ISACo

The Illinois Finance Authority (IFA), in its role as the Illinois Climate Bank, announced today that the first electric vehicle (EV) chargers funded by the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) Charging and Fueling Infrastructure (CFI) Grant Program are officially online in central Illinois. The sites, located in the City of Springfield and the City of Charleston, are the first of many in the area that will feature Level 2 and Level 3 DC Fast Charging (DCFC) ports.

Gov. JB Pritzker has signed a measure allowing residents of assisted living and shared housing establishments to exercise the right to use electronic monitoring, meant to enhance transparency and resident safety. A similar law allowing cameras in residents’ rooms in nursing homes has existed in Illinois since 2016. “This new law allows assisted living residents to install a video and/or audio recording device in their room, allowing added peace of mind for them and their family members," said Illinois State Long-Term Care Ombudsman Ke

The Illinois Housing Development Authority (IHDA) Board approved awards totaling $37 million in federal Low-Income Housing Tax Credits (LIHTC) and an additional $39 million in federal and state subordinate resources that will finance the creation and preservation of 22 affordable housing developments in 15 counties throughout Illinois. The LIHTC awards are expected to generate an estimated $303 million in private capital to support the development of 969 affordable homes for low- to moderate-income families, seniors, and veterans.

Governor JB Pritzker signed Senate Bill 315, the Artificial Intelligence Safety Measures Act, on July 6. The law establishes new safety, transparency, incident reporting and independent audit requirements for large frontier AI developers. While the law primarily regulates major AI companies, counties using or considering AI tools are encouraged to monitor the state’s evolving standards for transparency, cybersecurity, vendor accountability and risk management. Click on the link to read the article.

Counties across the nation are closely monitoring a sweeping federal proposal that could significantly reshape how local governments receive, administer, and comply with federal grant requirements. During a recent NACo briefing attended by ISACo, county leaders were advised that the proposed Office of Management and Budget (OMB) rule would dramatically expand federal oversight, increase administrative responsibilities, and introduce new compliance standards affecting nearly every type of federal funding. Read more about the proposal and what counties should know. Click on the title to read the article.