Read more about the article NACo Public Promise Procurement: Resource Roundup Pt 2
NACo and Federal Issues / News You Can Use
NACo Public Promise Procurement: Resource Roundup Pt 2

This publication, fueled by the National Association of Counties (NACo), highlights single-award contract opportunities, upcoming webinars, articles of interest and other tools for county leaders and procurement professionals. 1. Time & Cost Savings in Practice Satisfy the RFP process: Drafting, advertising, evaluating, and negotiating a new solicitation can take months. Using this cooperative contract, a county’s procurement team can issue a purchase order and launch a search in days with the full confidence that all federal,…

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May 22, 2025
Read more about the article NACo Public Promise Procurement: Resource Roundup Pt 1
NACo and Federal Issues / News You Can Use
NACo Public Promise Procurement: Resource Roundup Pt 1

This publication, fueled by the National Association of Counties (NACo), highlights single-award contract opportunities, upcoming webinars, articles of interest and other tools for county leaders and procurement professionals. 1. Building a Future-Ready County Workforce: Why NACo’s Public Promise × WBCP Contract Matters Now How can county governments support the well-being of employees who deliver those services, especially when retirements, competition for talent, and changing workforce expectations are accelerating? For procurement professionals, the answer increasingly lies in strategic,…

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May 22, 2025
Read more about the article US House Passes 10-Year Ban on State and Local AI Laws
Information Technology / NACo and Federal Issues / News You Can Use
US House Passes 10-Year Ban on State and Local AI Laws

A provision quietly inserted into the federal budget reconciliation bill — and now passed by the US House of Representatives — would ban states and local governments from passing or enforcing any laws regulating artificial intelligence (AI) for the next 10 years. This sweeping federal preemption would directly undercut Maryland’s existing AI laws, including newly passed protections against deepfakes, child exploitation online, and consumer data misuse. It would also prevent counties from adopting or enforcing…

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May 22, 2025
Read more about the article Governor Moore Declares Emergency After Historic Western Maryland Floods
Photo courtesy of Governor Wes Moore, via X.
County News / Emergency Management / Housing and Community Development / Intergovernmental Relations / NACo and Federal Issues
Governor Moore Declares Emergency After Historic Western Maryland Floods

Governor Wes Moore declared a State of Emergency in response to last week's historic flooding that devastated parts of Western Maryland. The declaration aims to accelerate state-led recovery efforts, providing much-needed support to residents and communities in Allegany and Garrett Counties. It also allows Maryland to request federal assistance through FEMA, though approval and the level of support are not guaranteed. The governor announced the emergency declaration during his visit to Allegany County, where he…

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May 19, 2025
Read more about the article Moody’s Downgrades US Credit Rating, Signals Economic Strain
Finance and Procurement / NACo and Federal Issues
Moody’s Downgrades US Credit Rating, Signals Economic Strain

Moody’s Investors Service announced a downgrade of the US credit rating, citing surging federal debt, rising interest payments, and long-term revenue challenges. The Moody’s downgrade drops the nation’s credit rating from its top-tier AAA status, marking a historic shift in the agency’s long-held confidence in US credit stability. This action follows similar moves by Fitch in 2023 and Standard & Poor’s back in 2011. Moody’s downgraded the US credit rating by one notch, more than…

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May 19, 2025
Read more about the article Conduit Street Podcast: Disaster Dollars in Danger — Federal Funding Fades, County Risks Rise
County News / Emergency Management / Feature / NACo and Federal Issues
Conduit Street Podcast: Disaster Dollars in Danger — Federal Funding Fades, County Risks Rise

On the latest episode of the Conduit Street Podcast, Ben Yelin joins Kevin Kinnally to break down the seismic shifts in emergency management, including recent leadership changes at FEMA, the termination of the Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC) program, and the ripple effects for local governments.   Tune in to the Conduit Street Podcast weekly, wherever you get your podcasts! Subscribe to the Conduit Street Blog and stay in the know!

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May 15, 2025
Read more about the article Update: Federal Tax and Spending Bill Stalls Amid Budget Disputes
NACo and Federal Issues / News You Can Use
Update: Federal Tax and Spending Bill Stalls Amid Budget Disputes

May 16, 2025, 2:00 pm — Update: Federal Tax and Spending Bill Stalls Amid Budget Disputes The House’s sweeping tax and spending package, intended to deliver on major federal tax cuts and program reductions, faces significant hurdles as conservative members demanded deeper cuts to Medicaid and other federal programs. Some lawmakers also pushed for stricter work requirements for federal aid programs to begin immediately, rather than the proposed 2029 start date. Meanwhile, lawmakers from states…

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May 15, 2025
Read more about the article Tackling Overdose Rates Takes Time and Sustained Action
County News / Health and Human Services / NACo and Federal Issues
Tackling Overdose Rates Takes Time and Sustained Action

As counties work to reduce overdose deaths, experts warn that continued progress depends on long-term, flexible investment, not short-term solutions. At a recent National Association of Counties (NACo) event, Dr. Joshua Sharfstein of Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health highlighted the growing threat of polysubstance use, where fentanyl is mixed with drugs like cocaine or methamphetamine. These cases are harder to treat, as no approved medications exist for stimulant use. One promising strategy is…

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May 14, 2025
Read more about the article Medicaid Reform Calling: What’s on the Line for Maryland?
Health and Human Services / NACo and Federal Issues / State Budget and Fiscal Issues
Medicaid Reform Calling: What’s on the Line for Maryland?

Under the still-developing federal fiscal plan, which congressional leaders are targeting for final passage by July, Medicaid and related health care programs are expected to face reductions. Here, we assess ways that these budget cuts could affect Maryland's State budget and its vulnerable residents. Medicaid is a broad program that ensures low-income residents receive health care through a nationwide network, with costs split between the federal and state governments. Maryland's Medicaid budget for the coming…

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May 14, 2025
Read more about the article NACo: Train County Workforce in Mental Health First Aid
County News / Health and Human Services / Intergovernmental Relations / NACo and Federal Issues
NACo: Train County Workforce in Mental Health First Aid

Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) trains the county workforce to aid in early recognition of mental health challenges. With proven outcomes, it creates a culture of care and mitigates the impacts of mental health illness on the work environment. According to the Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, depression and anxiety challenges cost U.S. employers $44 billion annually, with the World Health Organization calculating the global impact at $1 trillion per year in lost workplace productivity. In…

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May 8, 2025
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