This week's Illinois State Association of Counties (ISACo) News and Views e-newsletter offers a reminder that this is the last scheduled week of the spring legislative session, calls for a final push to achieve a partial restoration of Local Government Distributive Fund (LGDF) revenue, announces the extension of the state's disaster declaration for an additional month, makes county officials aware of legislation filed to provide inflation relief and to address rising crime, provides an update on bills and amendments of relevance to counties that were advanced or filed last week, shares an upcoming National Association of Counties (NACo) webinar opportunity, spotlights ISACo corporate partner UnitedHealthCare and invites counties to join ISACo.

General Assembly Begins Final Week of Session

The General Assembly is expected to approve a State Fiscal Year (SFY) 2023 budget while considering dozens of other bills this week ahead of its scheduled April 8 adjournment. ISACo will continue to monitor developments and advocate for counties right up until the gavel drops on the spring legislative session.

Following adjournment, ISACo staff will publish an end-of-session summary, our annual report listing bills approved by both chambers that are of interest to counties and other supplemental materials. 

Last Push for Partial Restoration of LGDF Revenue!

ISACo will always seek to champion the interests of Illinois counties by participating in strategic coalitions with municipal associations on issues of mutual interest and agreement.

This spring, ISACo has partnered with several municipal organizations in support of a restoration of additional revenue for counties and municipalities through the Local Government Distributive Fund (LGDF). You may have read about this partnership in our weekly News and Views e-newsletters and reviewed ISACo's Policy Brief about LGDF that is available via this link.

With the April 8 adjournment deadline rapidly approaching, the time has come for a final push to communicate with legislators that now is the time to partially restore the Local Government Distributive Fund (LGDF) to a minimum of 8 percent of total state income tax collections.   

With 81 total sponsors on HB 4169, ISACo and our municipal partners have sent a clear message to legislators on the critical need for these promised funds to be partially restored. 

We ask you call your legislators. If time is in short supply, please focus on your House and Senate Democrats. A well-timed call to reiterate the importance of partially restoring LGDF revenue as a means of addressing the previous wrong that occurred when this revenue source was reduced to provide additional revenue to the State. Please ask your legislators to remember LGDF when presented with a budget this year and request that they let their leaders know of their support and expectation of restoration to at least 8 percent of total collections.

One final ask – please let us know what you hear from each of your legislators. ISACo staff will be strategizing with our municipal partners until the final vote is taken. This feedback is critical. Please direct feedback and questions to jmccoy@isacoil.org. 

This letter from the Coalition in support of the partial restoration of LGDF revenue to local governments recently appeared in various newspapers across the State. 

Disaster Declaration Extended

On April 1, 2022, Governor JB Pritzker signed a new Gubernatorial Disaster Proclamation that extends the state's disaster declaration through April 30, 2022.

The Governor also issued Executive Order (EO) 2022-10. This EO re-issues several previous EOs. 

Per P.A. 101-0640 (available via this link), remote meetings remain a permissible option for local governments as long as certain criteria are met. Additional information about this authority is available via this link. 

Senate Democrats Unveil Inflation Relief Plan

On April 1, 2022, Illinois Senate Democrats released a $1.8 billion tax relief plan intended to partially counter rising inflation. The plan is filed as a series of amendments to SB 1150. ISACo is reviewing the amendments to determine the impact on local revenues. Additional information about the provisions within the plan is available via this link.

Legislation Introduced to Address Rising Crime

A group of House and Senate Democrats announced a legislative package intended to address the increase in crime through “expanding efforts to tackle crime through community involvement and investment.” Additional information about these bills and amendments is available via this link.

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.

