2019 Legislative Conference Resources

1. Housing & Economic Development
Community & Economic Development Reports & Toolkits Stronger Economies in Coal-Reliant Places: A Summary of NACo and NADO RF’s Technical Assistance Efforts in Appalachia From October 2016 – July 2017, the National Association of Counties (NACo) and the National Association of Development Organizations Research Foundation (NADO RF) partnered with the Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC) to continue providing mentoring and technical assistance to eleven multi-disciplinary community teams from across Appalachia as they accelerated their efforts to diversify their traditionally coal-reliant economies.
Community & Economic Development Reports & Toolkits The Future of Work: The Rise of the Gig Economy The “gig economy” is altering the way that people view and perform work, and counties must be ready to respond with innovative policies and programs.
Management & Administration Reports & Toolkits Managing County Workers: Recruitment, Retention and Retirement County governments across the country are experiencing similar challenges with their workforce planning regardless of size, budget or geographical location.
Management & Administration Reports & Toolkits Harnessing the Engagement of Your Employees The NACo Counties Futures Lab examines how counties that make employee engagement a priority can save time and money and get better overall organizational performance and service delivery.
Management & Administration Reports & Toolkits Access to Housing: Supporting County Workers Through Affordable Homes County governments increasingly provide housing assistance benefits to employees as a strategy to recruit and retain talented workers.
Community & Economic Development Reports & Toolkits Building Homes: County Funding for Affordable Housing Counties are working to increase housing affordability for their residents across the country. Learn how housing affordability is impacting counties of all sizes and the innovative solutions they have implemented.
Community & Economic Development Reports & Toolkits Housing Connections: Promoting Affordability Through Community Engagement County governments employ community engagement practices to develop programs that tackle a variety of issues within their jurisdictions such as limited supply of affordable housing. Through engagement, county governments can ensure that the distinct values and needs of their communities are reflected in their affordable housing programs.
Community & Economic Development Reports & Toolkits Planning Ahead: County Planning, Land Use and Zoning Strategies for Affordable Housing Learn how counties are using their role in planning for development and in enacting zoning and land use ordinances to encourage the construction of affordable homes.
Community & Economic Development Policy Brief Support Local Development and Infrastructure Projects: The Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Program Urge your members of Congress to increase funding for the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program to $4.2 billion as Congress considers funding for FY 2022. CDBG, funded through the Transportation, Housing and Urban Development (THUD) appropriations bill, has been drastically reduced since FY 2010, having been cut by over half a billion dollars.
Community & Economic Development Policy Brief U.S. Economic Development Administration (EDA): Support Essential Seed Capital/Gap Financing for Local Job Creation Urge your members of Congress to support at least $346 million in funding for the U.S. Department of Commerce Economic Development Administration (EDA) as Congress considers funding for FY 2022. EDA funding is important to counties because it helps local communities achieve long-term economic growth based on local and regional priorities.
Community & Economic Development Policy Brief Restore Funding for HUD's Home Investment Partnerships (HOME) Program Urge your Members of Congress to restore funding for the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s HOME Investment Partnerships Program (HOME) to $1.7 billion as Congress considers funding for FY 2022. The HOME program, funded through the Transportation, Housing and Urban Development (T-HUD) appropriations bill, was cut by 50 percent between FY 2010 and FY 2016. Although the HOME program has received annual increases or level funding since 2016, funding levels remain short of the $1.8 billion FY 2010 level.
Community & Economic Development Policy Brief Support Workforce and Local Business Development: the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) Urge your members of Congress to support at least level or increased funding for Title I programs under the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) as Congress considers funding for FY 2022. Funded through the Labor, Health and Human Services (Labor-HHS) appropriations bill, WIOA programs provide important financial and other resources to support a demand-driven workforce development system.

