Earlier this week, California Air Resources Board (CARB) Chair Liane Randolph announced that the agency is abandoning its quest for a federal Clean Air Act waiver from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to enact...
The Rural County Representatives of California (RCRC) is sponsoring Assembly Bill 240, authored by Assembly Member Juan Alanis (R-Merced). This measure would require the Little Hoover Commission to conduct a study evaluating the educational needs...
On January 16th, Representative Marie Gluesenkamp Perez (D-WA-03) sent a letter urging House Leadership to immediately prioritize a three-year extension of the Secure Rural Schools (SRS) program. The SRS program provides vital funding to address school...
On January 14, U.S. Representative Vince Fong (R-CA-20), along with Representative Jennifer McClellan (D-VA-04), introduced the bipartisan ACERO Act. This legislation authorizes NASA’s Advanced Capabilities for Emergency Response Operations (ACERO) project to develop technology for drones...
On January 16, House Natural Resources Chairman Bruce Westerman (R-AR-04) and Representative Scott Peters (D-CA-50) announced the reintroduction of the Fix Our Forests Act, a bipartisan bill aimed at strengthening resiliency through active forest management....
On January 14, Representative Mike Thompson (D-Lake) was once again named Ranking Member of the House Ways and Means Subcommittee on Tax Policy. This appointment was confirmed by a vote of the full committee. “It’s...
This is the first installment of the RCRC Board Member Spotlight, a new recurring feature of the Barbed Wire! The Board Member Spotlight is intended to familiarize subscribers with RCRC Board members, providing insights from...
Announcements regarding hearings, grants, and public comment notices of rural county importance.
Billions of dollars are up for grabs to public agencies and other entities, including tribes and businesses. Grant seekers can access a centralized portal of grant and loan opportunities here, or sign up to receive new grant opportunities...
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.
Federal funding for rural schools goes to 39 California counties. School districts in those communities consider the money a lifeline.
California won’t pursue a ban on new diesel truck sales by 2036 — and force fleet owners to take them off the road by 2042 — after Biden’s EPA failed to act on necessary waivers from federal air quality rules.
Hydroclimate whiplash — the rapid shift between wet and dry conditions — likely contributed to the severity of the wildfires burning in Southern California, according to experts.
Information related to the current status of legislation impacting California’s rural counties.
AB 1 (Connolly) Residential property insurance: wildfire risk. Current Department of Insurance regulations prohibit an insurer from using a rating plan that does not take into account and reflect specified wildfire risk mitigation, including property-level building hardening measures. This bill would require the department, on or before January 1, 2030, and every 5 years thereafter, to consider whether or not to update its regulations to include additional building hardening measures for property-level mitigation efforts and communitywide wildfire mitigation programs. As part of this consideration, the bill would require the department to consult with specified agencies to identify additional building hardening measures to consider, as well as to develop and implement a public participation process during the evaluation. (Based on 12/02/2024 text) Location: Assembly PRINT Status: 12/03/2024 – From printer. May be heard in committee January 2. Position: Support Lobbyist: Staci (1), Tracy (2)
