Bill Would Change Rural-County Definition to Protect Small Counties from Losing Eligibility
Sen. Jeff Wilson told the committee Substitute Senate Bill 6,149 would allow counties with population density near 100 people per square mile to retain a rural designation so long as they have no city larger than 45,000, a change proponents say preserves access to economic grants and funding.
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Senator Jeff Wilson (19th Legislative District) sponsored Substitute Senate Bill 6,149, which would broaden the statutory definition of a "rural county" for purposes that include public facilities loans and grants. Emily Poole, staff to the committee, briefed the bill and said the current test defines a rural county as having fewer than 100 people per square mile or being smaller than 225 square miles; as of 2025 there are 29 rural counties under existing definitions.
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