2. Transportation, Infrastructure & Technology
Telecommunications & Technology Reports & Toolkits Next Generation Local Zoning Authority: 5G Wireless Broadband 101 Counties will play a key role in the 5G deployment process as service providers navigate public property and rights-of-way.
Reports & Toolkits Thinking SolSmart: County Strategies for Advancing Solar Energy Development In an effort to become more solar-friendly, many counties are Thinking SolSmart by improving and streamlining their local solar development processes in zoning, permitting, inspections & financing. This publication outlines key steps counties can take to make it easier and more affordable for residents and businesses to go solar.
Transportation & Infrastructure Basic page Keeping Counties Moving Since 2015, NACo with support from the Federal Highway Administration has worked to assist county officials and staff in exploring the nexus between transportation innovation and investments that promote long-term economic resilience.
Transportation & Infrastructure Policy Brief FAA Reauthorization Advocate for the passage of a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) reauthorization bill that supports airport development and continues air service to large and small communities.
Environment, Energy & Land Use Policy Brief Status of Pending EPA Regulations of Interest to Counties Explore NACo's analysis of pending EPA regulations of interest to counties.
Transportation & Infrastructure Policy Brief Support County Priorities in Any New Federal Infrastructure Package Urge your members of Congress to support county transportation and infrastructure priorities in any new infrastructure bill presented by Congress.
Environment, Energy & Land Use Policy Brief Support Authorization of the Water Resources Development Act (WRDA) Urge federal lawmakers to pass a Water Resources Development Act (WRDA) bill during the 116th Congress and continue a regular two-year authorization cycle.

3. Health & Human Services
Human Services Basic page Early Childhood Counties not only play a pivotal role in building thriving communities for an estimated 16 million children ages birth to three across the United States, but also invest in core policies and services that help to shape early childhood systems.
Health Basic page Opioid Epidemic Resource Center Counties are on the frontline of ensuring the health and safety of our residents affected by this crisis.
Human Services Reports & Toolkits NACo Legislative Presentation: Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) Program The Temporary Assistance for Needy Families program helps families in need connect to services & activities addressing the root causes of poverty.
Health Reports & Toolkits Medicaid and Counties: Understanding the Program and Why It Matters to Counties As Congress considers changes to the nation’s health care system, NACo urges them to consider implications of reforms that would merely shift costs to counties.
Justice & Public Safety Reports & Toolkits Medicaid Coverage and County Jails In order to educate federal policymakers on issues around Medicaid and justice-involved individuals, NACo recently released a new report titled, "Medicaid Coverage and County Jails: Understanding Challenges and Opportunities for Improving Health Outcomes for Justice-Involved Individuals."
Health Reports & Toolkits Faces of the Social Services Block Grant “Faces of the Social Services Block Grant” helps counties advocate for the Social Services Block Grant (SSBG) with members of Congress.
Human Services Reports & Toolkits Social Services Block Grant (SSBG): How the block grant protects families and communities impacted by the opioid epidemic Across the country, SSBG is helping states respond to the opioid crisis by protecting babies, children, youth and families from harm and helping them get the support they need to heal and thrive.
Health Video The Opioid Epidemic: Counties on the Frontline Counties are on the frontline of ensuring the health and safety of our residents affected by this crisis.
Health Reports & Toolkits Behavioral Health Matters to Counties Through 750 behavioral health authorities and community providers, county governments plan and operate community-based services for persons with mental illnesses and substance use conditions.
Tax & Finance Policy Brief Support Repeal of the 40 Percent Excise Tax on Employer-Sponsored Health Insurance Contact your members of Congress and urge them to support legislation to permanently repeal the 40 percent excise tax on employer-sponsored health insurance that was included in the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA) passed in 2010.
Human Services Policy Brief Support the Community Services Block Grant (CSBG) Urge your members of Congress - especially those who serve on the House and Senate Appropriations Committees - to maintain funding for the U. S. Department of Health and Human Services’ (HHS) Community Services Block Grant (CSBG) program at or above the Fiscal Year (FY) 2021 level of $745 million through the annual appropriations process. Additionally, urge your members to reauthorize CSBG—which expired in 2003—to provide greater long-term certainty for counties leveraging the program.
Health Policy Brief Support Counties in Improving Health Services for Justice-Involved Individuals Urge your members of Congress to support counties’ efforts to improve health services for justice-involved individuals and reduce the number of people with mental illness in jails. Specifically, urge your representatives on health-authorizing committees to support legislation that would allow individuals in custody to continue receiving Medicaid and other federal health benefits until they are convicted, sentenced and incarcerated; require states to suspend instead of terminate Medicaid for individuals in jails; and allow for comprehensive behavioral health services and the recruitment of health professionals in county jails.
Health Policy Brief Protect the Federal-State-Local Partnership for Medicaid KEY TALKING POINTS Urge your senators and representatives to support the federal-state-local partnership structure for financing and delivering Medicaid services and to oppose any measure that would further shift federal and state Medicaid costs to counties – including cuts, caps, block grants and new limits on counties’ ability to raise the non-federal match or receive supplemental payments.
Health Policy Brief Protect Funding for Core Local Public Health Services and Prevention Programs Urge your members of Congress, especially those who serve on the U.S. House and Senate Appropriations Committees, to protect funding for local public health services and prevention programs made possible by the Prevention and Public Health Fund (PPHF).
Health Policy Brief Enhance Counties' Ability to Prevent and Treat Mental Illness and Substance Abuse Disorders Urge your members of Congress to maintain consistent funding for substance abuse and mental health services provided through the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) and pass legislation that enhances counties’ ability to provide local systems of care. Future appropriations bills should meet or exceed FY 2020 funding levels, particularly the Community Mental Health Services (CMHS) and Substance Abuse Prevention and Treatment (SAPT) block grants, which allow counties to direct resources to those with the most need.
Human Services Policy Brief Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) Reauthorization and Appropriations Urge your members of Congress and the administration to support counties’ role in the federal, state and local partnership in administering and financing the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP).
Human Services Policy Brief Support the Social Services Block Grant (SSBG) Urge your Members of Congress, particularly those who serve on the House Ways and Means Committee and the Senate Finance Committee, to support full funding for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Social Services Block Grant (SSBG).
Human Services Policy Brief Reauthorize the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) Block Grant Urge your members of Congress – particularly those who serve on the House Ways and Means Committee and the Senate Finance Committee – to enact a long-term reauthorization of the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families Block Grant (TANF) and protect funding for the TANF Contingency Fund.

