Assemblywoman Heather Hadwick (R-Alturas) wrapped up the 2026 legislative session after a final stretch of long floor sessions, thousands of votes and last-minute negotiations, finishing the year strong and delivering for her district.
The Legislature was scheduled to complete its work by midnight on August 31, but the Assembly continued its final legislative day into September 1.
“End of session is always a marathon—long days, late nights, hundreds of votes, bills changing by the hour and plenty of chaos right up until the final gavel,” Hadwick said. “When I look back at this year, what I am most proud of is the relationships my staff and I have built and the results we were able to deliver for the people of Assembly District 1.”
Hadwick cast almost 3,000 votes during the year, served on 16 committees, served as Vice Chair of both the Assembly Agriculture Committee and Emergency Management Committee, and served as Deputy Republican Leader. She finished the legislative year with 12 bills awaiting action by the Governor, one of which have been signed into law, including a resolution: Assembly Bill 1912 for archery hunters to be able to carry a firearm with them while deer hunting, and Assembly Concurrent Resolution 162 creating a Congressman Doug LaMalfa Memorial Highway in Butte County.
Throughout the session, Hadwick focused on bringing the perspective of rural California into conversations at the Capitol, while working with legislators from both parties on issues important to her sprawling 11-county district.
“I have always believed that relationships matter in this building,” Hadwick said. “We are not going to agree on everything—but when there is an opportunity to find common ground and deliver something meaningful for our communities, I am going to take it.”
That effort extended far beyond the Capitol. Hadwick invited fellow legislators to Assembly District 1 to experience rural California firsthand, introducing them to local farmers, ranchers, small businesses, community leaders and residents.
“Tours of the district are my favorite thing to do with my colleagues, I have cooked for them, introduced them to my cows, drove them through our communities and showed them our farms, forests and small towns,” Hadwick said. “It is much harder to overlook rural California once you have met our people, traveled our roads and seen firsthand the distances we travel and the challenges our communities face. We live so differently than they do in urban areas and now it’s my job to teach them about rural living.”
Those distances added up. Hadwick has driven more than 45,000 miles so far in 2026 traveling between Sacramento and communities throughout Assembly District 1, which includes Alpine, Amador, El Dorado, Lassen, Modoc, Nevada, Placer, Plumas, Shasta, Sierra and Siskiyou counties.
While the conclusion of the legislative session marks the beginning of the final recess, Hadwick said her work will now shift almost entirely back to the district.
“Legislative recess does not mean time off in District 1,” Hadwick said. “This is my favorite part of the year. I get to come home, get out on the road, and spend time with the people I am honored to represent.”
Hadwick and her staff will spend the coming months holding local meetings, visiting communities and businesses, touring projects and hosting Community Conversations throughout the district.
“Representing 11 rural counties means you have to show up,” Hadwick said. “You cannot understand a district this large from behind a desk in Sacramento. I want to hear directly from the people I represent, see what is working and what isn’t, and take those conversations back with me when we return to the Capitol. We are hosting Community Conversations in every County this fall to make sure that we are focused on what matters to our residents when we are back in Sacramento.”
“Serving Assembly District 1 is the honor of a lifetime,” Hadwick said. “I am grateful for every mile, every conversation and every opportunity I have had this year to be a voice for rural California. We accomplished a lot, but there is much more work ahead!”
