NACo

National Association of Counties

County News

#NACoLeg: County News at the 2019 NACo Legislative Conference

Mar. 5, 2019

Tags: About NACo

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March 5— Although formal conference programming ends today, the schedule is packed with Cabinet-level speakers, key senators and business leaders at the general session; a photo opp on the Capitol steps for all conference attendees; a news conference on PILT and SRS funding at the Capitol; and three briefings on critical county issues for congressional members and staff by NACo’s advocacy teams.

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Spotlight

Community & Economic Development

HUD Secretary Ben Carson speaks with NACo Second VP Gary Moore during the general session of the NACo Legislative Conference in Washington, D.C., Tuesday March 5. Photo by Denny Henry.

County News

HUD secretary: Opportunity Zones can lift distressed areas out of poverty

Taking advantage of Opportunity Zones and streamlining regulations are two ways that county officials can help create more affordable housing in their communities, HUD Secretary Ben Carson told county officials Tuesday morning at NACo’s 2019 Legislative Conference.
Labor & Employment

U.S. Secretary of Labor Alexander Acosta takes the stage at Monday's general session. Photo by Denny Henry.

County News

Trump administration to push for ‘a million apprenticeships’

President Donald Trump, who popularized apprenticeships in his TV show, “The Apprentice,” is pushing to make apprenticeships an even bigger part of the American workplace, Labor Sec. Alexander Acosta told the Opening General Session audience Monday morning.
Intergovernmental Affairs

Sen. Jodi Ernst (R-Iowa), former Montgomery County auditor, addresses conference attendees at Monday's general session. Photo by Denny Henry.

County News

Ernst stresses county roots in Senate service

Sen. Joni Ernst (R-Iowa) to the Opening General Session audience that has not forgotten her county roots as the Montgomery County, Iowa auditor, a role she held 2005-2011.
Justice & Public Safety

Jonathan Thompson, CEO and executive director, National Sheriff's Association, speaks during the general session at the Legislative Conference on Monday March 4. Photo by Denny Henry.

County News

Sheriffs’ association teams with NACo on Medicaid inmate exclusion policy

A NACo-National Sheriffs Association Task Force will tackle Medicaid exclusion.
Agriculture

Federal cannabis lobbyist Saphira Galoob, CEO of the Liaison Group, addresses the Cannabis Roundtable March 3. Photo by Leon Lawrence III.

County News

Federal legislation moving on cannabis

Lobbyist Saphira Galoob updated a packed room on federal cannabis legislation trends.
Urban Counties

At NACo's Large Urban County Caucus meeting, Sunday, Orange County, Calif. Supervisor Andrew Do emphasizes the importance of collaboration in addressing the issue of homelessness. Photo by Denny Henry.

County News

Urban counties eye strategies to ease homelessness

Members of NACo’s Large Urban County Caucus (LUCC) discussed ways they can conquer homelessness at their meeting at NACo’s Legislative Conference.
Community & Economic Development

Marek Gootman (r), fellow and director of Strategic Partnerships and Global Initiatives at the Brookings Institution, urges counties to form strategic partnerships with other counties when seeking international trading partners. Photo by Denny Henry,

County News

Counties can boost economies by wooing foreign investment

Pasco County, Fla. Commissioner Kathryn Starkey wants to get the word out to counties that there are foreign companies out there looking to expand. Just ask her — she travels to Switzerland and Germany on trade missions to talk to company heads that have located in her county. Pasco County sits just north of Tampa.
Labor & Employment

The Immigration Reform Task Force meeting drew a large audience. Photo by Denny Henry.

County News

Immigration policies exacerbate worker shortages, county officials say

A packed room of county officials Sunday heard from immigration experts who said county officials frustrated by worker shortages in their communities need to tell their stories to members of Congress in order to make changes to immigration policy.
Justice & Public Safety

Caren Harp, administrator, Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, briefs members of the Justice and Public Safety Committee at their meeting Saturday. Photo by Denny Henry.

County News

DOJ grants: 'Identify a need in your community'

Andre Bethea, policy advisor for Corrections and Reentry, Justice Department, has a message for counties: “I can’t make awards if you don’t apply — creativity is on you,” he told members of NACo’s Justice and Public Safety Policy Steering Committee Saturday morning at the kick-off to the association’s annual Legislative Conference.
Resiliency

Commissioner Anna Hansen, Santa Fe County, N.M., participates in the Q&A exchange during the Resilient Counties luncheon, Saturday. Photo by Denny Henry.

County News

Prepare now for disasters: 'The buck stops here'

It was standing room only Saturday at the NACo Legislative Conference Resilient Counties Luncheon: “Addressing Ongoing and Emerging Threats Due to Adverse Weather Patterns.” Over the past three years, on average, 25 percent of all counties received at least one major presidential disaster declaration due to devastating wildfires, hurricanes, flo
Telecommunications & Technology

Allan Angel, vice chair Telecommunications and Technology Committee and Kent County, Del. commissioner, relates his experience with poor cellphone service in his county. Photo by Denny Henry.

County News

NACo rolling out mobile app to test broadband speeds

At their meeting Saturday, members of NACo’s Telecommunications and Technology Policy Steering Committee expressed frustration over lack of internet and cellphone service in many parts of the country, but there was one bright spot: NACo plans to launch a mobile app, dubbed “TestIT,” geared toward getting accurate information when it comes to who
Public Lands

Brian Steed, Bureau of Land Management deputy director for policy and programs, speaks to the Public Lands Steering Committee. Photo by Leon Lawrence III

County News

BLM continues streamlining, addresses grazing

BLM Deputy Director Brian Steed updated the Public Lands Committee on improved efficiencies and the looming Department of Interior reorganization
Transportation & Infrastructure

County News

A road map toward zero deaths

“Top-down leadership does work,” for transportation safety improvements. “You have the ability and influence to say ‘we have to do more.’”
Rural Affairs

Cynthia Clark, executive director of the Council of Professional Associations on Federal Statistics, chuckles while addressing the Agriculture and Rural Affairs Steering Committee.
Cara Brumfield, senior policy analyst Georgetown University Center on Poverty and Inequality, is in the background. Photo by Leon Lawrence III

County News

Rural counties face challenges and high stakes in 2020 census

With nearly $900 billion in annual federal funding at stake, an accurate census is crucial to any county. But with harder to reach residents and limited internet connectivity — when the Census Bureau wants to prioritize online responses — rural counties face additional challenges to getting a complete count.