Legislative Department
TAC actively gathers, analyzes and distributes vital information on legislation affecting county government. Legislative staff works to build strong working relationships with county officials and their associations as well as legislators and their staff. TAC's Legislative Department keeps county officials abreast of current legislative news through a monthly publication called County Issues which can be delivered right to your desktop.

Legal Research and Information
One of county officials' greatest challenges is ensuring that operations are within the many state and federal guidelines. By offering a toll-free legal hotline (888-ASK-TAC4) and through email, TAC legal specialists can assist county officials in researching issues to find statutes, opinions, and court cases relevant to a particular county situation. In addition, we provide many legal resources on-line including upcoming legal deadlines, a wide variety of legal publications, law links, a search mechanism for laws and codes and other resources.

Library - Communications
The Association delivers a variety of award-winning publications, both online and in print to keep county officials apprised of issues affecting local governments. In our online library, you can peruse current and past issues of County and County Issues.

You will probably have lots of questions during your transition to public office and what better way to get your questions answered than to efficiently ask your peers? A communication tool that is especially handy are listserves that are administered by TAC. A listserve is an email group whose members can seek information from the others by sending a single email to the entire group. All listserves are free to officials and employees from TAC member counties. Membership in some listserves is limited to particular officials or organizations.

County Data
Better information lays the groundwork for better decision-making. The TAC Board formed the County Information Project to serve as a central source for county data, which before was scattered and many times difficult to locate from among the various state and federal agencies.

On this Web site, you have easy access to a wealth of county data that includes tax information, county profiles, redistricting, census and financial data. Of particular use during budget time is a county comparison search engine, which provides useful comparative data for similar counties. Another helpful tool is an advanced search engine that allows members to easily drill for and compare specific property tax and demographic information. You set the parameters of the search and it does the work.

If officials are in need of information and not quite sure how to find it, they can contact CIP staff through email or TAC's toll free number 800-456-5974.

Education
TAC offers customized educational programs that can improve county operations, such as judicial education, modern management skills, county investment training, loss control and changes in public policy. Our education section offers a comprehensive summary of TAC sponsored education events including on-line registration. Our education section also provides need-to-know continuing education information and an extensive calendar of events for our county audience.

Self-Insurance Coverages
For more than 25 years, counties have been banding together through the Texas Association of Counties to self-insure against a broad range of liabilities. Owned and managed by counties, these programs through the years have saved Texas taxpayers millions of dollars and grown into a stable, sustainable resource of protection. In addition to rates below the commercial market, TAC's loss control programs work for our counties to help curb rising insurance costs. As a non-profit organization, our goals with these coverages are to provide counties and other related entities with what they need—reliable protection, responsive service and effective loss control.

Read about the following coverages: Workers' Compensation, Liability, Health Care and Employee Benefits, Unemployment Compensation, and Property & Casualty.

Have questions concerning your county's coverage? Click here to find your representative to receive personalized assistance.

Risk Management Services
The Texas Association of Counties has representatives for every county to help our members obtain insurance coverages tailored to the individual needs of that county. TAC's field representatives provide risk management consultation and technical assistance on coverages and pooling. Our staff possesses expertise in risk management, safety, human resources and law enforcement to work with counties to minimize their losses. In addition to insurance, field representatives are an important resource that county officials can rely upon for day-to-day questions and to help identify needs. Find your field representatives or call 800-456-5974.

Other Services

County Information Resources Agency (CIRA)
TAC has sponsored the creation of the County Information Resources Agency (CIRA) to provide assistance to county government in all matters relating to their technology needs. To date, 227 counties have become members. Of those, CIRA has designed and hosts 156 county Web sites. Visit the listing to see if your county is a member.

TAC's County Market
County Market is a service that provides members with efficient access to cooperative purchasing opportunities and other on-line purchasing services. TAC has partnered with several purchasing cooperatives including the BuyBoard, sponsored by Texas Association of School Boards, and U.S. Communities, sponsored by the National Association of Counties, to provide counties with opportunities to ensure best value when purchasing county goods and services. The County Market is still in its development stages but plans to provide a sample bid library, purchasing law summaries, feedback and other helpful information.

Retiree Benefits
It's never too early to think retirement. TAC is an active sponsor of the deferred compensation program offered by NACo. Although most county officials and employees have an excellent retirement program with the Texas District and Retirement System, it is important to supplement this with a deferred compensation program. Nationwide Retirement Solutions, co-sponsored by the National Association of Counties and TAC, is the largest deferred compensation program in the country for county employees and provides an array of tax-deferred investments.

Leadership Foundation
Created by the Association Board of Directors in 2000, the Texas Association of Counties Leadership Foundation focuses on developing leadership skills, strategic policy planning and disseminating best practices of innovation and achievement. Currently the Foundation features an intensive leadership class designed for county officials and an annual county best practices awards program.