This week's Illinois State Association of Counties (ISACo) News and Views e-newsletter reminds county officials about key upcoming legislative deadlines, reports on ISACo's continued advocacy for a partial restoration of Local Government Distributive Fund (LGDF) revenue for counties, informs about a supplemental appropriation bill, provides an update about bills advancing and amendments filed last week, makes county leaders aware of an important National Association of Counties (NACo) update to their analysis of the Treasury Final Rule concerning American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds, includes information about a legislative initiative concerning drug takebacks, reports on the Pritzker Administration's announcement of the State of Illinois' Overdose Action Plan as well as a new Cyber Security Commission, conveys a grant funding opportunity for paratransit, includes information about a House resolution urging state and local governments to divest from retirement fund investments involving Russia, shares upcoming NACo webinar opportunities, highlights corporate partner Mahoney, Silverman & Cross, LLC and invites counties to join ISACo.
Two Weeks Remain for Spring Legislative Session
The General Assembly is scheduled to adjourn for the spring on April 8, 2022. Key remaining deadlines are as follows:
- April 1 - Third Reading deadline for bills in opposite chamber
- April 8 - Adjournment
ISACo Continues Advocacy for LGDF Increase
ISACo continues to work with our strategic partners in municipal government to support a partial restoration of funding through the Local Government Distributive Fund (LGDF). LGDF is the local share of the state income tax distributed to counties and municipalities on a per capita basis. ISACo's Policy Brief about LGDF is available via this link.
ISACo is presently focusing our advocacy on pushing House members to pass HB 4169 (Rep. DeLuca, D-Chicago Heights). Representative DeLuca is committed to advancing the legislation, which would increase the percentage share of LGDF revenue distributed to local governments from 6.06% to 8%. This represents a partial restoration of the full 10% share received by counties and municipalities at the beginning of 2011.
State legislators will soon be developing the State Fiscal Year (SFY) 2023 budget and its accompanying budget implementation (BIMP) bill. ISACo and our municipal government coalition partners want an increase in LGDF to be part of those discussions.
The General Assembly is considering multiple new programs and tax relief measures to support individual taxpayers across the state. The state is also projecting increased revenues from multiple sources. Now is the time to call on those same legislators to also increase funding to local governments.
ISACo is asking county officials to contact their State Representative (this bill is only in the House, not the Senate) and ask them to do the following:
- Actively support HB 4169 and an increase to LGDF from 6.06% to 8%
- Sign-on as a co-sponsor of HB 4169
- Agree to stand firm with other legislators and not vote for a SFY 2023 budget unless it includes an increase to LGDF as proposed in HB 4169
By acting together as one voice with our municipal coalition partners, now is the time to regain local government funding that has been taken away in previous state budgets. Generating hundreds and possibly thousands of phone calls to State Representatives will make our message known in all corners of the state – the General Assembly must increase LGDF and stop balancing state budgets on the backs of local governments. Together, we can achieve success toward this critical goal.
State Fiscal Year (SFY) 2022 Supplemental Appropriation Bill
The Governor signed legislation into law (P.A. 102-0696) that allocates $2.7 billion of the state's American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds to partially address the shortfall in the Unemployment Insurance Trust Fund that accumulated during the pandemic. This would leave the state with $800 million remaining in ARPA funds.
The bill also includes General Revenue Fund appropriations to fully fund College Illinois ($230 million), reduce the Group Insurance Trust Fund debt ($898 million) and make an extra pension payment beyond what is required by statute ($300 million).
Legislation Approved by both Chambers Last Week
The following ISACo-tracked bills were approved by both chambers as of last week. The General Assembly has 30 days to transmit General Assembly-approved bills to the Governor. Please contact us at info@isacoil.org if your county would like to offer input on any ISACo-tracked bills.
SB 1016 - Water Commission - Appointments (Support)
SB 1633 - Nursing Homes - Resident Rights (No Position)
Legislation Approved by Committees Last Week
The following ISACo-tracked bills passed out of House and Senate Committees during the week of March 21-25. Bills approved by committees are next considered by the full chamber. Please contact us at info@isacoil.org if your county would like to offer input on any ISACo-tracked bills.
House Bills
HB 4362 - IDOR - Publication (Support)
HB 4489 - GATA - Applicability (Support)
HB 4674 - Nursing Homes - Inspections (No Position)
HB 5018 - Cook County Housing Trust Fund (Support)
HB 5041 - Juvenile Court - Detention Center Hiring (No Position)
Senate Bills
SB 1794 - Local Government - Utilities (No Position)
SB 3097 Property Tax - Notice of Redemption (No Position)
Amendments Filed Last Week
Several amendments were filed during the week of March 21-25 that would impact or otherwise be of interest to counties. A list of these amendments with summaries and ISACo positions is available via this link. ISACo will continue to review introduced amendments and take positions as necessary. Please contact us at info@isacoil.org if your county has a question or would like to offer input regarding an ISACo position on a bill or amendment. Your comments and questions are always welcome.
NACo Updates Analysis of Treasury Final Rule for ARPA Funds
Our federal partners at the National Association of Counties (NACo) completed a major update of their analysis of Treasury’s Final Rule for ARPA. The updated analysis includes but is not limited to the following: (1) clarifying information on eligible/ineligible uses we have received from Treasury, including capital expenditures; (2) a deeper dive on the provisions around revenue loss allocations; (3) the Treatment of loans; and (4) reporting requirements and background information on federal Uniform Guidance/2 CFR Part 200. Additional information and the NACo analysis are available via this link.
