The first half of the Veto Session has concluded. The second half is scheduled for November 12-14.
This Illinois State Association of Counties (ISACo) weekly
News and Views
e-newsletter provides an update on the first half of the 2019 Veto Session, makes readers aware of a professional development scholarship opportunity for county officials, provides information about a public comment period concerning a federal Opportunity Zone grant certification form, highlights a NACo
County News
feature article about DuPage County Board Member Jim Healy, announces a new ISACo corporate partner, includes information about registration for the National Association of Counties (NACo) 2020 Legislative Conference, asks county officials to follow ISACo on social media and invites counties to join ISACo.
2019 Spring Session Resources
ISACo's summary of the major legislative issues addressed during the 2019 Spring legislative session is
available via this link.
COUNTIES COUNT!
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Veto Session Update
The first half of the Veto Session has concluded and the following issues affect or are of interest to counties:
Business Enterprise Program Mandate Removed
Senate Bill 177 (Representative Davis, D-East Hazel Crest) initially included a mandate requiring local governments receiving more than $1 million in Motor Fuel Tax (MFT) revenue to establish a business enterprise program as a condition to receive the MFT dollars. The bill was amended in the House during the Veto Session to remove this provision.
The amendment (
available via this link
) replaced the underlying mandate with technical language that does not affect local governments.
ISACo had opposed the underlying mandate because some areas of the state would have found compliance exceedingly difficult.
Senate Bill 177 as amended remains in the House and will eventually receive an amendment pertaining to another issue.
Bill Approved by Both Chambers
Senate Bill 1881 (
available via this link
) would create the Local Government Revenue Recapture Act. The bill provides that a municipality or county that receives a disbursement of tax proceeds from the Illinois Department of Revenue (IDOR) may contract with a third party for the purpose of ensuring that the municipality or county receives the amount to which it is entitled. The bill was sponsored by Senator Hastings (D-Tinely Park) and Representative Zalewski (D-Riverside) and will next be considered by the Governor.
Bills Approved by the House
The House passed the following bills that still require Senate approval:
House Bill 392
(Representative Mason, D-Gurnee -
available via this link
) requires the Lake County Board to reestablish the Children's Advocacy Center Pilot Program. The bill will be sponsored in the Senate by Senator Morrison (D-Deerfield).
House Bill 597
(Representative Ramirez, D-Chicago -
available via this link
) would amend the Equitable Restrooms Act to provide that whether a restaurant meets occupancy criteria is to be determined by the local fire department, fire protection district, building permitting entity, or building inspector instead of the State Fire Marshal. The bill will be sponsored in the Senate by Senator Villivalam (D-Chicago).
House Bill 961
(Representative Crespo, D-Hoffman Estates -
available via this link
) changes the application rules for the senior citizens homestead exemption in Cook County by eliminating the need for a taxpayer to reapply from 2019 through 2o23. The bill will be sponsored in the Senate by Senator Ellman (D-Naperville).
House Bill 3888
(Representative Mayfield, D-Waukegan -
available via this link
) would ban the use of ethylene oxide in Illinois by 2022. Ethylene oxide is used in medical equipment sterilization and has been linked to instances of cancer.
Senate Bill 115
(Representative Rita, D-Blue Island -
available via this link
) would provide that hospital transformation payments to a hospital in Cook County shall not be reduced or altered during State Fiscal Years (SFY) 2021 and 2022. The payments would be used for converting the facility to a freestanding emergency center. The bill will be sponsored in the Senate by Senator Manar (D-Bunker Hill).
Senate Bill 1698
(Representative Willis, D-Addison -
available via this link
) concerns the reduction of an elected official's compensation when the elected official is also receiving pension benefits from the Illinois Municipal Retirement Fund (IMRF). The bill would make the reduction non-applicable to a unit of local government that has adopted an ordinance or resolution effective prior to January 1, 2019 that: (i) reduces the compensation of an official of the unit of local government who is receiving specified pension benefits from the Illinois Municipal Retirement Fund; and (ii) changes the official's position to part-time. The bill will be sponsored in the Senate by Senator Martinez (D-Chicago).
Senate Bill 1784
(Representative Hoffman, D-Belleville -
available via this link
) would provide that an employer is required to furnish the exclusive bargaining representative with a complete list of the names and addresses of the public employees in the bargaining unit at least once each month. The bill also provides that the employer shall not discourage employees or applicants from becoming or remaining union members or authorizing dues deductions and shall not otherwise interfere with the relationship between employees and their exclusive bargaining representative. Includes other provisions. The bill will be sponsored in the Senate by Senator Harmon (D-Oak Park).
