network and build important relationships among county officials from all regions of the state.
ISACo and UCCI thank all of those who were able to attend the event.
What We're Reading
Five Forces Driving Up Road and Bridge Maintenance Costs (Governing)
How Much Power do Cities Have Over Data Centers? (SmartCitiesDive)
150,000 Illinois Households May Lose Federal Food Assistance Beginning May 1 (CapitolNewsIllinois)
Maryland to Become First State to Ban ‘Dynamic Pricing’ in Grocery Stores (TheHill)
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.
ADA Web Accessibility Extension: What Counties Need to Know and How to Prepare
Tuesday, April 21, 2026, 2 p.m. - 3 p.m. CST
The U.S. Department of Justice recently announced a one-year extension for state and local government compliance with Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) web-based accessibility requirements - a significant win for counties. Join NACo for a webinar breaking down what the new Interim Final Rule means for your county, including updated compliance deadlines, cost-reduction guidance and practical next steps for implementation.
Whether your county was approaching the April 2026 deadline or planning ahead for 2027, this webinar will give you the clarity and tools needed to move forward confidently. NACo policy staff will walk through the rulemaking, answer your questions and outline how NACo will continue advocating on this issue on behalf of counties.
Registration for the webinar is available via this link.
NACo Policy Insider Webinar Series: Understanding the Federal Landscape for Counties,
Thursday, April 23, 2026, 2:30 p.m. - 3 p.m. CST
his series will take place on Zoom Webinar. Please email nacomeetings@naco.org with any questions regarding registration or login issues.
Registration for the webinar is available via this link.
Lowering Records Request Costs: Practical Tactics for Local Governments
Tuesday, April 28, 2026, 1 p.m. - 2 p.m. CST
Effectively managing public records requests is crucial for controlling operational expenses and ensuring compliance. This webinar identifies key cost drivers in public records request management and provides strategies to minimize manual processing, control costs, and mitigate legal risks. Gain strategic insights from state and local government and discover how centralized technology solutions can drive operational efficiency.
Registration for the webinar is available via this link.
CORPORATE PARTNER SPOTLIGHT
At Wight & Company (Wight), we believe in the power that exceptionally designed and built spaces have to enhance people’s lives, whether those spaces are where they work, live, learn, or play. With a multi-disciplined staff of planners, architects, interior designers, engineers, and construction managers, an integrated process enables Wight’s professionals to leverage the best resources and expertise for its clients. Wight is one of the country’s top-ranked firms offering architecture, interior design, engineering, and construction services to public and private sector clients.
Wight is an industry pioneer in sustainable planning, design, and construction through our LEED, Net Zero, and WELL initiatives.
Led by the talents and insight of its people, Wight creates enduring client relationships founded on trust and sustained by performance beyond expectations.
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.