On Monday, January 27th, the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) issued a Draft Resolution (ESRB-13) to enhance the safety and reliability of electric generation and energy storage facilities by updating CPUC General Order 167. The Draft Resolution incorporates two recently passed measures: Senate Bill 38 (Laird, 2023) which mandates Emergency Response and Action Plans for Energy Storage System (ESS) owners; and Senate Bill 1383 (Hueso, 2022) which requires the CPUC to…
On January 27, a bicameral bipartisan group of twenty-three California Legislators sent a letter to Speaker Mike Johnson and Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, strongly urging them to reauthorize the Secure Rural Schools and Community Self-Determination Act. The letter…
On January 30, more than 25 members of the public made comments at the California Public Utilities Commission hearing requesting that the Commission approve funding for broadband projects in Monterey and Calaveras counties. Along with County Administrative Officers, Mayors, and community members, seven rural county Supervisors testified…
Less than 48 hours after its initial release, a memo ordering the freeze of more than $1 trillion in federal grants, loans, and financial assistance was rescinded by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB). The memo, titled…
On January 24, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced two key appointments by President Trump to support his administration’s focus on forest management, wildfire prevention, and natural resource conservation…
In a joint statement, U.S. Senate Agriculture Chairman John Boozman (R-AR) and Ranking Member Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) announced the following Agriculture subcommittee leadership. This leadership will play an important role in crafting the farm bill and will handle…
A monthly update regarding the important work of RCRC’s affiliate entities, providing innovative services for the benefit of rural communities.
The California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) is in the process of awarding critical grant funding for broadband deployment through the Federal Funding Account (FFA) Last Mile program. At this time, Monterey and Calaveras counties remain two of the six counties that have not yet been awarded funding and the last two in which Golden State Connect Authority (GSCA) has applications. Elected Supervisors and staff members from many GSCA member counties, business and community leaders, and residents sent letters and videos…
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...
Announcements regarding key staffing changes of importance to California’s rural counties.
Leticia Palamidessi, of West Sacramento, has been appointed Deputy Director of Communications at the Governor’s Office of Land Use and Climate Innovation, where she has been a Supervising Communications Officer since and Lead Communications Officer to the Executive Director at the California Strategic Growth Council since 2024. From 2020 to 2024, Palamidessi was an Executive Marketing Specialist at the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, and prior to that she was an Information Officer for the California Department of Water Resources where she led outreach for the Climate Change Program, Division of Environmental Services, and Division of Engineering. Prior to state service, Palamidessi spent more than a decade elevating community voices and highlighting issues impacting Californians as a member of the media at various new organizations throughout Northern California – including being a General Assignment Reporter and Traffic Anchor for KCRA Channel 3 from 2017 to 2020. She is a California native and product of the state’s junior college and CSU systems, obtaining a Bachelor of Arts degree in Journalism from California State University, Sacramento. This position does not require Senate confirmation, and the compensation is $141,420. Palamidessi is registered without party preference.
Kristen Cerf, of Nevada County, has been appointed to the Protect Access to Health Care Act Stakeholder Advisory Committee. Cerf has been President and Chief Executive Officer at Blue Shield of California Promise Health Plan since 2020, where she has held several positions there and at Blue Shield of California since 2016, including Vice President of Medi-Cal Growth Strategy, Chief Legal Officer, and Associate General Counsel. She held several roles at Molina Healthcare from 2010 to 2015, including Associate Vice President and Assistant General Counsel, Senior Associate General Counsel and Associate General Counsel. Cerf was an Associate Attorney at Locke Lord LLP from 2007 to 2010. She held several roles at the California Department of Managed Care from 2004 to 2006, including Licensing Counsel, Graduate Legal Assistant and Senior Law Clerk. Cerf is a Board Member of Project Angel Food. She earned a Juris Doctor degree from the University of the Pacific, McGeorge School of Law and a Bachelor of Science degree in Microbiology from University of California, Davis. This position does not require Senate confirmation, and there is no compensation. Cerf is a Democrat.
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.
At its meeting Thursday, the California Public Utilities Commission will consider Edison’s request to pass on to its ratepayers $1.6 billion in damages from the 2017 Thomas wildfire in Santa Barbara and Ventura counties, one of the largest fires in state history.
Social and environmental groups sued last year saying the $1.8 billion Hell’s Kitchen project could cause water and air problems not disclosed in its environmental impact report. A judge disagreed.
LA had planned to take substantially less from the iconic Eastern Sierra lake this winter. The decision is a blow to conservationists who have been trying to restore the lake for decades.
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)
AB 240 (Alanis) Community colleges: study: Counties of Amador, Alpine, Mariposa, Modoc, and Sierra. Current law establishes the Milton Marks “Little Hoover” Commission on California State Government Organization and Economy (Little Hoover Commission) for purposes of securing assistance for the Governor and the Legislature in promoting economy, efficiency, and improved service in the transaction of the public business in the various departments, agencies, and instrumentalities of the executive branch of the state government, and in making the operation of all state departments, agencies, and instrumentalities, and all expenditures of public funds, more directly responsive to the wishes of the people as expressed by their elected representatives, as provided. Current law declares as legislative policy that all of the territory of the state shall be included within a community college district, except that territory located within a county where the county residents accounted for fewer than 350 units of average daily attendance in the state’s community colleges during the preceding fiscal year, and that territory located within such a county may be included within a community college district pursuant to prescribed procedures. This bill instead would declare as legislative policy that all of the territory of the state shall be included within a community college district or otherwise provided with equivalent opportunities for residents to participate in both in-person and online postsecondary education programs and courses. (Based on 01/14/2025 text) Location: Assembly PRINT Status: 01/15/2025 – From printer. May be heard in committee February 14. Position: Sponsor Lobbyist: Eric (2), Tracy (1)
For a full list of RCRC-tracked legislation, by issue area, use our Legislative Tracking Tool.