Bills Approved by the Senate
The Senate passed the following bills that still require House approval:
Senate Bill 667
(Senator Manar, D-Bunker Hill -
available via this link
) would provide that insurers offering prescription insulin drugs must limit the total cost to $100 per 30-day supply of insulin regardless of the type and amount of insulin needed by the insured. The bill will be sponsored in the House by Representative Guzzardi (D-Chicago).
Senate Bill 1864
(Senator Link, D-Gurnee -
available via this link
) would include e-cigarettes and alternative nicotine products within the Smoke Free Illinois Act to prohibit vaping in a public place.
The bill will be sponsored in the House by Representative Williams (D-Chicago).
The Veto Session is scheduled to resume November 12-14.
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Professional Development Scholarships Available for County Officials
The National Association of Counties (NACo) High-Performance Leadership Academy is a 12-week online program with content provided by industry leading executives. The curriculum provides best practices in leadership, organizational development and change management, negotiation and collaboration, effective business communication and how to deliver increased value from high performance county management.
There is a $1,500 First Participant Scholarship available for the first person from each county to apply toward their enrollment. The program retails at $1,995 so the cost for the first county enrollee would be $495. In addition, there are $300 subsequent scholarships available for counties that have already used their $1,500 scholarship, so enrollment is $1,695 for anyone after the first participant.
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HUD Opens Public Comment Period for Opportunity Zone Grant Certification Form
The following update is provided by NACo:
On October 10, 2019, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) released a
Notice of Proposed Information Collection
on a new Opportunity Zone Grant Certification Form. The form (
available via this link
) would collect data from designated Opportunity Zones to be used toward preference points in federal grants and technical assistance applications to HUD programs.
Under a December 2018
Executive Order
establishing the White House Opportunity and Revitalization Council, HUD added preference points to several of its
grant programs
to give priority consideration to applications proposing investments in Opportunity Zones. Preference points are items that can increase a grant applicant's likelihood to be selected, such as a high rate of unemployment or homelessness.
Established under the 2017
Tax Cuts and Jobs Act
(
P.L. 115-97
), Opportunity Zones encourage private investment in new businesses, property development and infrastructure in distressed communities via tax incentives. Many counties
contain areas
that qualify for opportunity zone status and are eligible for targeted investment.
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ISACo Vice President Jim Healy Featured in NACo
County News
The NACo
County News
features a story about the long-time participation in NACo by DuPage County Board Member Jim Healy. Board Member Healy currently serves as ISACo's Vice President and is a founding member of our association.
The story discusses Board Member Healy's ongoing goal of collecting lapel pins from counties across the country. The article is
available via this link
. Please send Board Member Healy a lapel pin from your county to add to his growing collection! The address where the pins can be sent is available in the article.
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Corporate Partner Spotlight
This week's
News and Views
e-newsletter highlights ISACo's partnership with AT&T.
AT&T Inc. is a modern media company whose mission is to inspire human progress through the power of communication and entertainment.
The company brings together premium video content, a large base of direct-to-consumer relationships, high-speed networks optimized for video and advertising technology to lead the next revolution in technology, media and telecommunications.
AT&T has recorded 35 consecutive years of quarterly dividend growth and is a Fortune 10 company.
Click on this link
to learn more about the benefits and opportunities available through ISACo's Corporate Partner Program.
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Registration Open for 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 their residents. Attendees have the opportunity to engage in second-to-none policy sessions, interact with federal officials and participate in congressional briefings and meetings. This is a one-of-a-kind advocacy opportunity you will not want to miss.
ISACo is planning an event for Illinois attendees. Registrants from Illinois will receive information about this event at a later date.
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Follow ISACo on Social Media
A great way to stay current on issues affecting or of interest to counties is by following ISACo on social media. Please follow our Facebook page and Twitter feed and join the conversation!
@Isacoil
@IsacoTweets
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The Key to ISACo's Success is YOU!
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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. Thank you for your consideration.
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News and Views
is a service provided by ISACo for county officials and staff. Please feel welcome to share with interested parties. You can contact ISACo Executive Director Joe McCoy at jmccoy@isacoil.org or (217) 679-3368 if we can be of service. Thank you for your support of ISACo.
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