Ramos Tribal Rights Bills Advance to Full California Senate

Ramos, a member of the Serrano/Cahuilla community and the first California Native American elected to the state Legislature, said the package addresses several issues important to Californians, including education, public safety, tribal rights and inclusion.

“It’s a robust package that I hope to get to the governor for his approval this year,” Ramos said. “The bills touch on education, public safety and clarifying tribal rights and inclusion.”

The 10 bills now face consideration by the full Senate before the legislative session concludes.

The package includes:

• AB 31 ((Tribal Police) would grant peace officer status to California tribes to California in a limited capacity in California. Sponsor: Yurok Tribe. Supporters are Peace Officers Research Association of California (PORAC) and the Santa Ynez Band of Chumash Indians.

• AB 1581 (Native American Student Undercount) would require the California Department of Education to record the tribal affiliation of each new student to a school who identifies as Native American to assist in a more accurate counting of Indigenous students so that they receive the support and resources to which they are entitled. The American Institutes for Research reports that up to 7% of Indigenous students are not represented in data reporting or analysis in the United States or California. Sponsor of the bill is the Soboba Band of Luiseño Indians. Supporters are the California Commission on the Status of Women and Girls, California Charter School Association, California Rural Indian Health Board Inc., California Tribal Alliance, Coalition of California State Tribes, Morongo Band of Mission Indians and Yuhaaviatam of San Manuel Nation.

• AB 1586 (School Safety and Opioid Overdose Prevention Act) would require School Resource Officers assigned to school campuses to complete training on recognizing and responding to opioid overdoses. It also mandates that by Jan. 1, 2031 a report be submitted to the Legislature detailing information about the distribution of naloxone and number of school incidents. California Association of Alcohol and Drug Program Executives, Inc. is the sponsor. Supporters (partial list) include American Academy of Pediatrics, California; California Academy of Preventive Medicine; California Association of School Police Chiefs; California Academy of Preventive Medicine, Alameda County Office of Education; Arcadia Police Officers’ Association and Burbank Police Officers Association.

• AB 1592 (California Indian Heritage Center Support Organization) authorizes the California Department of Parks and Recreation to enter into an agreement with the CIHC Support Organization to help facilitate the Department’s ongoing efforts to build the CIHC facility. The cultural center will be located in the City of West Sacramento at the confluence of the Sacramento and American Rivers and serve as a unit of the state park system. Jamul Indian Village of California is the bill’s sponsor. AB 1592 is also supported by the California Tribal Business Alliance, Habemaltolel Pomo of Upper Lake, Morongo Band of Mission Indians, Scotts Valley Band of Pomo Indians, Yocha Dehe Wintun Nation, Yuhaaviatam of San Manuel Nation, the Yurok Tribe, California State Parks Foundation and the Trust for Public Land.

• AB 1769 (Tribal College Articulation Agreements) aims to facilitate the articulation and seamless transfer of courses for students attending Tribal Colleges and Universities to California’s postsecondary institutions. Co-sponsors are the California Indian Nations College and Table Mountain Rancheria. Supporters are California Teachers Association, California Tribal Business Alliance, Santa Ynez Band of Chumash Indians, Yocha Dehe Wintun Nation and Yuhaaviatam of San Manuel Nation.

• AB 1841 (California Native American Day) designates California Native American Day as a paid holiday for all state employees contingent upon a determination by the Department of Human Resources (CalHR) that sufficient funding exists to implement the change. It also authorizes CalHR to enter into agreements with individual bargaining units as statewide implementation moves forward if AB 1841 is approved. This bill builds on a 2021 Ramos measure, AB 855, that established a paid holiday for judicial employees. Sponsor is the California Native Vote Project. Other supporters include the California Federation of Labor Unions, AFL-CIO, California Rural Indian Health Board, Habematolel Pomo of Upper Lake, Service Employees International Union Local 1000; Wilton Rancheria, Yuhaaviatam of San Manuel Nation and Office of the Mayor, City of San Bernardino.
• AB 1881 (California Indian Freedom Act of 2026) establishes the California Indian Freedom Act which would provide enforceable protections for the free exercise of California Indian religious and spiritual practices on state lands. Sponsor is Indigenous Justice. A partial list of supporters includes California Rural Indian Health Board, California Tribal Business Alliance, Coalition of California State Tribes, East Valley Water District,  Indian Health Council, Santa Ynez Band of Chumash Indians, Stanford Native Law & Sovereignty Collective, The W. Haywood Burns Institute, Dunlap Band of Mono Indians Cultural Association, International Indian Treaty Council, KaKoon Ta Ruk Band of Ohlone-Costanoan Indians of the Big Sur Rancheria, Kaweah Yokuts Circle, the Nor El Muk Band of Wintu Indians of Northern California and PORAC.

• AB 1889 (Criminal Protective Orders) authorizes a criminal protective order (CPO) that has been issued by the court to be valid one year after the defendant’s release if the original order has expired or is about to expire. CPOs are routinely issued in cases involving domestic violence, human trafficking or acts of sexual assault to discourage offenders from contact with victims and witnesses. This change ensures that victims receive timely notification about their offender’s eventual release and that there is some degree of protection while they pursue longer-term safety measures. Co-sponsors are the Riverside County District Attorney’s Office and the San Bernardino County District Attorney’s Office. A partial list of other supporters includes the California District Attorneys Association, California State Sheriffs’ Association, Peace Officers Research Association of California, California Police Officers’ Association, Strong Hearted Native Women’s Coalition, American Association of University Women and several local police officer associations.

• AB 2115 (State Apology to California Native Americans) establishes a formal apology from the California State Legislature and the state courts to California Native Americans for historical policies of violence, displacement and cultural suppression and requires the installation of a commemorative plaque in the State Capitol. Sponsor is the Santa Ynez Band of Chumash Indians. Other supporters include the California Rural Indian Health Board Inc, Morongo Band of Mission Indians, Yurok Tribe, Habematolel Pomo of Upper Lake, Society for California Archeology, California Tribal Business Alliance, and CFT – a Union of Educators & Classified Professionals, AFT, AFL-CIO.

• AB 2187 (Tribal Public Contracts) adds California’s federally recognized tribes and their auxiliary tribal enterprises to the list of entities exempt from the state’s bidding requirements for procurement and contracting. Sponsor is Twenty-Nine Palms Band of Mission Indians and other supporters include California Rural Indian Health Board, Inc. Habematolel Pomo of Upper Lake and Santa Ynez Band of Chumash Indians.

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