For immediate release:
SACRAMENTO— Senate Governmental Organization, Public Safety and Natural Resources and Water approved public safety and tribal-related bills authored by Assemblymember James C. Ramos (D-San Bernardino) on Tuesday. The proposed measures will all move to the Senate Appropriations Committee.
The bills moving forward are:
- AB 1592 (Senate Natural Resources and Water) 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 1841, California Native American Day (Senate Governmental Organization) 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 1889, Criminal Protective Orders (Senate Public Safety) 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 (Governmental Organization) 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 (Governmental Organization) 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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Assemblymember James C. Ramos proudly represents the 45th Assembly district that includes the Cities of Fontana, Highland, Mentone, Redlands, Rialto and San Bernardino. He is the first and only California Native American serving in the state’s legislature. Ramos chairs the Assembly Budget Subcommittee #6 on Public Safety and the Assembly Select Committee on Native American Affairs.