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
County Countdown – June 30, 2025
Every other week, NACo's County Countdown reviews top federal policy advocacy items with an eye towards counties and the intergovernmental partnership. This week features the Senate reconciliation debate, transparency on sanctuary designations and more.
U.S. Department of the Interior announces PILT funding of $644.8 million to be distributed to counties
On June 24, the U.S. Department of the Interior (DOI) announced that over 1,900 state and local governments nationwide will receive $644.8 million in Payments in Lieu of Taxes program (PILT) funding for 2025. A complete list of funding by state and county is available here. You can also check NACo’s County Explorer for detailed county-by-county information on 2024 PILT funding levels.
DHS releases list identifying sanctuary jurisdictions; includes nearly 400 counties
NACo, along with the National League of Cities, and the International Municipal Lawyers Association, requested additional clarification on the methodology used to create the list, and noted concerns around the legal challenges that localities face when complying with ICE detainers. As of this time, NACo has yet to hear of a county receiving a formal notification that they were included on the list.
Congress considers moratorium on state and local AI lawmaking: What it means for counties
The U.S. Senate’s reconciliation bill text includes a 10-year moratorium on state and local AI policymaking.
NACo submits recommendations on the 2026 National Drug Control Strategy
On June 20, NACo submitted formal comments to the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) to help shape the development of its 2026 National Drug Control Strategy. This strategy serves as the nation’s blueprint for reducing illicit drug use, and the ONDCP plays a central role in coordinating federal drug policy across government agencies.
Supreme Court’s Trump v. Casa, Inc. ruling limits use of nationwide injunctions: what this means for counties
On June 27, the U.S. Supreme Court issued a 6-3 decision in Trump v. Casa, Inc. limiting federal district court judges' ability to issue universal injunctions to prevent federal policies from going into effect nationwide.