County News Hot Topics – Mental Health and Criminal Justice Reform

On July 24, 2026, U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins announced a major reorganization of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) that will relocate thousands of federal employees, restructure regional offices and consolidate administrative services and operations. The changes are expected to reduce USDA’s footprint in Washington, D.C. and shift more personnel to regional hubs across the country. 

On September 16, the U.S. Senate Agriculture Committee held a markup of the Agricultural Act of 2026, the Senate's version of the 2026 Farm Bill.

On August 6, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) released a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) that would significantly revise the Head Start Program Performance Standards.