Relevant Legislation
Taking steps forward
For most of California’s existence, the factual accounts of tribal cultures, histories and contemporary life were largely unknown outside of native communities. Within the last two decades, California Indian people have engaged in the legislative process, bringing greater recognition to the unique identities and issues that define the state’s First Peoples. Click on the links below to learn more about bills affecting native people.
AB 516 (Dahle)
Excused AbsencesThis bill added participation in a cultural ceremony or event to the list of reasons that a pupil must be excused from school.
AB 945 (Ramos)
School Graduation CeremoniesThis bill established a task force to gather information and develop recommendations that will address how to comprehensively implement all aspects of existing law related to wearing traditional tribal regalia or recognized objects of religious or cultural.
AB 1314 (Ramos)
Feather AlertThis bill created the "Feather Alert" to enlist public assistance to quickly find Native Americans missing under suspicious circumstances.
AB 1703 (Ramos)
California Indian Education ActThis bill encourages local educational agencies and charter schools to form California Indian Education task forces to develop curricular materials on the history, culture and government of local tribes, and requires the task forces to submit a report of findings to the California Department of Education.
AB 1936 (Ramos)
Hastings College of the Law Name ChangeThis bill allows the University of California, Hastings College of the Law to remove the name of its notorious founder from the school’s name and specifying restorative justice measures to benefit the Yuki and Round Valley Indian people.
AB 81 (Ramos)
Protecting California Native American ChildrenThis bill seeks to safeguard existing state statutes protecting Indian children and the rights of tribes in child welfare cases.
AB 226 (Ramos)
Repatriation of Native American RemainsThis bill strongly urges the University of California to report each campus’s progress towards completing repatriation of Native American remains and cultural items.
AB 273 (Ramos)
Protecting Children Missing from Foster CareThis bill seeks to build on past efforts and formalize best practices by requiring notification when a child or non-minor dependent in foster care is missing. This bill also furthers legislative intent and helps to better protect, locate, place and stabilize children and non-minor dependents when they go missing while in foster care.
AB 1284 (Ramos)
Tribal Ancestral LandsThis bill encourages the California Natural Resources Agency (CNRA) and authorizes the secretary of CNRA to enter into co-governance and co-management agreements with federally recognized tribes for the purposes of shared responsibility, decision-making, and partnership in resource management and conservation within a tribe’s ancestral lands and waters.
AB 1459 (Ramos)
Mural Honoring Native AmericansThis bill requires the reconstruction of the State Capitol Building Annex to incorporate a mural honoring Native Americans in California, in consultation with the Native American Heritage Commission, in one of the main hearing rooms.
ACR 17 (Ramos)
California Native American DayThis Assembly Constitutional Amendment would recognize the importance of California Native American Day, celebrated this year on September 22, 2023, and the annual California Indian Cultural Awareness Conference, to the enhancement of awareness of California Indian culture.