This disclosure relates generally to wireless communications and, more particularly, to systems and methods for radio resource control (RRC) connection management in a network sharing configuration, including an RRC resume from an RRC inactive state, and RRC re-establishment. In one embodiment, a method performed by a communication node, includes: receiving a request from a communication device to establish a current connection associated with a prior connection between the communication device and a prior communication node, wherein the request comprises communication device authentication information; and establishing the current connection based on a determination that communication node authentication information matches the communication device authentication information, wherein the communication node authentication information is based on a predetermined subset of input parameters, and wherein the determination is performed at the communication node or at the prior communication node.