Record Of Tribal Accomplishments | California Native American Legislative Caucus

LEGISLATION

2019-2020 Tribal Legislation

AB 275, Repatriation: (Chapter 167, Statutes of 2020) Streamlines process for repatriating Native American artifacts and human remains.
AB 1662, UC Committee Membership: (Chapter 112, Statutes of 2019) Adds an additional voting member from an Indian tribe to the University of California’s Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act Implementation and Oversight Committee to provide greater equity for Native American tribes seeking to reclaim human remains and cultural items.
AB 2112, Office of Suicide Prevention: (Chapter 142, Statutes of 2020) Creates a statewide office of suicide prevention.
AB 2314, Native American Voter Participation: (Chapter 169, Statutes of 2020) Requires the Secretary of State to convene an advisory task force to recommend strategies for increasing Native American voter participation.
AB 3099, Missing and Murdered Women and Girls: (Chapter 170, Statutes of 2020) Calls on California Department of Justice to increase collaboration and communication among state, local and tribal law enforcement agencies. Also calls for improved data collection and sharing to reduce numbers of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Children.

2021 Tribal Legislation

AB 338, Replacing Serra Statue: (Chapter 280, Statutes of 2021) Removes the statutory requirement to erect and maintain a statue of Junipero Serra on the State Capitol grounds and requires the designation of a new monument, with Sacaramento-area Tribal Nations leading the discussion about a future monument. Also requires that the new Capitol Annex include a mural celebrating an accurate history of the Native people of the State of California. Sponsors: Wilton Rancheria, Buena Vista Rancheria of Me-Wuk Indians. Chicken Ranch Rancheria of Me-Wuk Indians, Ione Band of Miwok Indians, Shingle Springs Band of Miwok Indians, Tuolumne Band of Me-Wuk Indians.
AB 798, Tribal Ambulance Self-Certification: (Chapter 282, Statutes of 2021) Updates the Vehicle Code to provide tribes a means to self-certify ambulance services. Ensures that federally recognized tribes have the legal means to provide vital health services to their members. Sponsor: San Manuel Band of Mission Indians.
AB 855, Judicial Council California Native American holiday: (Chapter 283, Statutes of 2021) Makes all state and local court employees first in state to receive a paid holiday in celebration of California Native American Day instead of Columbus Day (Judicial employees have different holidays from other employees because they are covered under Judicial Code, not Government Code.).
AB 873, Child Welfare Services – Indian Tribes: (Chapter 284, Statutes of 2021) Existing law authorizes the State Department of Social Services to enter into an agreement with a tribe, consortium of tribes, or tribal organization regarding the care and custody of Indian children and jurisdiction over Indian child custody proceedings, under specified circumstances. Existing law requires an agreement entered into under these provisions, when the agreement is concerning the provision of child welfare services, to ensure that a tribe, consortium of tribes, or tribal organization meets current service delivery standards and provides for a specified tribal matching share of costs. This bill would prohibit an agreement that requires a matching share of administrative costs if legal representation is provided by tribal, tribal consortium, or tribal organization attorneys.
AB 923, Government-to-Government Consultation: (Two-year bill) Requires heads of agencies to complete training in government-to-government consultation with tribes and consider consultation with tribes in their policymaking. The bill was introduced because tribes are often left out of conversations held by departments and agencies on policies that affect them and their members. Tribes often have difficulty accessing vital information as situations or crises develop, which has presented difficult challenges through the COVID-19 pandemic.
AB 945, High School Graduation Regalia: (Chapter 285, Statutes of 2021) Protects Native American students’ right to wear tribal regalia at high school graduation ceremonies by requiring school districts to consult with tribal nations about policies regarding the wearing items of cultural significance at graduation ceremonies. Although this right is already protected, some districts continue to prohibit wearing of traditional tribal regalia at ceremonies. Sponsors: ACLU of California, Yurok Tribe, Amah Mutsun Tribal Band.
AB 1055, Tribal Foster Youth: (Chapter 287, Statutes of 2021) Ensures that foster youth under the authority of a Tribal Court will receive the same rights, supports, entitlements, and protections afforded to other non-tribal foster youth. Also would recognize the sovereignty of the tribes, defer to tribal standards and honor tribal rights to choose to identify their students to the local educational agency, such as a school district. Bill was amended to be named the Claudette White Tribal Court Education Equity Act. Sponsor: California Alliance of Child and Family Services.
AB 1183, California Desert Conservation: (Chapter 380, Statutes of 2021) Establishes the California Desert Conservation Program under the administration of the Wildlife Conservation Board in the Department of Fish and Wildlife to protect, preserve, and restore desert lands, water, and wildlife by the acquisition of interests and rights in real property and waters, as specified. This would help protect desert lands and sacred and culturally important Native American sites. Sponsors: Defenders of Wildlife, Hispanic Access Foundation, Mojave Desert Land Trust.

