NACo

National Association of Counties

County News

County News Coverage: 2020 NACo Legislative Conference

By Mary Ann Barton, Charlie Ban, Rachel Looker Feb. 28, 2020

Tags: About NACo

Intergovernmental Affairs

County News

President Trump addresses NACo General Session

President Trump was the first sitting U.S. president to address a NACo conference since 1996.

Elections

Montgomery County, Md. Deputy Director of Elections Alysoun McLaughlin speaks during a March 3 Capitol Hill briefing on county elections. Photo by Denny Henry

County News

Federal funding not reaching county elections departments

Most election functions counties carry out haven’t gotten outside support in a while.
Human Services

Arapahoe County, Colo. Commissioner Nancy Sharpe greets St. Charles Parish, La. Sheriff Greg Champagne during a March 3 briefing on Capitol Hill. Looking on is Ed Zackery, veterans service officer, Medina County, Ohio. Photo by Denny Henry

County News

Proposed policy change aims to fix loss of benefits for pre-trial detainees

NACo and the National Sheriff’s Association joint task force took their cause of jail health reform to Capitol Hill, discussing a proposed policy change that would reinstate federal health care benefits for non-convicted justice-involved individuals.
Transportation & Infrastructure

Rep. Sam Graves, Jr. (R-Mo.), speaks to NACo members March 3 during a transportation briefing on Capitol Hill. Photo by Denny Henry

County News

Transportation allies give voice to wish lists

Counties are eager to see what will reauthorized the current surface transportation bill, which expires in September.
Leadership

General Colin Powell, former U.S. Secretary of State and former Chairman of the U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff, gives leadership advice to county officials during the general session on Tuesday at NACo’s 2020 Legislative Conference. Photo by Denny Henry

County News

General Colin Powell shares leadership skills

Gen. Colin Powell discussed leadership with NACo Executive Director Matt Chase during Tuesday's General Session.
Public Lands

Department of the Interior Secretary David Bernhardt addresses the Monday Opening General Session. Photo by Denny Henry

County News

Interior Secretary Bernhardt wants counties to feel heard

Secretary of the Interior David Bernhardt spoke to Monday's Opening General Session and County News.
Housing

U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development Secretary Ben Carson addresses county officials at the general session on Monday during NACo’s 2020 Legislative Conference. Photo by Denny Henry

County News

HUD Secretary talks cutting regulations to create affordable housing

HUD Secretary Ben Carson told county officials that HUD is working with local leaders to provide counties with housing affordability options.

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About Mary Ann Barton (Full Bio)

County News Editor & Senior Writer

Mary Ann Barton is the County News editor and senior staff writer and is returning to NACo after previously working at the association. She comes to NACo after covering local news for Patch.com in Northern Virginia.

More from Mary Ann Barton

More from NACo

Explore all of NACo's 2020 Legislative Conference resources.

Elections

Video

Capitol Hill Briefing: All Elections are Local: The County Role in Ensuring Safe & Secure Elections

Counties administer and fund elections at the local level, including overseeing polling places and coordinating poll workers for federal, state and local elections.
Transportation & Infrastructure

Video

Capitol Hill Briefing: Investing in Infrastructure: County Priorities in Transportation and Infrastructure Legislation

oin this Capitol Hill briefing to hear from members of Congress on the status of this legislation, as well as from county leaders about the unique infrastructure challenges local governments face and how the federal government can implement public policy to improve our nation’s transportation infrastructure system.
Justice & Public Safety

Video

Capitol Hill Briefing: The Intersection of Health and Justice: A Look Inside County Jails

During this briefing, hear from key congressional champions working to amend this federal policy and members of the task force, who will provide insights from group’s comprehensive report.

Intergovernmental Affairs

Rep. Gerry Connolly (D-Va.) spoke to the Opening General Session audience on Monday. Photo by Denny Henry

County News

Connolly: Help me pass ‘Restore the Partnership Act’

Rep. Gerry Connolly (D-Va.). came to NACo's Legislative Conference seeking county officials’ support for a bill he’s introduced, “Restore the Partnership Act.”
Intergovernmental Affairs

Sen. Chris Coons (D-Del) spoke to a familiar crowd at the Opening General Session. Photo by Denny Henry

County News

Sen. Chris Coons brings county experience to Capitol Hill

Sen. Chris Coons (D-Del.) called his former work as a county official back in Delaware “the most meaningful and significant” public service of his life when addressing Monday's Opening General Session.
Environment

