ISACo News and Views Newsletter for October 13, 2020

October 13, 2020

ISACo News and Views

This Illinois State Association of Counties (ISACo) weekly News and Views e-newsletter reports on Governor JB Pritzker's announced principles to reform and modernize Illinois' criminal justice system, provides information about several hearings scheduled in the Illinois Senate to discuss criminal justice reform issues, references upcoming NACo webinar opportunities, spotlights ISACo corporate partner Wight and Company and invites counties to join ISACo.

ISACo 2020 Legislative Session Summary

2020 "Bills Approved by Both Chambers" Report

COVID-19 Resource Center Page

COUNTIES COUNT!

Principles Unveiled to Build a More Equitable Criminal Justice System

Governor Pritzker outlined seven guiding principles to reform and modernize Illinois' criminal justice system.

The Governor prioritized criminal justice reform in his January State of the State Address, but the legislative agenda was sidelined when the General Assembly shortened the spring legislative session as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The seven principles that will guide the discussion and proposal development are as follows:

End the use of the cash bail system and limit pretrial detention to only those who are a threat to public safety.

Modernize sentencing laws on theft and drug offenses and use a public health approach to address mental health and addiction.

Reduce excessive lengths of stay in prison by providing pathways for people to earn opportunities for rehabilitation.

Prioritize rehabilitation and reduce the risk of recidivism by increasing access to housing and healthcare for returning residents.

Increase police accountability and transparency for police officers and police departments.

Update and strengthen statewide standards for use of force by police officers.

Improve interactions with police by decriminalizing minor non-violent offenses, improving police response to crowd control and increasing language and disability access.

ISACo will analyze related legislative proposals and offer input as required.

Additional information is available via this link.

Upcoming Criminal Justice Reform Hearings

The Senate Criminal Law Committee and the Senate Special Committee on Public Safety have scheduled a series of joint virtual hearings to discuss issues related to criminal justice reform:

Tuesday, October 13 at 1 pm to discuss prison reform in the areas of diversion and re-entry programs; prison conditions; prison gerrymandering and mandatory supervised release reform. The hearing information is available via this link.

Tuesday, October 20 at 1 pm to discuss bail reform and police reform, specifically abolishing monetary bail and alternatives to police response/co-responder models. The hearing information is available via this link.

Tuesday, October 27 at 1 pm to discuss police reform in the areas of body cameras, data collection and transparency, issues related to officer-involved shootings; residency requirements; and official misconduct. The hearing information is available via this link.

Thursday, November 5 at 1 pm to discuss the Uniform Peace Officers’ Disciplinary Act, qualified immunity and officer liability. The hearing information is available via this link.

Tuesday, November 10 at 1 pm to discuss police reform in the areas of decertification and licensure. The hearing information is available via this link.

All hearings will be broadcast at www.ilga.gov and witness slips and testimony may be submitted electronically in advance of the hearings.

Upcoming NACo Webinars

The National Association of Counties (NACo) has announced the following upcoming webinars:

Navigating the Needs of Unhoused Populations Amidst COVID-19

(Wednesday, October 14, 2020, from 2pm – 3:00pm CST)

The COVID-19 crisis underscores the need for systemic changes to our social safety net for long-term upward mobility, particularly for vulnerable populations such as unhoused populations. Addressing the public health needs of unhoused populations (to include access to testing and ability/safe place to quarantine, among others) is an integral component of containing the spread of an infectious disease, particularly airborne illnesses without population level herd immunity. Understanding the potential impact of a localized outbreak in unhoused and housing unstable populations further underscores the urgency of addressing access to housing beyond economics, but toward preserving the health of our communities. Join NACo in learning about the intersection of economic security, public health and housing and about how counties can respond in the face of a public health and economic shock.

Registration for this webinar is available via this link.

NACo Tech Xchange: Fall Virtual CIO Forum Series

(Begins Thursday, October 15, 2020, from 10:30am – 2:00pm CST)

The Chief Information Officer (CIO) Forum, normally held during the National Association of Counties (NACo) Legislative and Annual Conferences, is now pivoting to a virtual opportunity for county technology leaders across the country.

Join NACo this fall for a three part CIO Forum Series. Each event focuses on the theme of Innovation. See the agenda for the October 15 event, "Cybersecurity," via this link.

All events will be hosted on the new virtual platform NACo Knowledge Network. If you need access to the platform, please contact Ashley Gallagher (agallagher@naco.org).

Corporate Partner Spotlight

This week's corporate partner spotlight highlights ISACo's partnership with Wight & Company.

For more than 80 years, Wight & Company has helped clients create exceptional, enduring buildings and spaces that enrich people's lives. Wight also specializes in providing professional services for transportation and infrastructure projects for counties, municipalities, state agencies and private landowners.

More information about the services provided by Wight & Company is available via this link.

Click on this link to learn more about the benefits and opportunities available through ISACo's Corporate Partner Program.

The Key to ISACo's Success is YOU!

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.

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.