RCRC aims to continuously provide our member counties with engaging and informative content. For that purpose, RCRC is currently evaluating our communications methods and asking all of our member county Board Supervisors and County Administrative Officers to provide...
The Rural Recap is prepared for the RCRC Board of Directors to highlight significant actions taken on issues impacting California’s rural counties. It outlines key advocacy efforts engaged in by RCRC staff on behalf of California’s rural communities and serves...
On January 6, RCRC honored Jaime Green, former Superintendent of the Trinity Alps Unified School District, with the 2025 RCRC President’s Award for his dedicated advocacy on behalf of California’s rural counties. The annual award recognizes individuals who exceed...
RCRC supports Assembly Bill 35, authored by Assemblymember David Alvarez (D-San Diego). This measure seeks to exempt Proposition 4 (Climate Bond) funding from the Administrative Procedure Act (APA), enabling funds to be deployed more quickly and efficiently and...
RCRC, along with CSAC, Cal Cities, and Stop Waste, will host a webinar on Wednesday, January 28th at 9:30 a.m., to help local governments better understand SB 54 (Allen, 2022): California’s Plastic Pollution Prevention and Packaging Producer Responsibility Act. ...
On January 9, CalRecycle announced that they have withdrawn the SB 54 Single Use Packaging Regulations from the Office of Administrative Law (OAL) to incorporate additional amendments. SB 54 (Allen) of 2022 requires manufacturers of single use packaging and...
This week, several RCRC-supported measures passed out of policy committees and now head to their respective Appropriations Committees and Floors for action before the January 31 deadline for two-year bills to pass the house of origin. RCRC-sponsored SB...
On January 9, the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) published a notice in the Federal Register announcing that Worthington Enterprises was seeking a determination as to whether a new California law prohibiting the sale of small single-use...
On January 2, the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals issued a key decision holding that federal constitutional protections for interstate commerce (the so-called “dormant commerce clause”) do not apply to commercial cannabis activities, which are illegal under federal...
On January 12, the Department of the Interior announced it is taking the next step to establish the U.S. Wildland Fire Service. Currently, wildland fire management responsibilities within the Department of the Interior (DOI) are distributed across multiple bureaus...
On January 15, the White House released a fact sheet outlining an affordability framework, dubbed the “Great Healthcare Plan”, which aims to lower prescription drug prices and insurance premiums without extending the Affordable Care Act’s (ACA) expired tax credits....
A memorial for Congressman Doug LaMalfa (R-Richvale) is scheduled to occur on Saturday, January 24 at Silver Dollar Fairgrounds in Chico. The service is expected to start at noon, doors open at 10:00 a.m., and parking is available starting at 9:30 a.m. Tickets are...
Announcements regarding key staffing changes of importance to California’s rural counties. Sara Nelson, of Roseville, has been appointed Deputy Secretary of Administrative Services at the California Health and Human Services Agency. Nelson has been Chief of the...
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. What Congressman LaMalfa’s death means for House Republicans, rural California – Capital Public Radio...
On Friday, January 9th, Governor Newsom released his Administration’s 2026-27 Proposed Budget. This proposal begins the budget development process between the Governor and Legislature, whereby lawmakers must pass a budget by June 15th for the July 1st start of the...
RCRC supports Senate Bill 299, authored by Senator Christopher Cabaldon (D-Yolo). On January 5, Senator Cabaldon amended Senate Bill 299 to exempt residential day care centers from the California Environmental Quality Act. CEQA is intended to improve decision-making...
On Thursday, January 8th, Governor Newsom appeared before a joint session of the State Senate and Assembly for the first time since 2020 to deliver his final State of the State address before his time in office concludes next year. The Governor spoke for a little...
On Tuesday, the California Natural Resources Agency (CNRA) announced two webinars to highlight their efforts on the state’s 30×30 conservation policy. The first, scheduled to occur on Friday, January 9, was to train “30×30 Ambassadors” to...
On December 18, the House passed the Standardizing Permitting and Expediting Economic Development (SPEED) Act (H.R. 4776) in a 221–196 vote, marking the first major permitting reform vote of the Congress and setting up a high-stakes Senate negotiation in 2026. The...
On December 18, the House of Representatives passed the Pet and Livestock Protection Act (H.R. 845), which would remove the gray wolf from protections under the Endangered Species Act and return wildlife management authority to the states. The measure directs the...
Announcements regarding key staffing changes of importance to California’s rural counties. Rafael Acevedo, of Imperial County, has been appointed Warden at Richard J. Donovan State Prison, where he has been Acting Warden since 2024. Acevedo held multiple...
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. Wolf attack in Lassen County kills horse, alarms sheriff – Sacramento Bee After a wolf killed a...
The RCRC family is deeply saddened by the passing of Congressman Doug LaMalfa. Serving California’s 1st District from 2013 to 2026, Congressman LaMalfa was more than a representative; he was a dedicated partner and steadfast advocate for rural counties, ensuring that...
The Barbed Wire will be on hiatus through the end of the year, resuming on Friday, January 9, 2025. Warmest wishes for a wonderful Holiday Season and a Happy New Year from all of us at...
On December 12, RCRC, CSAC, and the League of Cities jointly responded to a solicitation from California Earthquake Authority seeking stakeholder input on a variety of topics related to the accessibility and affordability of property insurance; potential changes to...
On December 17, California’s U.S. Senators Alex Padilla and Adam Schiff announced the reintroduction of a sweeping public lands package. The Protecting Unique and Beautiful Landscapes by Investing in California (PUBLIC) Lands Act would protect and restore over 1.7...
On December 16, U.S. Senators Jeff Merkley (D-OR) and Roger Marshall (R-KS) introduced the Post-Wildfire Environmental Assistance Act, bipartisan legislation that would allow the federal government to help pay for hazardous debris cleanup following wildfires, even...
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 Secures $110.9 Million in Bond Financing for Rural Broadband Expansion As of December...
Announcements regarding key staffing changes of importance to California’s rural counties. Laura Capps, of Santa Barbara, has been appointed to the Board of State and Community Corrections. Capps has served on the Board of Supervisors at the County of Santa...
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. What They’re Saying: LaMalfa Legislation to Protect Rural Areas from Fires Passes House – Congressman...
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