County News

Chinese restrictions bring changes to county recycling

The recent crackdown on U.S. recycled materials to China has impacted counties, forcing localities to either invest in resources to reduce contamination of recyclables or limit recycling services.
Health

CDC Chief Medical Officer Mitch Wolfe discusses the 2019 coronavirus with members of NACo’s Large Urban County Caucus in Washington D.C. at the 2020 Legislative Conference. Photo by Leon Lawrence

County News

NACo members get briefing on coronavirus from CDC

"Everyday preventative measures" are major steps to preventing coronovirus contagion.
Rural Affairs

Anne Hazlett, senior advisor at the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy, addresses members of NACo’s Rural Action Caucus Sunday at the Legislative Conference. Photo by Denny Henry

County News

Rural development expert takes aim at rural drug addiction

USDA's rural development expert takes aim at drug addiction.
Intergovernmental Affairs

Ginger Delegal, executive director of the Florida Association of Counties and Eric Johnson, executive director of the Washington State Association of Counties discuss how states are tackling county priorities at NACo’s 2020 Legislative Conference in Washington D.C. Photo by Denny Henry

County News

State governments’ actions affect county operations

As creatures of the state, county government operations are tightly linked to what happens in the capitol.
Urban Counties

Katharine Sullivan, principal deputy assistant attorney general of the Office of Justice Programs at the U.S. Department of Justice, discusses funding opportunities Sunday with county officials at the Large Urban County Caucus meeting during NACO’s 2020 Legislative Conference. Photo by Leon Lawrence

County News

LUCC members talk funding opportunities at the federal level

Intergovernmental partnerships are a potential funding source for county priorities.
Resiliency

County News

Help your most vulnerable in a disaster with a special needs shelter

Special needs shelters are a crucial part of disaster response measures.

More News from NACo

Health

Commissioner John O’Grady tours the 1,000-bed overflow surge hospital facility at the Greater Columbus Convention Center in Franklin County, Ohio. Photo by CTV Columbus Government Television

County News

Counties build overflow hospitals to aid in possible virus surge

Counties have adapted large-capacity facilities to serve as triage centers, should a surge of coronavirus patients overhwhelm their health care systems.
Management & Administration

Martinez poses with Williamson County, Texas Animal Services staff member Shyah Johnson. Photo by Shyah Johnson

County News

County animal shelters focus on fostering

Finding foster homes for pets has benefitted residents and helped county animal shelters protect staff members.
Community & Economic Development

County News

County campaign calls for businesses to follow effective COVID-19 health standards

Problem: The COVID-19 outbreak has shut down businesses, causing unsafe health environments for those that remain open and impacting local economies. Solution:
Telecommunications & Technology

A Polk County public school bus serves as a rolling Wi-Fi hotspot to provide wireless access to students throughout Polk County, Fla. Photo by Stacy DaSilva, WFLA

County News

Broadband demands during COVID-19 reveal disparities

As the COVID-19 situation brings increased demands in teleworking, virtual learning and even telemedicine, counties are turning to public hotspots to meet the needs of residents.
Resiliency

Leon County Emergency Management Director Kevin Peters stands in the emergency operations center following its activation during Hurricane Michael in October 2018.

County News

Natural disaster planning takes on urgency during pandemic

Lawrence County, Miss. Emergency Management Director Tony Norwood’s county was hit with not one severe weather event in April, but three — two tornadoes and a severe storm — all in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Health

County News

County public health team sidelined by COVID-19

Right when the Toledo-Lucas County, Ohio Health Department was standing up to face the COVID-19 pandemic, the virus started knocking its personnel down.
Leadership

Dutchess County, N.Y. Executive Marc Molinaro

County News

COVID-19 hits close to home for county executive

While managing Dutchess County, N.Y.'s response to COVID-19, County Executive Marc Molinaro had to deal with the loss of his father to the virus.
Human Services

Members of the Domestic Abuse Response Team in Loudoun County, Va. let county residents know they are still available and encourage them to reach out for help during the coronavirus pandemic.

County News

County social services carry on, support abuse victims during COVID-19

Stay-at-home orders, financial stress and employment stress are all ingredients that combine to make a recipe for disaster for victims of abuse.

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County News Sections

County Innovations and Solutions

Campaign calls for businesses to follow COVID-19 health standards

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May. 25, 2020 | View Issue

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Contact Information

Mary Ann Barton

County News Editor & Senior Writer

(202) 942-4223
Charlie Ban

County News Digital Editor & Senior Writer

(202) 942-4210
Rachel Looker

Staff Writer

(202) 942-4215

Additional Resources