This week's Illinois State Association of Counties (ISACo) News and Views e-newsletter includes an update on actions taken by the Governor last week on legislation of interest to counties, reports on a federal Census Bureau survey showing Illinois gained population during the previous decade, shares information about equitable workforce recovery and family planning clinic funding, provides a link for county officials and staff to register for the National Association of Counties (NACo) Annual Conference being held from July 21-24 in Colorado, announces an upcoming NACo webinar opportunity, spotlights ISACo corporate partner Mahoney, Silverman & Cross, LLC and invites counties to join ISACo.
Governor Bill Actions
The General Assembly has 30 days to transmit a bill approved by both chambers to the Governor. The Governor has 60 days from that point to review and act on the legislation. The following ISACo tracked bills were signed into law by the Governor last week:
SB 1435 - Hospital Licensure for Multiple Locations (P.A. 102-0887) (No Position)
SB 3017 - Loan Repayment Assistance for Physicians (P.A. 102-0888) (No Position)
The two bills above are intended to assist rural communities.
SB 829 - Vote by Mail System (P.A. 102-0819) (No Position)
SB 1975 - Property Tax Relief (P.A. 102-####) (No Position)
SB 3146 - One Day Rest in Seven Act - Penalties (P.A. 102-0828) (No Position)
SB 3215 - Mental Health Levy Validation (P.A. 102-0839) (No Position)
SB 3633 - Local Government Demolition Documentation (P.A. 102-0847) (No Position)
SB 3651 - IMRF Contributions (P.A. 102-0849) (No Position)
SB 3652 - IMRF Early Retirement (P.A. 102-0850) (No Position)
SB 3785 - IMRF to Article 3 Transfers (P.A. 102-0857) (No Position)
SB 3838 - Farmer's Market Retail Permit (P.A. 102-0862) (No Position)
SB 3932 - Missing Person's ID Act - FBI (P.A. 102-0869) (No Position)
HB 1950 - Hospital Assessment Program (P.A. 102-0886) (No Position)
HB 4362 - IDOR Publication Requirements (P.A. 102-0769) (Support)
HB 4366 - Guardian Training Program Applicable in Cook County (P.A. 102-0770) (No Position)
HB 4369 - Lead Poisoning Prevention (P.A. 102-0771) (No Position)
HB 4383 - Ghost Gun Ban (P.A. 102-0889) (No Position)
HB 4667 - Law Enforcement Officers Qualified Under Federal Law Enforcement Safety Act (P.A. 102-0779) (No Position)
HB 5018 - Cook County Housing Trust Fund (P.A. 102-0793) (No Position)
HB 5532 - Property Tax - Land Bank Exemption (P.A. 102-0815) (Support)
ISACo's "Bills of Interest to Counties Approved by Both Chambers in 2022" report is available via this link. County officials and staff are urged to review this report.
Survey Result Shows Illinois Population Grew Over Last 10 Years
The federal Census Bureau released updated census numbers revealing an undercount of Illinois’ population by 1.97% in the 2020 Census. The undercount was discovered in a follow-up survey the Bureau conducted to measure the national tally’s accuracy. The net effect of the undercount means Illinois’ population actually grew by approximately 250,000 rather than declined by 18,000.
Illinois' congressional representation was unlikely to have been affected by the undercount. Revising the population count upward with the improved data will assist Illinois in securing additional federal funds allocated based upon population. ISACo will work to ensure that payments of state funds distributed on a per capita basis reflect the population adjustments.
Additional information is available via this link courtesy of the Chicago Sun-Times.
A statement from Governor Pritzker about the state's population increase is available via this link.
Equitable Workforce Recovery Funding
On Wednesday, May 18, 2022, Governor JB Pritzker joined the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO), local officials and workforce partners to announce $20 million in investments for workforce training and wrap-around services that will bolster equitable workforce recovery for those struggling to gain meaningful employment. Through the Job Training and Economic Development Program (JTED) grants, 44 community-based organizations will serve more than 2,500 individuals, with a special training focus on industries hardest-hit by the pandemic. JTED is part of Illinois’ workforce recovery efforts funded through the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA).
Additional information is available via this link.
Family Planning Clinic Funding
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) granted the State of Illinois $5.4 million to support and expand access to family planning services for low-income populations across Illinois. This federal grant, coupled with $5.8 million in state funding, equates to $11.2 million which will be allocated to 29 delegate agencies that operate 98 family planning clinics throughout the state. The new HHS grant to the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) will support access to the array of Title X health services under the Illinois Family Planning Program.
Nearly 100 family planning clinics throughout Illinois will receive $11.2 million in funding that will span seven fiscal years, beginning July 1, 2022. The funding is a combination of monies from both the federal ($5.4 million) and Illinois ($5.8 million) governments. The funding to IDPH will help support and expand Title X services in Illinois.
Additional information is available via this link.
Registration for NACo Annual Conference
The 2022 National Association of Counties (NACo) Annual Conference will be held in Adams County. Colorado from July 21-24. Participants from counties of all sizes come together to shape NACo's federal policy agenda, share proven practices and strengthen knowledge networks to help improve residents’ lives and the efficiency of county government. ISACo and the United Counties Council of Illinois (UCCI) will co-host a dinner for Illinois attendees. Information about this event will be forthcoming. Registration and information about housing is 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.
The Opioid Crisis: Using the Latest Medical Innovations to Help Counties Respond to a Complex and Evolving Public Health Emergency
(Monday, May 23, 2022, 1:00-2:00pm CDT)
County leaders are working diligently to address the opioid crisis by increasing access to treatment, preventing overdose deaths and supporting those in recovery. The opioid misuse and use disorder affects millions of families across the United States and has been exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. As county governments address the ongoing crisis, leaders recognize the need to leverage all possible tools and resources available to assist with local response activities. Learn how Masimo, a medical device company trusted by hospitals and clinicians around the world and county leaders are responding to the opioid crisis and how your county can use new technologies to support residents in recovery.
Click on this link to register for this event.
County Two-Generation Strategies for Family Wellbeing
(Wednesday, June 1, 2022, 1:30-2:45pm CDT)
Four years ago, NACo convened county leaders to discuss two-generation (2Gen) approaches to service delivery and poverty reduction, placing families at the center of program design and purposefully connecting services to work together seamlessly to help parents and children achieve success together. In the intervening years, counties have made strides in developing, funding and implementing 2Gen strategies in human services and education. During this roundtable discussion, national experts, county leaders and individuals with lived experience will discuss the progress they have made, what they need for further success and how their peers can replicate these efforts.
Click on this link to register for this event.
CORPORATE SPONSOR 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.