Governor Bill Actions

Governor JB Pritzker has recently signed several ISACo-tracked bills into law. The bills are linked to below:

SB 0691 (P.A. 103-0750) - Regional Planning Comm. Real Property

SB 0773 (P.A. 103-0751) - Infertility Treatments

SB 2573 (P.A. 103-0753) - Ins-Cancer Coverage/Wigs

SB 2626 (P.A. 103-0755) - Crim Id Act-Expungement Filing

SB 2654 (P.A. 103-0756) - Veh Cd-Lien/Fine Exemption

SB 2672 (P.A. 103-0758) - Ins Cd-Generic Drug Shortage

SB 2683 (P.A. 103-0760) - Stalking No Contact-Tracking

SB 2702 (P.A. 103-0761) - Fire Sprinkler Inspectors

SB 3077 (P.A. 103-0772) - Food Infrastructure-Grant

SB 3091 (P.A. 103-0773) - IDNR-Land Transfer-Will Co

SB 3110 (P.A. 103-0774) - Sch Cd-Regional Board Vacancy 

Bills of Interest to Counties in 2024

ISACo has published our Bills Approved by Both Chambers: Legislation of Interest to Counties in 2024 report. The report organizes approved bills by category, includes a synopsis and ISACo's position. The report will be updated frequently as the Governor signs legislation into law. Please click on the image for our most updated comprehensive report on bills approved by both chambers of interest to counties.

*An ISACo tracked bill includes bills that directly or tangentially impact county finances and operations, bills that may be of interest to county officials for the performance of their duties and legislation presented "for your information."  

Paid Leave for All Workers Act Webinar

The Illinois Department of Labor (IDOL) is offering a webinar about the Paid Leave for All Workers Act (PLAWA). The webinar is scheduled for Thursday, August 15, 2024, at 10:00 a.m. CST. Additional information is available via this link. Questions or comments can be directed to IDOL by email at DOL.PaidLeave@illinois.gov.

Beginning January 1, 2024, employers are required to post a physical notice on the premises where other notices are posted that summarizes the Act and includes information about filing a complaint. An electronic version of this IDOL notice is available via this link.

Federal Court Decision Could Impact Telecom Access Programs

On July 24, 2024, the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit overturned the Federal Communications Commission's (FCC) Universal Service Fund (USF) with a 9-7 en banc decision. The ruling was based upon a majority view among the justices that the USF is an unconstitutional tax. This ruling has ramifications for the telecommunications industry, as the USF plays an important role in the FCC's efforts to ensure nationwide access to telecommunications services. 

The decision is relevant for county governments because it could endanger the funding and sustainability of critical telecom infrastructure projects that support local economic development and essential public services.

The ruling raises particular concerns about telecom services for rural communities, schools, libraries, health care providers and low-income populations that rely on USF for affordable access to vital communications systems.

The Court decision is available via this link.

NACo Releases Toolkit for Local Governance and Implementation of Artificial Intelligence

The National Association of Counties (NACo) formed an Artificial Intelligence (AI) Exploratory Committee in May 2023 to analyze the landscape of generative AI as it applies to counties.

The Committee recently published its full report that can be reviewed via this link. The Executive Summary of the report is available via this link.

Report Discusses Impact of Homelessness on Public Health

People experiencing homelessness are likely to have a significantly reduced life expectancy and are more likely to be the victim of a violent assault or homicide, according to a report prepared for the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) by the University of Illinois Chicago (UIC) School of Public Health. 

The report is available via this link.

Illinois Awarded $8 Million for Transmission Improvement Projects

The Illinois Commerce Commission (ICC) was awarded $8.3 million from the United States Department of Energy (DOE) Grid Deployment Office to improve the review process for several transmission projects running through the Midcontinent Independent System Operator (MISO) territory. High voltage transmission is a critical piece of America’s energy infrastructure that works to send power from where it's generated, out to homes and buildings all over a region. The state of Illinois’ project was one of 20 selected from across 16 states as a part of the Transmission Siting and Economic Development grant program and will help to build out a more resilient and reliable power grid.

Additional information is available via this link.

Illinois Secretary of State Monthly Newsletter

On July 25, the Illinois Secretary of State issued its monthly newsletter (available via this link) with information including expanded identification options available for non-citizen Illinois residents, a new electronic notary system, upcoming events and available resources and opportunities. Additional information can be found on the Illinois Secretary of State’s website (available via this link).

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.  

Building a Behavioral Health Continuum of Care: The Role of Rural Leaders and Behavioral Health Directors

(Tuesday, August 6, 2024, 1:00pm-2:00pm CST)

Counties play a critical role in supporting community members living with behavioral health conditions or experiencing a behavioral health crisis. To build an effective and robust behavioral health system, counties need strong leadership to promote dialogue in the community and implement programs and policies that benefit all residents.

