Equitable Governance: 2022 NACo DEI County Convening, Strategies for Governing with Equity

County human services directors are racing to lower SNAP Payment Error Rates, implementing significant eligibility changes and preparing for reduced federal support while building entirely new systems and processes to implement Medicaid work requirements.

Boulder County, Colo.'s brief to the Supreme Court contends that ExxonMobil and Suncor Energy “intentionally misled the public” about the impacts of climate change and should pay for damage they say is caused by fossil fuels’ contribution to it.

Counties across the country are grappling with how to address mass public backlash against local governments’ use of Flock cameras and other automated license plate readers.

Rather than moving them deeper into the juvenile justice system, the Youth Deflection Program “deflects” first-time offenders and youth who commit low-level, nonviolent misdemeanors toward appropriate, community-based services.

On July 24, 2026, U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins announced a major reorganization of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) that will relocate thousands of federal employees, restructure regional offices and consolidate administrative services and operations. The changes are expected to reduce USDA’s footprint in Washington, D.C. and shift more personnel to regional hubs across the country. 

Data centers often cluster in a few places, need treated water and use the most when demand is already high in hot weather. This growing demand is driving data center development nationwide, accelerating local proposals and the importance for county officials to understand impacts to energy, land and water resources.