House Bills

HB 4362 - IDOR - Publication (Support) 

HB 4369 - Lead Poisoning Prevention (No Position)

HB 4785 - Cook County Forest Preserve - Levy (Support

HB 5018 - Cook County Housing Trust Fund (Support)

Senate Bills

SB 3187 - Counties Code - Recorder Stamp (Support)

SB 3633 - Local Government Demolition Documentation (No Position)

SB 3651 - IMRF - Contributions (No Position)

SB 3652 - IMRF - Early Retirement (No Position)

SB 3789 - Decennial Committees on Local Government Efficiency Act (No Position)

SB 3838 - Farmers' Market Retail Permit (No Position)

SB 3895 - Property Tax - Reduced Assessed Value (No Position)

SB 3939 - Cybersecurity - Information Tech (Support)

Amendments Filed Last Week 

Several amendments were filed from March 28-April 3 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. It is critical that county officials and staff review the amendments listed and communicate with ISACo staff about possible impacts. 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 has announced the following upcoming webinar opportunity. ISACo is a proud partner with NACo and encourages counties to participate in NACo membership and activities.

Somewhere to Go During a Behavioral Health Emergency: Crisis Triage Centers and Behavioral Health Clinics

(Monday, April 4, 2022, 2:00-3:00pm CST)

Counties are partnering with health care providers to establish crisis triage centers that offer in-person treatment and services to people experiencing a behavioral health emergency. These centers may offer short-term treatment, group and individual therapy, medical assessment, peer respite, medication administration and rehabilitation services, among other ongoing support options. In many counties, crisis triage centers are federally-funded Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinics (CCBHCs) that provide integrated and evidence-based services to residents. This webinar will provide an overview of crisis triage centers, offer examples from counties across the country and discuss the role of several key stakeholders. Participants will also have time to engage in discussion groups led by elected officials, behavioral health practitioners and criminal legal system stakeholders.

Click on this link to register for this event.

Corporate Partner Spotlight

 

UnitedHealthcare Medicare and Retirement, an operating unit of UnitedHealth Group, is dedicated to providing innovative health and well-being solutions that help Medicare beneficiaries live healthier and more secure lives.

With 12 million members enrolled in individual plans and nearly 1.5 million in employer-sponsored group plans (Retiree Solutions), UnitedHealthcare Medicare & Retirement is the largest business dedicated to the health and well-being needs of seniors and other Medicare beneficiaries. UnitedHealthcare Medicare & Retirement manages a full array of products and services including Medicare Advantage plans, Medicare supplement plans, Medicare Part D prescription drug plans, employer retiree health services and programs designed to support chronic condition management and care coordination. Many of our products carry the AARP name.

Our products, services, and programs are designed to meet the individual needs of our members as well as their families, physicians, and communities.

The portfolio of UnitedHealthcare Medicare & Retirement products includes:

Medicare Advantage Plans

UnitedHealthcare Medicare & Retirement is the nation’s largest Medicare Advantage insurance plan, serving more than 4.9 million members through a variety of plans and services.

Medicare Part D Plans

UnitedHealthcare Medicare & Retirement is the nation’s largest Medicare Part D prescription drug insurer, serving more than 9 million members throughout the United States and its territories. Our Medicare Part D plans cover thousands of brand-name and generic prescription drugs that are most commonly used by people on Medicare, delivering savings, stability and peace of mind to our customers.

AARP Medicare Supplement

UnitedHealthcare Medicare & Retirement operates the nation’s largest Medicare supplement business, serving more than 4.5 million members. Medicare supplement insurance plans are sold by private insurance companies to fill gaps in Medicare Parts A and B coverage. There are multiple plans available, giving members the ability to choose a plan which best fits their needs and the freedom to go to any doctor or hospital that participates in Medicare. Generally, with a Medicare supplement plan, there are limited out-of-pocket costs, so members have more predictable health care expenses.

Retiree Solutions

UnitedHealthcare Medicare & Retirement leverages cost-effective health care delivery systems and superior networks to provide optimal health outcomes and cost savings for employers and their retirees. Group plans include Medicare Advantage, Medicare supplement and Medicare Part D. We also offer a Connector Model solution for employers looking to transition their members from traditional group-sponsored plans to individual retiree products.

Additional information about the UnitedHealthcare Group Medicare Advantage (MA) PPO health insurance plan is available here.

Become an ISACo Member!