4. Justice, Public Safety & Resilience
Justice & Public Safety Reports & Toolkits NACo Legislative Analysis: Impacts of the Disaster Recovery Reform Act of 2018 New federal disaster legislation makes modifications to FEMA programs to better assist local communities as they prepare for, mitigate against, respond to, and recover from disasters.
Resiliency Reports & Toolkits Managing Disasters at the County-Level: A Focus on Flooding This report focuses on emergency management for flooding, the most common natural hazard. County best practices from across the nation are used to underscore and exemplify each resilience strategy.
Resiliency Reports & Toolkits Managing Disasters at the County-Level: A Focus on Public Health This report focuses on the public health aspects of emergency management from preparedness through to response. Case studies include Oklahoma County, Oklahoma; Harris County, Texas; and Sonoma County, California.
Justice & Public Safety Reports & Toolkits Managing Disasters at the County Level: A Focus on Technology This report explores how counties across the nation are leveraging data, mapping and application-based technologies to run government services more efficiently and less expensively to build resilience and self-reliance in the face of increasingly severe, frequent and costly disasters.
Resiliency Reports & Toolkits Emergency Management in County Government: A National Survey In May 2018, NACo conducted a survey to assess key aspects of county emergency management, including organizational structure, budgets and funding, personnel and training, use of technology and ways counties collaborate with other government entities and nongovernmental organizations. This report presents the findings from the Survey on Emergency Management in County Government.
Justice & Public Safety Reports & Toolkits Medicaid Coverage and County Jails In order to educate federal policymakers on issues around Medicaid and justice-involved individuals, NACo recently released a new report titled, "Medicaid Coverage and County Jails: Understanding Challenges and Opportunities for Improving Health Outcomes for Justice-Involved Individuals."
Justice & Public Safety Policy Brief Support Local Efforts to Reduce Mental Illness in Jails Urge your members of Congress to support local efforts to reduce the number of individuals with mental health, substance abuse or co-occurring disorders in county jails by providing full funding for the Justice and Mental Health Collaboration Program (JMHCP) in the annual appropriations process. JMHCP was recently reauthorized for fiscal years 2017-2021 through the 21st Century Cures Act (P.L. 114-255) at $50 million per year and should be funded at this level annually to maximize the impact of local efforts to address the prevalence of mental illness in the criminal justice system.
Justice & Public Safety Policy Brief Reauthorize the National Flood Insurance Program Urge your Members of Congress to support legislation that will reauthorize the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) and ensure the program is accessible and affordable for all county residents. Current authorization ends on September 30, 2021.
Justice & Public Safety Policy Brief Increase Funding for the Second Chance Act (SCA)to Support Local Reentry Programs that Reduce Recidivism among Formerly Incarcerated Individuals Urge your Members of Congress, especially those serving on the U.S. House and Senate Appropriations Committees, to support increased funding for Second Chance Act programs in the annual appropriations process. The bipartisan Second Chance Act provides resources to states, local governments and nonprofit organizations to improve outcomes for people returning to communities from prisons, jails and juvenile facilities.
Justice & Public Safety Policy Brief Sustain Justice Assistance for Local Communities: Support the Byrne JAG and SCAAP Programs Urge your members of Congress, especially those who serve on the U.S. House and Senate Appropriations Committees, to provide sustained funding for U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) programs that support county courts, local law enforcement and other justice-related local functions in the annual appropriations process.

