County Countdown – June 3, 2024

Every other week, NACo’s County Countdown reviews top federal policy advocacy items with an eye towards counties and the intergovernmental partnership.

Watch the video above and explore NACo resources below.

Farm Bill

Congress is advancing on the Farm Bill reauthorization, with consensus on key elements beneficial to rural development and federal nutrition programs.

• County priorities: Both the U.S. House and Senate agree on crucial funding for rural and nutrition programs, with the House proposing a three-year extension for the Secure Rural Schools program.
• Take action: As this bill moves through the legislative process, read about county priorities for the Farm Bill and make sure your member of Congress knows where your county stands.

Michelle Alyssa Go Act

NACo endorses the Michelle Alyssa Go Act to expand Medicaid-eligible psychiatric care, addressing gaps in mental health and substance use disorder treatment.

• Legislative focus: The bill aims to modernize the outdated Institutions for Mental Disease exclusion, facilitating better access to long-term psychiatric care.
• Bipartisan progress: This legislation represents a significant bipartisan effort to enhance mental health services and lower barriers to comprehensive treatment.
• NACo's advocacy: By supporting this bill, NACo highlights the urgent need to remove federal restrictions that hinder effective mental health services.

AI and Election Administration

As counties prepare for the 2024 General Election, NACo is working with our federal partners to ensure election officials have the resources necessary to address risks and leverage opportunities related to artificial intelligence (AI).

• Senate action: The U.S. Senate is focusing on legislation regarding the intersection of election administration and AI.
• NACo AI Exploratory Committee: For the latest on the potential impacts of artificial intelligence, access resources from NACo's AI Exploratory Committee.
• Stay tuned: NACo is set to release a county toolkit and report on AI at the 2024 NACo Annual Conference in Hillsborough County, Fla.

HOME Program Updates

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development's (HUD) new rule aims to modernize the HOME Investment Partnership Program, enhancing counties' ability to address the housing affordability crisis.

• About HOME: The program provides formula grants to counties and states and is used to build, buy, or rehabilitate affordable housing for rent or homeownership, as well as fund direct rental assistance to low-income individuals.
• Proposed changes: The rule introduces significant modifications to streamline funding application and implementation.
• Public feedback: Stakeholders are encouraged to submit comments on the proposed changes by July 29, 2024.