The Barbed Wire - February 22, 2019

February 22, 2019
The Year Ahead With the RCRC
RCRC Officers and Senior Board Members Head to Washington, D.C.
Farm Bill Implementation
Rural Broadband Update
Bill of the Week: Assembly Bill 510 (Cooley) – Local Government: Destruction of Records
THE RURAL RUNDOWN PODCAST
BULLETIN BOARD
LEGISLATIVE UPDATE

The Year Ahead With the RCRC

By Matt Kingsley

RCRC Chair and Inyo County Supervisor

I was recently sworn in as chairman of the Rural County Representatives of California, better known as RCRC. RCRC is an association that advocates on behalf of 36 of California’s rural counties before legislative and regulatory bodies in Sacramento and Washington, D.C. Inyo County has been a member of RCRC since 1973 and I have served as the Inyo County delegate on the RCRC Board of Directors since 2015.  Read More…

RCRC Officers and Senior Board Members Head to Washington, D.C.

Early next week, RCRC Chair Matt Kingsley (Inyo), RCRC Vice Chair Daron McDaniel (Merced), RCRC 2nd Vice Chair Stacy Corless (Mono), and RCRC Immediate Past Chair Rex Bohn (Humboldt) will join RCRC Board Members and Western Interstate Region Delegates Kevin Cann (Mariposa) and Lee Adams (Sierra) and RCRC legislative staff for the National Association of Counties’ (NACo) 2019 Legislative Conference in Washington, D.C.  The annual event brings more than 2,000 elected and appointed county officials from around the country to the nation’s capital to focus on federal policy issues that impact counties.  

Prior to the convening of the NACo Legislative Conference, RCRC’s senior leadership will have meetings with key members of Congress and congressional staff to advocate on a number of priority issues, including providing a long-term solution to continuing the Secure Rural Schools (SRS) program, liberalizing federal banking laws to address cannabis, and enacting an infrastructure package that addresses not only roads and bridges, but the deployment of broadband and constructing water/waste water facilities in low-population counties.  The RCRC delegation will also hold meetings with key personnel from the Administration, including the Chief of the U.S. Forest Service.

Farm Bill Implementation

Next week the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is holding a listening session for growers and producers to discuss implementation of the 2018 Farm Bill.  USDA officials will likely assure attendees that Farm Bill programs will be implemented on time, despite disruptions caused by the recent government shutdown.  According to a statement made by USDA Under Secretary Bill Northey, the agency is “seeking input from stakeholders on how USDA can streamline and improve program delivery while also enhancing customer service.”  

The listening session is scheduled for February 26 at 9:00 a.m.  USDA is accepting written comments on the 2018 Farm Bill through March 1, 2019.

Rural Broadband Update

Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Chairman Ajit Pai has circulated a draft version of the 2019 Broadband Deployment Report.  The annual report provides a detailed analysis on the state of the digital divide between rural and urban America.  According to the draft report, the digital divide between rural and urban Americans has narrowed substantially.  

The report shows that, since the 2018 edition, the number of users lacking access to the minimum standard for high-speed internet has dropped by 25 percent.  Approximately 5.6 million rural Americans obtained a high-speed broadband connection in 2018, which the report attributes to regulatory changes from the FCC that incentivize more investment in broadband deployment projects.

The figures used by the FCC rely on a 25/3 Mbps standard for minimum internet speeds.  Democratic FCC Commissioner Jessica Rosenworcel argues this standard for minimum broadband should be raised, and that Chairman Pai’s draft report is not an accurate depiction of the state of broadband deployment.  The report will be controversial among members of Congress from rural areas where broadband deployment is a major issue.  The FCC’s rural coverage data is often a major target for rural broadband advocates who argue the Commission’s data overestimates high-speed internet access in rural areas.

Bill of the Week: Assembly Bill 510 (Cooley) – Local Government: Destruction of Records

RCRC has lent its support to Assembly Bill 510, authored by Assembly Member Ken Cooley (D-Rancho Cordova).  AB 510 would allow public agencies to manage their records retention policies for recordings related to routine video monitoring, radios, and telephones. 

AB 510 modernizes our state’s retention records mandate to allow for modern practices, and provides flexibility for counties to adapt to future technological advances.  Currently, AB 510 awaits consideration in the Assembly.  RCRC’s support letter can be accessed here.

 For more information, Paul A. Smith, RCRC Governmental Affairs Vice President, can be reached at (916) 447-4806 or psmith@rcrcnet.org.

