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This week's Illinois State Association of Counties (ISACo) News and Views E-Newsletter, includes a General Assembly schedule update, makes county officials and staff aware of the Senate-approved Artificial Intelligence package, highlights recently-filed amendments of interest to counties, shares ISACo Executive Director Joe McCoy's statement expressing concerns about the wind and solar siting law, celebrates the 250th Anniversary of the United States, reports the state's employment rates for April, shares information on expansion of supportive housing across the state, links to articles ISACo staff is reading to stay informed, conveys information about upcoming NACo webinar opportunities, highlights ISACo corporate partner Public Surplus, and invites counties to join ISACo.

This week's Illinois State Association of Counties (ISACo) News and Views E-Newsletter includes a General Assembly schedule update, urges county officials to contact their legislators to protect the Local Government Distributive Fund (LGDF), provides an update on the BUILD Act package, recaps an ISACo meeting held for Cook and the collar counties, highlights a statement from the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) on a positive Hantavirus case in Illinois, links to articles ISACo staff is reading to stay informed, conveys information about upcoming NACo webinar opportunities, highlights ISACo corporate partner PMA IPRIME, and invites counties to join ISACo.

This publication of The County Lens by ISACo Executive Director Joe McCoy discusses a series of artificial intelligence proposals introduced by Illinois legislators. The proposals are aimed at establishing new consumer protections, transparency requirements, and safety standards for AI technologies. Three recently introduced Senate floor amendments would address issues ranging from AI safety audits and chatbot disclosures to protections for minors and individuals experiencing mental health crises. While many of the proposals are focused on the private sector, county governments are likely to be affected, directly or indirectly, by any regulatory structure implemented by the state. Click on the title to read the article.

This week's Illinois State Association of Counties (ISACo) News and Views E-Newsletter links to the May County Quarterly Newsletter, includes a General Assembly schedule update, shares an ISACo press release on opposing cuts to the Local Government Distributive Fund (LGDF) and urges counties to take action to fight proposed LGDF reductions, makes county officials and staff aware of fiscal concerns over a proposed disability benefit expansion, highlights the state becoming top-tier in the National Emergency Preparedness Ranking, links to articles ISACo staff is reading to stay informed, conveys information about upcoming NACo webinar opportunities, highlights ISACo corporate partner Nationwide, and invites counties to join ISACo.

This week's Illinois State Association of Counties (ISACo) News and Views E-Newsletter includes a General Assembly schedule update, lists the latest bills to advance in the Senate, shares photos from the 2026 ISACo/UCCI Legislative Conference, reports on the employment rates for March, requests community input on potential nuclear facility siting, makes county officials and staff aware of biodiversity field trip grants, shares a local government workshop webinar opportunity from the Illinois Department of Revenue (IDOR), links to articles ISACo staff is reading to stay informed, conveys information about upcoming NACo webinar opportunities, highlights ISACo corporate partner Comcast and invites counties to join ISACo.

This week's Illinois State Association of Counties (ISACo) News and Views E-Newsletter includes a General Assembly schedule update, highlights bills approved by the House last week, reports on ISACo testimony in opposition to the BUILD ACT, includes details on a House Executive Committee hearing regarding data center water use and transparency gaps, link to ISACo's latest County Lens article discussing data centers, water usage and governance, shares that more than $2 billion was returned to Illinois residents through Illinois Treasurer Michael Frerich's I-Cash Program, reports on a first-in-the-nation film production Tax Credit, links to articles ISACo staff is reading to stay informed, conveys information about upcoming NACo webinar opportunities, highlights ISACo corporate partner AT&T and invites counties to join ISACo.

Water demand is rising across the Great Lakes region, and counties are on the front lines. In this edition of The County Lens, Executive Director Joe McCoy examines how data center growth, groundwater challenges, and fragmented governance are creating new pressures on local infrastructure and decision-making.

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.

This week's Illinois State Association of Counties (ISACo) News and Views E-Newsletter includes a General Assembly schedule update, highlights bills approved by the House, reports on a poll finding broad voter support for data center regulation in Illinois and shares information about an upcoming data center hearing in the House, announces April as Hazardous Materials Awareness Month, urges taxpayers to file their 2025 state individual income tax return, highlights a new educational content portal for the incarcerated, includes registration information for 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 Advanced Correctional Healthcare, Inc. and invites counties to join ISACo.

This week's Illinois State Association of Counties (ISACo) News and Views E-Newsletter includes a state legislative schedule update, provides an update on legislation concerning Veterans Assistance Commissions and the BUILD Act, reports on the Illinois employment rates for January, highlights recent business growth in Illinois, includes registration information for the 2026 ISACo/UCCI Legislative Conference scheduled for next week, links to articles ISACo staff is reading to stay informed, conveys information about upcoming NACo webinar opportunities, highlights ISACo corporate partner ClearGov and invites counties to join ISACo.