5. Public Lands & Agriculture
Public Lands Basic page Payments in Lieu of Taxes Action Center The Payments in Lieu of Taxes (PILT) program was created in 1976 and provides payments to counties and other local governments to offset losses in tax revenues due to the presence of substantial acreage of federal land in their jurisdictions. As federal land is not taxable by local governments, public land counties have struggled to provide adequate services to the public in light of the annual losses in tax revenue. https://www.youtube.com/embed/16FYZkVDubY
Public Lands Reports & Toolkits NACo Legislative Presentation: The Payments in Lieu of Taxes (PILT) Program Sixty-two percent of the nation’s counties contain federal lands. The PILT program helps to offset costs incurred for county services — including road and bridge upkeep, public safety and emergency medical services — provided to the users of untaxable federal public lands.
Agriculture Reports & Toolkits Farm Bill 101: Overview of NACo priorities throughout the Farm Bill The Farm Bill contains programs that assist counties in rural development efforts, nutrition assistance programs, conservation initiatives, renewable energy deployment, support for new farmers and ranchers, and business development initiatives.
Public Lands Video Rescue PILT and SRS
Public Lands Video Federal Public Lands Matter to Counties The Payment in Lieu of Taxes (PILT) program provides payments to counties and other local governments to offset losses in tax revenues due to the presence of tax-exempt federal land in their jurisdictions.
Agriculture Policy Brief Support Key County Priorities as Congress Implements the 2018 Farm Bill Urge your members of congress to support county priorities throughout the development of the next farm bill. Programs throughout the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) help counties make critical investments in infrastructure, workforce and economic development, nutrition and conservation for some of our nation’s most underserved communities. Preserving these programs is vital to the strength and stability of our local and national economy.
Public Lands Policy Brief Continue Revenue Sharing Payments to Forest Counties: Support the Secure Rural Schools (SRS) Program Urge your members of Congress to enact a long-term legislative solution for continued revenue sharing payments to forest counties through the U.S. Forest Service’s Secure Rural Schools (SRS) program. Congress reauthorized SRS for FY 2019 and FY 2020 in the minibus spending package enacted December 20, 2019. Counties rely on SRS payments to provide numerous critical services including infrastructure, conservation projects, search and rescue missions and fire prevention programs. Absent Congressional action, the last authorized SRS payments will be made to counties in spring 2021.
Public Lands Policy Brief Provide Full Mandatory Funding for the Payments in Lieu of Taxes (PILT) Program Urge your members of Congress to support mandatory full funding for the Payments in Lieu of Taxes (PILT) program. Because local governments are unable to tax the property values or products derived from federal lands, PILT payments are necessary to support essential local government services. Unless Congress acts, counties will have received their last fully funded PILT disbursement in 2020. Without mandatory full funding, PILT will remain a discretionary program (subject to the annual appropriations process) and could fall back to pre-2008 funding levels, which would devastate local government service delivery in areas with significant federal land ownership.
Agriculture Policy Brief Maintain Funding for USDA Rural Development Programs Urge your members of Congress to support U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Development programs throughout the FY 2021 appropriations process by meeting or exceeding FY 2020 funding levels. USDA Rural Development programs provide critical investments in key rural county priorities.
Policy Brief NACo Submits Detailed Comments on Proposed “Waters of the U.S.” Rule On February 14, 2019, the U.S. Environmental and Protection Agency (EPA) and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Army Corps) officially released the Trump Administration’s new proposed “Waters of United States” (WOTUS) rule, defining which bodies of water across the country are subject to federal regulations under the Clean Water Act (CWA).
Environment, Energy & Land Use Policy Brief Unfunded Mandates and Other Regulatory Impacts on Counties Unfunded Mandates and Other Regulatory Impacts on Counties

