On Tuesday, April 7, the California Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) announced the release of a 2026 update to the Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU) Handbook. The Handbook reflects the most recent changes to state ADU law and is intended to serve as a...
On Monday, April 6, the California Department of Cannabis Control (DCC) announced that the provisional commercial cannabis licensing program has been closed, and provisional licenses have been transitioned to annual licenses. Since DCC’s inception, 6,419 provisional...
On Thursday, April 2, U.S. Senators Alex Padilla (D-CA) and Tim Sheehy (R-MT), co-chairs of the Senate Wildfire Caucus, introduced the Support Our Firefighters Act, which would establish mandatory rest and recuperation periods for federal wildland firefighters and...
On Tuesday, April 7, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) finalized a rule updating its National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) implementing regulations. The rule makes permanent the changes introduced in an Interim Final Rule published in July 2025,...
Announcements regarding key staffing changes of importance to California’s rural counties. Sydney Bennett, of San Luis Obispo County, has been appointed to serve as a Judge in the Santa Barbara County Superior Court. Bennett has served as a Senior Public...
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. U.S. Forest Service will shut down majority of CA research stations – San Francisco Chronicle The Trump...
The RCRC Barbed Wire will be on hiatus next week, April 3rd. The California State Legislature adjourned for Spring Recess on March 26th and will return on April 6th. The U.S. House of Representatives and U.S. Senate are scheduled to be on recess for the next two...
RCRC, together with the Association of California Healthcare Districts (ACHD), is co-sponsoring Assembly Bill 1811 authored by Assemblymember Chris Rogers (D-Santa Rosa). This measure seeks to preserve Health Professional Shortage Area (HPSA) designations.  ...
On Monday, March 23, 2026, RCRC Senior Policy Advocate John Kennedy accepted a Leadership Award on behalf of RCRC at the 28th Annual California Unified Program Agency (CUPA) Training Conference, in recognition of RCRC’s collaborative legislative efforts in partnership...
On March 12, 2026, DWR released the final California’s Groundwater: Bulletin 118 – Update 2025 (CalGW). CalGW Update 2025 provides a comprehensive inventory and assessment of available information on the occurrence and nature of groundwater and informs...
On March 25, House Committee on Agriculture Chairman, Glenn “GT” Thompson (D-PA), announced that Representative David Valadao (R-Hanford) has been appointed to the House Committee on Agriculture. Representative Valadao is an original co-sponsor of...
A monthly update regarding the important work of RCRC’s affiliate entities, providing innovative services for the benefit of rural communities. RAI Approves Phase II of Rural Fire and EMS Study The Rural Advancement Initiative (RAI) Board of Directors approved...
Announcements regarding key staffing changes of importance to California’s rural counties. Gregory Sarris, of Sonoma, has been reappointed to the University of California Board of Regents, where he served since 2023. Sarris has been Chairman of the Federated...
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. California Counties Warn Federal Cuts Could ‘Demolish’ Safety Net, Seek State Partnership –...
The California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) is asking California residents to share their experiences with internet access in order to update its Interactive Broadband Map. Feedback can be provided on broadband speeds and technology that does not match what is...
RCRC opposes Assembly Bill 2494, authored by Assemblymember Chris Rogers (D-Santa Rosa), which seeks to significantly alter the mission, funding structure, and management framework of California’s demonstration state forests. The demonstration forest system was...
On March 17, the Department of the Interior announced $889 million in investments for critical water infrastructure projects across the West, funded through the One Big Beautiful Bill Act. Specifically, California projects will receive $540 million of the total...
On March 16, the U.S. House of Representatives unanimously passed the Save our Sequoias Act (H.R. 2709). The bill aims to enhance interagency coordination between state, federal, and tribal partners, accelerate forest restoration efforts, and provide science-based...
On March 19th, the Senate Committee on Homeland Security advanced Markwayne Mullin’s nomination to be the next Secretary of Homeland Security by a vote of 8-7, with Senators Rand Paul (R-KY) and John Fetterman (D-PA) each crossing party lines to vote no and yes,...
Announcements regarding key staffing changes of importance to California’s rural counties. Janeth Corona, of El Centro, has been appointed to the Salton Sea Conservancy Governing Board. Corona has been the Mathematics, Engineering, Science Achievement Program...
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 California’s ‘snow-eater heat wave’ means for fire season – San Francisco Chronicle California’s...
On Wednesday March 11th, Governor Newsom announced round two of Behavioral Health Continuum Infrastructure Program (BHCIP) awards, totaling $1.2 billion to fund an additional 66 projects across 130 behavioral health facilities. The Governor specifically touted...
RCRC, in coalition with the California State Association of Counties (CSAC) and the League of California Cities (CalCities), is supporting Senate Bill 935 authored by Senator Steven Choi (R-Irvine). This measure seeks to allow local governments to continue to use the...
On Thursday March 12, the U.S. Senate passed the bipartisan 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act by a vote of 89-10. The bill combines the Senate’s ROAD to Housing Act (S. 2651) from last year with elements of the Housing for the 21st Century Act (H.R. 6644) which...
Last week, Congressman Vince Fong (CA-20) introduced the Doug LaMalfa Protect Innocent Victims of Taxation After Fire Extension Act. Re-introduced in memorial to the late Mr. LaMalfa, this bill would exempt wildfire relief payments made to victims from federal income...
The farm bill continues to face an unclear road forward, even as the House Agriculture Committee voted 34-17 on March 5 to advance a new five-year bill. House Agriculture Chair Glenn “GT” Thompson has expressed his hope to bring the legislation to the full...
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. March 11: Mariposa County Leader Becomes Rural Advocate In New Role – KVPR RCRC Chair and Mariposa...
Since November of 2025, RCRC has hosted six of the major Gubernatorial candidates in a series of policy-focused meet and greets with representatives from RCRC’s Board of Directors, to discuss the unique issues that rural counties face. These conversations have been an...
On February 20, Assembly Member Heather Hadwick (R-Alturas) introduced RCRC-sponsored Assembly Bill 2667 regarding vapes. AB 2667 seeks to protect children, young adults, and the public by: 1) banning disguised vapes and vapes containing video display devices,...
On March 4, the House Agriculture Committee advanced the Farm, Food, and National Security Act of 2026 out of committee (H.R. 7567) by a 34–17 vote following two days of markup and debate. While the vote was largely along party lines, seven Democrats joined...
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