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.
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County News Spotlight: DEI Strategies
CMS releases new guidance on Medicaid provider tax provisions in OBBBA
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has released new guidance outlining how it will implement significant Medicaid financing changes enacted in the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA). These provisions restrict states’ ability to use health care-related taxes, commonly known as provider taxes, to help finance the non-federal share of Medicaid.
House Natural Resources Committee advances Standardizing Permitting and Expediting Economic Development (SPEED) Act
On November 20, the U.S. House Committee on Natural Resources advanced the Standardizing Permitting and Expediting Economic Development (SPEED) Act (H.R. 4776), which would make important changes to streamline federal permitting and strengthen county involvement in decision-making by amending the National Environmental Policy Act. Counties support commonsense permitting reforms, and NACo secured provisions in the SPEED Act that would guarantee counties a seat at the table during federal environmental reviews.
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency releases new definition of the “waters of the United States”
On November 17, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers released a proposed rule defining what constitute the “waters of the United States” and are subject to federal regulation under the Clean Water Act. The new definition is narrower than previous rules and codifies the decision of U.S. Supreme Court in the 2023 case Sackett v. EPA.
U.S. House Passes Reauthorization Bill for the State and Local Cybersecurity Grant Program
On November 17, the U.S. House passed a reauthorization bill for the State and Local Cybersecurity Grant Program (SLCGP).