RCRC, in coalition with the California State Association of Counties (CSAC) and the League of California Cities (CalCities), supported Senate Bill 935 authored by Senator Steven Choi (R-Irvine), which was signed into law by Governor Newsom on July 16th. This measure...
This week, Senate Agriculture Committee Chair John Boozman (R-AR) stated that he expects to mark up the Senate Farm Bill by August 6, in an effort to advance it before the August recess. However, the timing remains uncertain. Senator Mitch McConnell’s (R-KY)...
A group of twenty-two U.S. Senators led by Peter Welch (D-VT) and Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) is urging USDA to reconsider its proposed reorganization of the Rural Development mission area. In a July 24 letter to Deputy Agriculture Secretary Stephen Vaden, the Senators warn...
On July 29, 2026, the U.S. Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources advanced, by voice vote, two bills introduced by Senator Alex Padilla (D-CA). The MORE WATER Act would reauthorize expiring Bureau of Reclamation programs that fund water recycling projects...
A monthly update regarding the important work of RCRC’s affiliate entities, providing innovative services for the benefit of rural communities. Golden State Connect Authority RCRC-affiliate Golden State Connect Authority (GSCA) continues to make steady progress...
Announcements regarding key staffing changes of importance to California’s rural counties. Ian Bastek, of Roseville, has been appointed Chief Deputy Director at the California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services. Bastek has been Acting Chief Deputy Director...
RCRC press releases and related news clips about RCRC and our member counties. Please note that a subscription may be required to read some external publications. Rural County Representatives of California Opposes AT&T Petition that Threatens Universal Telephone...
RCRC’s Barbed Wire newsletter will be on hiatus, returning July 31, 2026. In the meantime, keep an eye on the Advocacy News page of the website for updates impacting California’s rural...
Registration is now open for RCRC’s 2026 Annual Meeting! The conference will be held September 23–25, 2026 at the Hilton Santa Barbara Beachfront Resort in Santa Barbara County. This year’s program will feature experts discussing a wide range of topics from...
On June 25, the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) conducted a workshop on wireless service quality issues, and the impacts network outages have on communities, especially during times of emergencies. RCRC member counties were represented on the workshop...
The Federal Office of Management and Budget (OMB) has proposed rewriting 2 CFR Part 200, the Uniform Guidance and the section governing federal grants counties receives. NACo is encouraging counties to submit a comment to OMB before the Monday, July 13th comment...
In a webinar on Thursday, July 9, CalHHS leadership provided an update on the latest efforts to address H.R. 1 impacts on safety-net programs in California and highlight recent guidance. View the H.R. 1 Update HERE. Earlier in July, CalHHS leadership provide a...
The Rural County Representatives of California is officially accepting submissions for our Tenth Annual Rural County Photo Contest from July 1 through July 31, 2026! We invite you to share original images that capture the beauty, diverse landscapes, architecture, and...
Announcements regarding key staffing changes of importance to California’s rural counties. Thomas Gibson, of West Sacramento, has been appointed Director at the California Department of Water Resources. Gibson has been Chief Deputy Director at the California...
RCRC press releases and related news clips about RCRC and our member counties. Please note that a subscription may be required to read some external publications. Ideas & Opinions — Sue Hoek: Don’t leave rural California without reliable telephone service –...
Over the final days of June, the Legislature acted upon several budget trailer bills before the start of the 2026-27 fiscal year, July 1. While several issues have been addressed by these latest actions, several others remain unresolved and budget negotiations are...
The Rural County Representatives of California is officially accepting submissions for our Tenth Annual Rural County Photo Contest from July 1 through July 31, 2026! We invite you to share original images that capture the beauty, diverse landscapes, architecture, and...
Registration is now open for RCRC’s 2026 Annual Meeting! The conference will be held September 23–25, 2026 at the Hilton Santa Barbara Beachfront Resort in Santa Barbara County. This year’s program will feature experts discussing a wide range of topics from strategies...
On Wednesday, the California Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) announced that the Streamlined Ministerial Approval Process (SMAP) Dashboard is now displaying an updated list of the California cities and counties that are subject to streamlined...
Connect the Valley (CtV) announced the launch of a new online resource on Tuesday that will serve as a centralized hub designed to help residents access nearby digital inclusion tools across Fresno, Kings, Madera, and Tulare counties. The Resource Library is available...
The HELP II Loan Program, administered by the California Health Facilities Financing Authority (CHFFA) within the State Treasurer’s Office, offers low-cost loans to assist eligible health facilities wanting to expand and improve services to their clients and the...
The Barbed Wire newsletter will be on hiatus next week for the July 4th holiday. We will return July 10th with the latest legislative and regulatory news impacting California’s rural...
RCRC will open registration for the 2026 Annual Meeting in early July. The event is being held in Santa Barbara County from September 23 to September 25, 2026. The lineup for this year’s program is filled with engaging panels and expert speakers discussing a wide...
RCRC, together with the California Renewable Transportation Alliance, as well as other local government and solid waste stakeholders, is supporting Assembly Bill 1436 authored by Assemblymember Anamarie Ávila Farías (D-Martinez). This measure seeks to clarify that the...
Earlier this month, the Wildfire and Forest Resilience Task Force released its draft Wildfire and Landscape Resilience Action Plan (2026-2031). Announcing its release, the Task Force states that the plan is grounded in the latest wildfire science and builds on...
On Tuesday June 23, the Governor’s Office of Land Use and Climate Innovation (LCI) announced Round 1 of the Adaption Planning Grant Program (APGP) has closed. The program invested $8 million across 14 projects meant to address issues like extreme heat, sea level rise,...
On Wednesday, the National Association of Counties sent an Action Alert regarding the bipartisan 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act (H.R. 6644). UPDATE & ACTION ALERT: Bipartisan Housing Bill Awaiting President’s Signature Counties Must Act Now Earlier today...
On June 24, U.S. Senate Agriculture Committee Chairman Senator John Boozman (R-AR) released the Senate draft of the Farm Bill, marking the beginning of formal Senate consideration of the legislation ahead of an expected committee markup next month. At a high level,...
On June 23, the U.S. Department of the Interior announced that more than 1,900 state and local governments will receive a combined $733 million through the Payments in Lieu of Taxes (PILT) program for 2026. The Payments in Lieu of Taxes (PILT) program provides vital...
A monthly update regarding the important work of RCRC’s affiliate entities, providing innovative services for the benefit of rural communities. Fiber Is in the Ground: GSCA Marks Milestone in Glenn County After years of planning, coordination, and hard work,...
Sarah Dukett
Senior Policy Advocate
Leigh Kammerich
Senior Policy Advocate
John Kennedy
Senior Policy Advocate
Staci Heaton
Senior Policy Advocate
Tracy Rhine
Senior Policy Advocate
Eric Will
Policy Advocate
Mary-Ann Warmerdam
Senior Vice President Governmental Affairs