JOE McCOY

Legislative Director, Illinois Municipal League

2011-Present

 

• Provide leadership, coordination, and strategic vision to ensure that the legislative program establishes and achieves advocacy goals.

• Responsible for ensuring that the organization is highly regarded for its professionalism, advocacy, and service. 

• Coordinate activities of the IML Legislative Team.

• Analyze legislation to determine municipal impact.

• Serve as liaison to the IML Legislative Committee.

• Coordinate preparation of fact sheet and issue briefs for key legislative issues.

• Provide direct advocacy with members of the Illinois General Assembly and state agencies.

• Prepare, deliver, and coordinate testimony before legislative committees.

• Host weekly conference calls with strategic partners during legislative sessions.

• Assemble teams from among the membership to work on public policy issues.

• Provide legislative updates to the IML Board of Directors, Executive Committee, Legislative Committee, and outside organizations.

• Coordinate the annual IML Lobby Day.

• Coordinate content for bi-weekly legislative publications distributed to the membership.

• Record a weekly video previewing legislative activity for the upcoming week. 

• Manage legislative website and social media presence. 

• Designated staffer to the IML Managers Committee and liaison to the Illinois City/County Management Association. 

• Member of the IML Administrative, Review Magazine, and Conference Session Planning Teams.

• Responsible for fulfilling mandated lobbyist filing requirements.

• Media spokesperson on matters that coincide with legislative policy areas.

 

Senior Legislative Advocate, Illinois Municipal League

2008-2011

 

• Conducted policy analysis and legislative advocacy on behalf of municipal governments.

• Engaged in direct advocacy with members of the Illinois General Assembly and state agencies.

• ​Prepared, delivered, and coordinated testimony before legislative committees.

• Coordinated content for weekly legislative publication distributed to the membership.

• Coordinated materials for the IML Legislative Committee and annual Lobby Day.

• Managed legislative website presence.

• Established social media platforms and initiated IML TV

• Designated staffer to the IML Managers Committee and liaison to the Illinois City/County Management Association.

• Prepared fact sheets and issue briefs for assigned issue areas.

• Media spokesperson on matters that coincided with assigned issue areas.

• Planned and coordinated several breakout sessions at annual conference.

 

Legislative Associate, Illinois Municipal League

1999-2008

 

• Reviewed and tracked legislation within assigned issue areas.

• Advocated policy positions before the Illinois General Assembly.

• Prepared, delivered, and coordinated testimony before legislative committees.

• Contributed to weekly legislative publication distributed to the membership. 

• Prepared fact sheets and issue briefs for assigned issue areas.

• Planned and coordinated several breakout sessions at annual conference.

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Director of State Mandates Program, Illinois Department of Commerce and Community Affairs

1997-1999

 

• Reviewed legislation to identify the potential imposition of new state mandates under the Illinois State Mandates Act.

• Submitted mandate and fiscal notes to assist state legislators in determining positions on legislation.

 

​James H. Dunn Fellow, Illinois Office of the Governor

1996-1997

 

• The James H. Dunn Fellowship is a competitive Fellowship program that seeks to place qualified candidates with key leaders in the executive branch of state government. Assigned to work with the Deputy Chief of Staff for Governor Jim Edgar.

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                                                                Education

 

Master of Arts in Public Policy 

1993-1995

Regent University

Virginia Beach, VA

 

Graduate Thesis

A New Romania in a New Europe: Romanian Society at the Crossroads

 

Bachelor of Arts in Political Science

1989-1993

Western Illinois University

Macomb, IL

 

Activities and Societies 

Student Government Association President; South Quad Government Complex Speaker; Bennett Hall President; NCAA Athlete in Tennis; Blue Key National Honor Society; Homecoming Court; Who's Who Among Students in American Universities and Colleges.