Rural County Representatives of California Selects Legislator of the Year

 Assemblywoman Kristin Olsen (R-Modesto) has been selected as Legislator of the Year by the Rural County Representatives of California (RCRC). The organization is an association of 32 rural counties that advocates before the Legislature, Congress and state and federal government agencies on behalf of rural issues and was formerly known as the Regional Council of Rural Counties. Every year the RCRC selects recipients for the “Patti Mattingly Award" for 2012 to recognize policymakers who have demonstrated leadership on rural issues and an understanding of the unique challenges that rural communities face.

Assemblywoman Kristin Olsen and former Assemblywoman Fiona Ma were selected as this year’s recipients. Supervisor Kevin Cann of Mariposa County, Chair of the Rural County Representatives of California commented, “Assemblywoman Olsen’s efforts exemplify what can be accomplished when one rolls up their sleeves and works for the greater good – all the time by being respectful to the positions of others in the process.”

According to the RCRC, Olsen was chosen for the award based on the following actions:

Co-authoring legislative efforts to repeal fees imposed on those who reside in State Responsibility Areas;
authoring AB  890 which exempts from the California Environmental Quality Act the rehabilitation of existing roadways, provided the project is carried out by a city or county to improve public safety;
Authoring AB 1973 which related to protected species and the Ferguson Slide Permanent Restoration Project in Mariposa County;
Authoring AB 1592 which related to the waiving of municipal fees for disabled veterans.
The award was established in memory of former Supervisor Patti Mattingly of Siskiyou County.

Speaking of the RCRC, Supervisor Kevin Cann of Mariposa County has been selected as the Chairman of the Board of Directors during a recent Board meeting in Sacramento. Cann commented, “I expect much of this year’s agenda will focus on implementing federal health care reforms in rural counties, continued challenges in prisoner management (AB 109 realignment) and eliminating fees on residents in State Responsibility Areas.  But, there are likely to be other important state and federal issues that we will need to address. To accomplish these goals, I will be working with the other rural county supervisors to ensure the concerns of Mariposa County and all California’s rural counties are heard and represented.”