NACo Legislative Conference kicks off March 8

As the Biden administration and the 117th Congress set their feet down in Washington, D.C., so are America’s counties. As the COVID-19 pandemic continues, it won’t be possible to meet in person for the 2021 Legislative Conference, but NACo members will not lose a step this winter.

In fact, with a packed schedule and a refined remote video platform, the 2021 Virtual Legislative Conference will make NACo programming available to more county leaders than ever before. With speakers from throughout the federal government, registrants will be well equipped to navigate the changing national landscape as important policies, county responses to the pandemic and economic rebuilding all come to a head.

“This year, NACo’s Legislative Conference is focused on empowering county officials with the relationships and tools necessary to respond and rebuild from the COVID era,” said NACo Executive Director Matt Chase. “We are engaging with the new Biden administration and congressional leaders, sharing the county story and pursuing county policy priorities.”

Speakers from throughout the new administration and members of Congress will be on hand to lay out visions for where federal policy making and implementation is headed in the next year and where that will intersect with county priorities.

“As the saying goes, ‘If you aren’t at the table, you are on the menu,’” Chase said. “The NACo Legislative Conference is about shaping our federal policy priorities, educating and mobilizing our county officials and advancing the shared policy priorities of America’s county leaders.”

The virtual format will allow for an expanded schedule of programming of more than 100 meetings, workshops, seminars and networking opportunities spread out over three weeks:

• Policy Steering Committee March 8-12: Standing committees will set NACo’s legislative agenda for the coming months and hear from subject-area speakers. Caucuses, commissions and task forces will also meet during this time.
• Governance Meetings March 17-19: The Policy Coordinating Committee will meet to further refine NACo policy priorities. The NACo Board of Directors will meet March 19 from 2-5 p.m.
• Workshops and Seminars March 24-26: A wide variety of workshops will address topics including public health and COVID-19, county economic recovery, infrastructure, county administration and more.
• County visits to Capitol Hill will continue remotely with Virtual Hill Day March 25, giving county officials an opportunity to take their issues to their members of Congress.
• Additional programming is being planned for April.

Registration is available for individuals or groups at NACo.org/leg.