Welcome to the next installment of the RCRC Board Member Spotlight, a recurring feature of the Barbed Wire! The Board Member Spotlight is intended to familiarize subscribers with RCRC Board members, providing insights from their background in public service to their...
Announcements regarding key staffing changes of importance to California’s rural counties. Marta Barlow, of El Dorado Hills, has been appointed Chief Counsel at the Office of the Inspector General. Barlow has been an Attorney IV at the State Personnel Board...
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. A CA county may lose its only hospital because of a dispute over roads – CalMatters Glenn County’s only...
On Friday, June 13, both houses of the Legislature passed the Budget Act of 2025 (Senate Bill 101), on a largely party line vote, following approximately four hours of floor discussion. The Budget Act now proceeds to the Governor’s desk for action. It is expected that...
RCRC, in coalition with our county partners, strongly opposes Assembly Bill 690, authored by Assemblymember Nick Schultz (D-Burbank). This measure would create additional mandates for the provision of indigent defense services, resulting in increased cost pressures to...
On May 16th, CalRecycle released revised draft regulations implementing Senate Bill 54 (Allen, 2022) related to single use packaging and food service ware. RCRC provided extensive comments on CalRecycle’s previous regulatory package, which was ultimately abandoned. ...
Earlier this week, the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) announced a pilot effort in partnership with federal and local agencies to combat livestock depredations by gray wolves in Siskiyou County, Sierra County and Plumas County. CDFW will be forming a...
On June 11, Congressman Adam Gray (D-Merced) introduced the Valley Water Protection Act, which would ensure Central Valley farmers and producers receive reliable water deliveries to support their operations. The Act would amend the Endangered Species Act (ESA) to...
On Tuesday June 10, in a 51-44 vote, the U.S. Senate confirmed Stephen Vaden to serve as Deputy Secretary of the United States Department of Agriculture. In this role, Mr. Vaden will oversee the department’s daily operations. Vaden previously served as General...
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 Democrat to shrink landline phase-out plan, but bill remains on edge | PoliticoPRO RCRC Policy...
On June 5th, Governor Newsom announced the CalAssist Mortgage Fund, which will be launching on June 12th to provide grants up to $20,000 to homeowners whose homes were destroyed or left uninhabitable in recent fires, floods, and other disasters. This new disaster...
RCRC, along with a coalition of other public agency stakeholders, strongly opposes Assembly Bill 1337, authored by Assemblymember Chris Ward (D-San Diego). This measure would impose significant costs and liability on state and local governments and jeopardize...
On June 4, U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy released the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) Compliance Review Report, which found that the California High-Speed Rail Authority (CHSRA)’s high speed rail project is in default of the terms of its federal grant...
Announcements regarding key staffing changes of importance to California’s rural counties. Jonathon Porter, of Tulare, has been appointed to the 24th District Agricultural Association Tulare County Fair Board. Porter has been a Risk Management Consultant at...
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. Community college access lacking in five rural counties | Sacramento Bee Mariposa County Supervisor and...
On May 29th, RCRC submitted comments to the Senate Budget Committee regarding proposed allocations in the reauthorization of the Cap-and-Trade program. The funding provided by the program thus far has been vital to rural communities, while at the same time new...
Assembly Bill 1156, authored by Assembly Member Buffy Wicks (D, Oakland) seeks to update a law allowing solar use easements on Williamson Act lands, thereby putting unproductive farmland to use for renewable energy generation. RCRC has removed its opposition to the...
On May 30th, the Department of Health Care Services announced the opening of the application for grants for the second round of Proposition 1 Behavioral Health Continuum Infrastructure Program (BHCIP) Bond funding. The Unmet Needs Request for Applications (RFA)...
Before leaving Washington D.C. for Memorial Day recess, the U.S. House of Representatives passed a budget reconciliation package by a vote of 215-214. The bill now heads to the Senate, where it will face additional scrutiny when Congress returns next week....
Last week, U.S. House Appropriations Chairman Tom Cole (R-OK) released a schedule to markup all 12 Fiscal Year 2026 (FY ’26) spending bills over the next 10 weeks of June and July, with the goal of completing all markups before the August recess. Chairman Cole has...
AI agents are showing up in rural California counties, and Agentic AI—AI that can act on its own within set boundaries—is finding its way into county operations. In this special feature to the Barbed Wire, Steve Monaghan, retired Director of Nevada County’s...
A monthly update regarding the important work of RCRC’s affiliate entities, providing innovative services for the benefit of rural communities. RAI Leads “Beyond the Lettuce Curtain” Immersive Learning Experience in Monterey County In early May, the...
Announcements regarding key staffing changes of importance to California’s rural counties. Ramank Bharti, of Napa, has been appointed Director of Risk Management and Project Controls at the California High Speed Rail Authority. Bharti held multiple positions at...
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. CEQA nearly killed childcare facility in our community. Enough already. – San Francisco Chronicle...
In simultaneous hearings Friday, the Senate and Assembly Appropriations Committees took action on nearly 1,100 bills on their respective suspense files. Measures with cost impacts over the committee-designated Suspense File threshold faced one of three possible...
On May 21, California Congressmembers David Valadao (R-Hanford), Vince Fong (R-Bakersfield), and Jim Costa (D-Fresno), along with Representative Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick (D-FL), reintroduced the Farm to Market Road Improvement Act. The bipartisan legislation aims to...
On May 22, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) issued a memorandum clarifying the specific and limited role of States and Tribes in the federal licensing and permitting processes under Section 401 of the Clean Water Act (CWA). The EPA reiterates its...
On May 22, the U.S. Senate passed three Congressional Review Act (CRA) resolutions to revoke waivers that allow California to adopt tougher vehicle emission standards than the national standard. House Joint Resolution 87 overturns a waiver that allows California to...
Welcome to the next installment of the RCRC Board Member Spotlight, a recurring feature of the Barbed Wire! The Board Member Spotlight is intended to familiarize subscribers with RCRC Board members, providing insights from their background in public service to their...
Each year, Visit California publishes an in-depth analysis of the tourism industry’s statewide and county-level economic contributions. The 2024 report reflects the sector’s continued resilience and growth – with travel spending reaching a record high $157.3 billion....
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