Drug Takeback Legislation Advances
The Senate Executive Committee approved HB 1780 that would create the Illinois Drug Takeback Act which establishes a statewide drug takeback program funded by pharmaceutical companies. The bill includes provisions for collection sites and consumer education and grandfathers in existing collection sites. The bill is a result of negotiations between stakeholders and is designed to prevent drug abuse and protect the environment and drinking water. Generic manufacturers remain opposed as drafted. HB 1780 is now pending before the full Senate.
Illinois Overdose Action Plan
On March 21, 2022, Governor JB Pritzker announced the 2022 State of Illinois Overdose Action Plan, a comprehensive, equity-centric outline for combating the opioid epidemic. The creation and implementation of the SOAP plan follows Governor Pritzker’s Executive Order 2020-02 utilizing a social equity framework and multi-agency collaborative model to change how Illinois deals with overdoses. This plan prioritizes outreach to and engagement with individuals who are at risk for both fatal and non-fatal overdose due to multiple drugs such as synthetic opioids, heroin, cocaine, methamphetamine and other substances. Additional information is available via this link.
Cyber Security Commission
On March 25, 2022, Governor JB Pritzker established the Illinois Cyber Security Commission to support a robust coordination effort across all levels of government to build and enhance cyber security. The Commission will work to protect valuable information by identifying and disrupting cyber-attacks, developing cross sector and community training and exercises for critical infrastructure partners, and establishing regional critical infrastructure cyber response teams. Additional information is available via this link.
Paratransit Grants
On March 22, 2022, the Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) announced it is accepting applications through May 1, 2022, for grants to provide public transportation providers with paratransit vehicles. Local governments and nonprofit agencies providing specialized transportation to seniors or individuals with disabilities are encouraged to apply. Additional information is available via this link.
Pension Divestment Resolution
The House Executive Committee unanimously approved HR 711 to urge the review and divestment of all funds invested by any State or local unit of government, including but not limited to investments made by the State Board of Investments and any state or local retirement funds that are directly or indirectly related to Russia. The resolution is now pending before the full House.
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.
Leveraging County Systems to Support Infant and Toddler Mental Health and Well-Being
(Monday, March 28, 2022, 12:00pm-1:00pm CST)
Children’s earliest experiences impact their brain development and social and emotional skills, setting the foundation for all future development. Counties can reduce risk factors for infants, toddlers and parents by supporting positive environments and relationships, offering targeted interventions and connecting children and families to treatment as needed. Join us to learn more about promoting social and emotional well-being for infants and toddlers through existing county systems and services.
Click on this link to register for this event.
AI Technology for Next-Gen Community Engagement
(Tuesday, March 29, 2022, 12:00pm-1:00pm CST)
How can you make sure your county is hearing from all corners of the community and providing easier access for real engagement? How can you become more data-driven in your decision-making and what tools are available to help you do that? Join Rachel, Michael and Tim from Zencity for a discussion about technology, data and community, and how they are tied together to deliver impact. In this session, we will explore how Zencity is “disrupting” the community engagement industry for local government, from its social listening platform to ad hoc polls, engagement mechanism and full-on community surveys.
The team will share how several counties are using ZenCity’s AI technology tools for performance management of policies and initiatives and how resident feedback and sentiment analysis is improving communications with council and elected officials beyond the loud minority. Finally, we will exhibit how having your hand on your community’s pulse can help shape and strengthen the brand of your county and inform your county’s strategy for the years to come.
Click on this link to register for this event.
Connecting Residents Through the Affordable Connectivity Program
(Tuesday, March 29, 2022, 3:00-4:00pm CST)
High-speed internet connectivity serves as a crucial component for households to participate in everyday life. Hear from senior leadership at the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) on how the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP) is helping to connect millions of households and learn how you can expand the program's reach in your county.
Click on this link to register for this event.
Jail Reentry for People with Substance Use Disorders Part 3: Sharing and Using Data
(Wednesday, March 30, 2022, 1:00pm-2:00pm CST)
Counties are finding innovative ways to use and share data to support reentry and engagement in treatment as well as identify people at risk of overdose. Reentry from jail is a pivotal point in the justice process for individuals returning to the community who have substance use disorders (SUD); this is especially true in times of instability like the current COVID-19 pandemic. A key component of ensuring that individuals get the treatment and services they need is sharing information and collecting data on individuals being served.
Join NACo for part three in a series on supporting people with a substance abuse disorder leaving jail. Presenters will discuss strategies counties can implement to use and share data for making strategic policy decisions and enhancing coordination of treatment and services to support recovery and improve individual outcomes.
This project was supported by Grant No. 2017-AR-BX-K003 awarded to the Institute for Intergovernmental Research (IIR) by the Bureau of Justice Assistance. The Bureau of Justice Assistance is a component of the Department of Justice’s Office of Justice Programs, which also includes the Bureau of Justice Statistics, the National Institute of Justice, the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, the Office for Victims of Crime, and the SMART Office. Points of view or opinions in this document are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the official position or policies of IIR or of the U.S Department of Justice.
Click on this link to register for this event.
Corporate Partner Spotlight
This week's corporate partner spotlight highlights ISACo's partnership with Mahoney, Silverman & Cross, LLC.
The Law Firm of Mahoney, Silverman and Cross, LLC strives to provide superior legal representation with the objective of exceeding their clients’ expectations. Each member of the firm is committed to utilizing critical analysis and innovative approaches to achieve timely resolutions with the best possible results for their clients.
More information about the services provided by Mahoney, Silverman & Cross, LLC is available via this link.
Click on this link to learn more about the benefits and opportunities available through ISACo's Corporate Partner Program.
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 Executive Director Joe McCoy at (217) 679-3368 or jmccoy@isacoil.org. ISACo member counties are listed here. Thank you for your consideration.