This week's Illinois State Association of Counties (ISACo) News and Views e-newsletter wishes our readers a safe and enjoyable holiday season, shares new laws going into effect in 2025, recaps the 2024 ISACo Annual Luncheon and shares photos from the event, announces the 2025 Lame Duck and Spring Session dates, highlights the pay transparency law going into effect in 2025, makes county officials and staff aware of the minimum wage increase taking effect next year, reports on the pay stub requirement that all Illinois employers must follow next year, includes a list of grant recipients for local parks across the state, shares what ISACo staff is reading to stay informed, highlights ISACo corporate partner PMA-IPRIME and invites counties to join ISACo.
The ISACo staff wishes you a safe and enjoyable holiday season.
New Laws Taking Effect in 2025
Dozens of new laws will take effect on January 1, 2025. ISACo has compiled a list of our tracked bills that were enacted into law with 2025 effective dates. This report is intended as a resource for county officials and staff to ensure that counties are in compliance with those laws that prescribe new duties or responsibilities. The bills included either effect or are of interest to counties. Click on the image below to view the report.
ISACo Annual Luncheon
On Friday, December 13, county officials and staff attended ISACo's Annual Luncheon. The event was held at the Union League Club of Chicago. Photos from the 2024 ISACo Annual Luncheon are available by clicking on the image below.
ISACo sadly lost our Vice President when Cook County Commissioner Dennis Deer passed away on June 23, 2024. We were privileged to be joined by the Deer family at the Annual Luncheon to honor the memory and legacy of Commissioner Deer by reading and presenting a framed resolution to his family. Pictures of this tribute are available by clicking on the image below.
2025 "Lame Duck" and Spring Session Dates Announced
The General Assembly will convene from January 4-7 for a "lame duck" session. These will be the final days of work for the 103rd General Assembly prior to the seating of the 104th General Assembly. The General Assembly may consider a "skinny" omnibus energy bill during the "lame duck" period.
Additionally, the General Assembly Spring session calendars have been released:
House Calendar
Senate Calendar
A major issue looming over the 2025 spring session is how the General Assembly and Governor will close an estimated $3 billion budget deficit for State Fiscal Year (SFY) 2026.
The General Assembly is also expected to consider amending the Illinois Pension Code to adjust Tier 2 benefit levels toward benefit levels under Tier 1. Two bills filed this month (HB 5909 and SB 3988) would impact several pension statutes, including IMRF. If not considered in early January, we anticipate these bills will be refiled once the 104th General Assembly convenes.
ISACo will provide additional information about these bills and carefully monitor developments going forward.
Pay Transparency Law Takes Effect on January 1
The Illinois Department of Labor (IDOL) is reminding job seekers and employers that, effective January 1, 2025, all job postings made by employers with 15 or more employees must include pay scale and benefits information.
This amendment to the Illinois Equal Pay Act of 2003 (IL EPA) was contained in HB 3129, passed by the
General Assembly and signed into law by Governor JB Pritzker in 2023.
The amendment brings greater transparency to the hiring process by giving prospective employees the
opportunity to learn about what compensation and benefits the employer will offer for an open job position.
Employers will also be required to extend transparency in opportunities by informing current employees about all open job postings so that they might choose to apply.
Additional information is available via this link.
Illinois Minimum Wage Increasing in New Year
The minimum wage in Illinois is increasing on January 1, 2025.
Workers will see an increase of $1 per hour from $14 to $15. The minimum wage for tipped workers will rise to $9 per hour and youth workers (under 18) working fewer than 650 hours per calendar year will see their hourly wage increase to $13 per hour.
Additional information is available via this link.
Pay Stub Requirement Takes Effect January
Starting January 1, 2025, employers in Illinois will be required to provide pay stubs to employees each pay period.
The pay stubs must include information on hours worked, pay rates, overtime pay and deductions from wages.
The press release is available via this link.
More than $55 Million in Grants Awarded to Local Park Projects
On Monday, December 16, 2024, Governor JB Pritzker and the Illinois Department of Natural Resources announced than more than $55.2 million in grant funding was awarded to 100 local park projects throughout Illinois to help communities acquire land and develop recreational opportunities.
The full press release and list of recipients are available via this link.
Join ISACo's Policy Committees
ISACo policy committees shape the Association's legislative advocacy efforts. Meetings are held virtually, and committees meet four times per year unless committee members desire to meet more frequently. Service on an ISACo Policy Committee is contingent upon the county being a member of ISACo or the applicant being a member of an affiliated association.
Policy Committee opportunities are as follows. Committees with links are already meeting, although there are openings on all policy committees.
Please click on the image below, complete the form and e-mail it to Legislative Advocacy and Research Manager Nekya Hall at nhall@isacoil.org.
What We're Reading
Workers Prepare for Illinois Minimum Wage Increase in the New Year (WAND)
Illinois Supreme Court Announces Creation of Data Task Force (Illinois Courts)
NACo Legislative Conference
The NACo Legislative Conference brings together nearly 2,000 elected and appointed county officials to focus on federal policy issues that impact counties and our residents.
This year, the conference will take place from March 1, 2025, to March 4, 2025, in Washington, D.C.
Attendees have the opportunity to engage in second-to-none policy sessions, interact with officials of the new Administration and meet with members of Congress.
This is a one-of-a-kind advocacy opportunity to strengthen our intergovernmental partnerships for years to come.
Click on this link to register for the conference.
CORPORATE PARTNER SPOTLIGHT
This week's corporate partner spotlight highlights ISACo's partnership with Illinois Public Reserves Investment Management Trust™ (IPRIME™), 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.
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 Communication Manager Tiffani Homer at (217) 679-3368 or thomer@isacoil.org. ISACo member counties are listed here. Thank you for your consideration.