An Act advancing equity for rural communities receiving state grants

HD 875 defines "rural communities" as municipalities with under 500 people per square mile or under 7,000 residents (per U.S. census). It requires all state agencies distributing grants to prioritize applications from these rural communities, especially those seeking to regionalize or share services. Agencies must also proactively identify and inform rural communities about relevant grant programs. An annual report on implementation must be submitted to specific legislative committees by July 1 each year. This directly affects rural municipalities seeking state grant funding for local services.