Jun 13, 2025

Advocacy   |   Water and Wildlife California Congressmen Introduce Valley Water Protection Act

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 protect impacted farmers from

Jun 13, 2025

Advocacy U.S. Senate Confirms Stephen Vaden as Deputy Secretary of Agriculture

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

Jun 06, 2025

Advocacy   |   Public Safety and Emergency Management CalAssist Mortgage Fund Established to Provide Grants to Homeowners Impacted by Recent Disasters

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 mortgage relief program

Jun 06, 2025

Advocacy   |   County Operations Bill of the Week: Assembly Bill 1337 (Ward) - Information Practices Act of 1977

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 essential service delivery

Jun 06, 2025

Advocacy   |   Transportation Transportation Secretary Releases Report Finding No Viable Path Forward for California High-Speed Rail Project

One 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 awards. The detailed report

May 30, 2025

Advocacy   |   Air Quality RCRC Recommends Larger GGRF Investments to Address Significant Challenges Faced by Rural Communities

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

May 30, 2025

Advocacy   |   Agriculture Bill of the Week:  AB 1156 (Wicks) Williamson Act: Solar-Use Easements

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 bill and now supports the measure

May 30, 2025

Advocacy   |   Health Care and Social Services $800 Million Available in New Prop 1 Grants

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) represents the final round

May 30, 2025

Advocacy Congressional Recess and What Lies Ahead

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

May 30, 2025

Advocacy Fiscal Year 2026 Appropriations Update

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