Click on this link to register for the webinar.

Prevention to Treatment: Substance Use Disorder Solution Strategies

(Wednesday, August 7, 2024, 1:00pm-2:00pm CST)

Three industry experts from across the public and private sectors will explore the landscape of substance use disorder solutions, with emphasis on prevention and treatment. From a prevention perspective, we'll delve into the shift in policy and focus, examining where prevention activities are currently taking place. From the treatment perspective, we'll explore how to adopt a clinical framework that supports sustained recovery, particularly through digital pathways. Our discussion will cover what's available, what's currently working, differences in approach, and potential strategies for various populations including the underserved population.

Click on this link to register for the webinar.

Transforming Justice Through Collaboration

(Wednesday, August 7, 2024, 1:30pm-2:30pm CST)

In this webinar, representatives from two counties will discuss how they leverage cross-system partnerships to address the root causes that lead to justice involvement. Hamilton County’s Juvenile Court will share its collaboration with behavioral health experts and the community to assess youth eligibility for diversion and community-based services, aiming to reduce youth entry into the juvenile justice system. Summit County’s Connect program will discuss the partnership between the Municipal Court of Akron and the Summit County Developmental Disabilities Board, designed to identify justice-involved individuals with developmental disabilities or mental health conditions and redirect them to receive personalized support plans.

This webinar is part of the County, Court, and Justice Leaders: A Framework for Cross-System Collaboration initiative and is hosted in partnership with Rulo Strategies and Praxis Consulting with funding from the State Justice Institute (SJI).

Click on this link to register for the webinar. 

Introducing Public Safety & Community Resilience Solutions for Public Agencies, a NACo Public Promise Procurement Webinar

(Wednesday, August 14, 2024, 12:00pm-1:00pm CST)

Looking for a reliable partner for emergency preparedness, response and recovery? Explore the newest most innovative government cooperative contract for public safety and disaster recovery with NACo's Public Promise Procurement.

Join Public Promise Procurement and our partners from Cobb County, Georgia and Safeware, Inc. to explore a new innovative contract for solutions to support communities in preparing for, responding to and recovering from emergencies, as well as supporting the complex requirements of public safety agencies. We'll discuss the procurement process, contractor's capabilities and steps you can take to access these proven solutions.

Meet our presenters:

Stephanie Brice, Deputy Director Cobb County Procurement Services Department
Rick Bond, Chief Revenue Officer, Safeware, Inc.
Cathy Muse, Program Manager, Public Promise Procurement

Who should attend: Public procurement professionals, public safety agencies, emergency operations and planning agencies, risk and safety professionals, anyone involved in workplace and industrial safety.

Click on this link to register for the webinar. 

Transforming County Services: From a Projects to Products Mindset - Insights from Franklin County, Ohio

(Thursday, August 15, 2024, 12:00pm-1:00pm CST)

Join the National Association of Counties and special guests from Franklin County, Ohio, for an insightful online event sponsored by Granicus. We’ll discuss the challenges (including recent website accessibility requirements) and realities of Franklin County’s service delivery strategy shift from a project-based approach to a product-focused mindset while consolidating over 40 independent agency websites into a cohesive, centralized platform.

Whether you are a government official, a public sector IT professional, or simply interested in digital government innovations, this online event will provide valuable lessons learned and practical insights that will improve your next service delivery project.

Click on this link to register for the webinar. 

Building a Behavioral Health Continuum of Care: The Role of Rural Leaders and Behavioral Health Directors

(Thursday, August 22, 2024, 1:00pm-2:00pm CST)

Counties play a critical role in supporting community members living with behavioral health conditions or experiencing a behavioral health crisis. To build an effective and robust behavioral health system, counties need strong leadership to promote dialogue in the community and implement programs and policies that benefit all residents.

Click on this link to register for the webinar.

How We Did It: Elevating Short Term Rental Compliance with Yates County, NY

(Thursday, August 22, 2024, 1:00pm-2:00pm CST)

Struggling to recoup revenue from short-term rentals? You’re not alone. Short-term rentals on platforms like Airbnb and Vrbo can generate significant amounts of tourism-related tax revenue. The tricky part? Identifying who owes what and prompting remittance. Join this webinar to learn best practices from Yates County, NY, which was able to collect $185k in back taxes in 6 months. 

Key takeaways:

- How to identify what you’re owed through local and state legislation
- Why rental property addresses and owners are difficult to identify
- Best practices for rolling out a short-term rental compliance program

Click on this link to register for the webinar.

CORPORATE PARTNER SPOTLIGHT

 

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 here to visit their website.

Click here to learn more about our ISACo's relationship with IPRIME.

Click here for information about our corporate partner program.

Become an ISACo Member!