6. County Administration
Management & Administration Reports & Toolkits Service Sharing: How Counties Do More with Less Learn about innovative ways to work with a limited budget.
Civic Engagement Reports & Toolkits How to Gain Citizen Buy In The NACo Counties Futures Lab examines how counties can better engage their citizens on bond proposals, budgets and other key initiatives through messaging, social media and other outreach strategies.
Community & Economic Development Reports & Toolkits Everyone Counts: How 2020 Census Data Matter to Your Bottom Line The decennial census has a major effect on counties and county leaders can play a significant role in the effective rollout of the census.
Elections Reports & Toolkits All Elections Are Local: The County Role in the Elections Process In the United States, the nation’s 3,069 counties traditionally administer and fund elections at the local level, including overseeing polling places and coordinating poll workers for federal, state and local elections.
Tax & Finance Policy Brief Support the LOCAL Infrastructure Act, legislation that would restore advance refunding bonds. Urge your Members of Congress to support the LOCAL Infrastructure Act, legislation that would restore advance refunding bonds.

7. NACo 101
About NACo Advocacy 2019 NACo Legislative Priorities NACo works to preserve local decision making, to protect counties from unfunded mandates and local preemption and to strengthen the federal-state-local partnership.
Basic page About NACo The National Association of Counties (NACo) unites America’s 3,069 county governments. Founded in 1935, NACo brings county officials together to advocate with a collective voice on national policy, exchange ideas and build new leadership skills, pursue transformational county solutions, enrich the public’s understanding of county government, and exercise exemplary leadership in public service.
Basic page Signature Projects Find the latest on NACo's signature projects, where county officials address major challenges, exchange ideas and strengthen skills.
Reports & Toolkits Counties Matter: Stronger Counties. Stronger America. Counties Matter. Counties serve nearly every American every day. Urban, suburban and rural — counties work with states, the federal government and other public and private partners to keep our communities healthy, safe and vibrant.
Basic page National County Government Month National County Government Month (NCGM), held each April, is an annual celebration of county government.
Awards Programs Reports & Toolkits 2019 Achievement Awards: Celebrating 49 Years of Innovation The Achievement Awards Program is a non-competitive awards program that seeks to recognize innovative county government programs.
Basic page Counties Work Game & Curriculum The National Association of Counties (NACo), in partnership with iCivics, launched an updated and expanded versions of NACo’s civic education tools: the County Solutions curriculum and the Counties Work online game, which both teach young people how local governments operate and how they can get involved.
Elections Reports & Toolkits U.S. Election Analysis 2018: Insights for Counties From the Midterm Elections Four years of bicameral Republican control of Congress will end in January after Democrats secured a majority in the U.S. House of Representatives in the 2018 midterm elections

8. Videos
Health Video The Opioid Epidemic: Counties on the Frontline Counties are on the frontline of ensuring the health and safety of our residents affected by this crisis.
Public Lands Video Rescue PILT and SRS
Public Lands Video Federal Public Lands Matter to Counties The Payment in Lieu of Taxes (PILT) program provides payments to counties and other local governments to offset losses in tax revenues due to the presence of tax-exempt federal land in their jurisdictions.

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