Equitable Governance: 2022 NACo DEI County Convening, Strategies for Governing with Equity
The National Association of Counties hosted a full-day diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) county convening before NACo’s 2022 Annual Conference to discuss the importance of equity in governance and how to strategically align efforts at the county level. The convening brought together over 50 participants from over 20 counties who sent a team comprised of a DEI practitioner, county administrator and elected official. Throughout the convening, attendees discussed the unique challenges and opportunities they see in their distinct roles and explored how to advance the principles of DEI by considering community data differently. Equitable Governance: 2022 NACo DEI County Convening, Key County Roles, Opportunities and Strategies for Governing with Equity lays out key takeaways from the convening.
County News
County News Spotlight: DEI Strategies
Census Bureau cancels key rural test sites ahead of 2030 Count
NACo advocates for the reinstatement of key decennial census testing of rural areas and other planned canceled testing criteria.
U.S. Department of the Interior issues new NEPA regulations recognizing local governments as cooperating agencies
On February 23, the U.S. Department of the Interior (DOI) announced a final rule updating the Department’s regulations for implementing the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA; P.L. 91-190). In a step forward for counties, the final rule reinstates provisions that name local government agencies as cooperating agencies during the NEPA environmental review process.
House Agriculture Committee advances 2026 Farm Bill
On March 5, the House Agriculture Committee voted to advance its version of the 2026 Farm Bill.
Congress reintroduces bipartisan Railway Safety Act of 2026
This winter, lawmakers in the House and Senate reintroduced the bipartisan Railway Safety Act of 2026 (S. 3903, H.R. 7748) , building on prior efforts to strengthen federal rail safety standards following the high-profile 2023 Norfolk Southern derailment in Columbiana County, Ohio.