THE RURAL RUNDOWN PODCAST

The Rural Rundown discusses the legislative and regulatory issues impacting California’s rural counties, featuring commentary and interviews from individuals committed to improving the quality of life in rural California. 

The Rural Rundown can be accessed here

BULLETIN BOARD

Announcements regarding hearings, grants, and public comment notices of importance to California's rural counties.

USDA Seeks Applications for the Community Connect Grant Program

Click here

USDA Seeks Applications for Rural Business Development Grants

Click here

PPIC Report: Water and the Future of the San Joaquin Valley

Click here

LEGISLATIVE UPDATE

RCRC members are encouraged to share letters addressed to state and federal representatives and regulatory bodies with RCRC’s Government Affairs staff.  

Assembly Bill 41 (Gallagher): Disaster Relief: Camp Fire. Assembly Bill 41 provides that the State share for disaster relief is born by the State as it relates to the Camp Fire that started in November 2018 in Butte County. Status: AB 41 awaits consideration in the Assembly Governmental Organization Committee. RCRC Status: Support

Assembly Bill 72 (Assembly Budget Committee): Budget Act of 2018. Assembly Bill 72 amends the Budget Act of 2018 by amending and adding items of appropriation and making other changes. Status: AB 72 has been signed into law by the Governor. RCRC Status: Support

Assembly Bill 217 (Garcia, E.): Safe and Affordable Drinking Water. Assembly Bill 217 establishes the Safe and Affordable Drinking Water Fund in the State Treasury and provides that moneys in the fund are available, upon appropriation by the Legislature, to the State Water Resources Control Board to provide a stable source of funding to secure access to safe drinking water for all Californians, while also ensuring the long-term sustainability of drinking water service and infrastructure. Status:  AB 217 awaits consideration in the Assembly Environmental Safety and Toxic Materials Committee.  RCRC Position: Pending

Assembly Bill 343 (Patterson) Forestry: Biomass Energy. Assembly Bill 343 would require the California Natural Resources Agency to create and implement a program to offset the costs of transporting fuels to a biomass energy facility. Status: AB 343 awaits consideration in the Assembly Natural Resources Committee. RCRC Status: Support

Senate Bill 19 (Dodd): Water Resources: Stream Gages. Senate Bill 19 requires the California Department of Water Resources to develop a plan to deploy a network of stream gages that includes a determination of new needs as well as opportunities for reactivating existing gages. Status:  SB 19 awaits consideration in the Senate Natural Resources and Water Committee. RCRC Position: Support

Senate Bill 45 (Allen): Wildfire, Drought, and Flood Protection Bond Act 2020. Senate Bill 45 enacts the Wildfire, Drought, and Flood Protection Bond Act of 2020, which, if approved by voters, authorizes the issuance of bonds to finance projects to restore fire damaged areas, reduce wildfire risk, create healthy forests and watersheds, reduce climate impacts on urban areas and vulnerable populations, protect water supply and water quality, protect rivers, lakes and streams, reduce flood risk, protect fish and wildlife from climate impacts, and protect coastal lands and resources. Status: SB 45 awaits consideration in the Senate Natural Resources and Water Committee. RCRC Status: Pending

Senate Bill 62 (Dodd): Endangered Species: Accidental Take. Senate Bill 62 would make permanent an “accidental take” of candidate, threatened, or endangered species resulting from acts that occur on a farm or a ranch in the course of otherwise lawful routine. Status: SB 62 awaits consideration in the Senate Natural Resources and Water Committee. RCRC Status: Support

Senate Bill 200 (Monning): Safe and Affordable Drinking Water Fund. Senate Bill 200 establishes the Safe and Affordable Drinking Water Fund in the State Treasury and provides that moneys in the fund are available, upon appropriation by the Legislature, to the State Water Resources Control Board to provide a stable source of funding to secure access to safe drinking water for all Californians, while also ensuring the long-term sustainability of drinking water service and infrastructure. Status: SB 200 awaits consideration in the Senate Environmental Quality Committee. RCRC Status: Pending

Senate Bill 414 (Caballero): Small Systems Water Authority Act of 2019. Senate Bill 414 creates the Small System Water Authority Act of 2019 and states legislative findings and declarations relating to authorizing the creation of small system water authorities that will have powers to absorb, improve, and competently operate noncompliant public water systems. Status: SB 414 awaits consideration in the Senate. RCRC Status: Pending