2022 Tribal Legislation

AB 923 Government-to-Government Consultation Act: (Chapter 475, Statutes of 2022) Requires training of specified state agency management staff in government-to-government consultation with tribal governments.
AB 1314 Feather Alert: (Chapter 476, Statutes of 2022) Creates new public broadcast alert to notify public when a Native American person is missing; similar to other notifications such as Amber Alerts, Silver Alerts and others.
AB 1703 American Indian Education Act: (Chapter 477, Statutes of 2022) Encourages school districts, county offices of education, and charter schools to engage with their local tribes to teach a more complete and accurate Native American history and culture curriculum.
AB 1862 Tribally Approved Homes Compensation Program: (Held in Senate Appropriations but funding of $8.2 million awarded in 2022-23 state budget) Would have permitted specified and eligible entities to receive compensation for approving homes for foster or adoptive placements of Indian children.
AB 1936 UC Hastings College of Law Name Change: (Chapter 478, Statutes of 2022) Creates a process to rename University of California Hastings College of the Law by the school and in consultation with the Yuki and Round Valley Tribal Council. Also includes restorative justice initiatives.
AB 2022 S-Word Name Change: (Chapter 479, Statutes of 2022) Prohibits the use of the word “Squaw” for geographic features and place names within the State of California.
ACR 136 Missing and Murder Indigenous Women and Girls Awareness Month: (Chapter 83; Statutes of 2022) Designates the month of May 2022 as Missing and Murdered Indigenous People Month in California.
ACR 137 Native American Day: (Adopted) Recognizes the importance of California Native American Day, celebrated this year on September 23, 2022, and the annual California Indian Cultural Awareness Conference.

2023 Tribal Legislation (In process)

AB 44 Tribal Peace Offer Status: Allows for tribes to enter into agreements to obtain peace officer status with POST/Gives Tribal Police Officers CLETS Access
AB 81 ICWA: Holding language pending US Supreme Court decision
AB 226 (UC Repatriation Audit): Would enact state auditor’s recommendations regarding University of California repatriation of Native American remains
AB 273 (Missing Tribal Foster Children): Would require notification to legal guardians and other specified persons when tribal foster youth are missing
AB 389 (Heritage Commission): Would allow for Heritage Commission board to enter closed session when considering matters related to the inclusion or removal of a Native American tribe, person, or entity on the tribal contact list maintained by the commission and when discussing the handling of remains, genealogical records, etc. by local sheriffs/coroners
AB 553 (Bureau of Gambling Control, Staff Time): Requires the Bureau of Gambling Control to develop and implement a formal time tracking policy and procedure for employees assigned to the Indian Gaming Special Distribution Fund
AB 630 (Tribally Owned Entities): Allows CalTrans to enter into agreements with Tribally owned entities
AB 1041 (White Sage): Adds white sage to the list of protected plant species and subject violators to criminal penalties. Would exempt the harvest and use of white sage for traditional tribal, cultural, or spiritual purposes by a member of a Native American tribe, as specified.
AB 1459 (Capitol Native American Mural): Would add a mural/room dedicated to Native American in the Capitol as a hearing room (Introduced)
AB 1284 (Tribal Ancestral Lands and Waters: Would recognize the Natural Resources Agency’s ability and authority to enter into co-governance and management agreements with federally recognized Indian tribes.