Newsom proclaims September 27 as Native American Day, signs several bills that advance tribal needs

LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- California Gov. Gavin Newsom proclaimed September 27 as Native American Day, while leaders of Native American tribes from across the state gathered at the State Capitol to celebrate the occasion.

The governor also announced the signing of several bills that advanced tribal priorities.

The package of bills includes policies to improve laws for vulnerable Native American youth and increase access to social support. AB 81 by Assemblymember James C. Ramos (D-Highland) strengthens protections in the federal Indian Child Welfare Act (ICWA) by codifying protections for Native American youth and their families into the California Welfare and Institutions Code, and AB 2795 by Assemblymember Dr. Joaquin Arambula (D-Fresno) reduces administrative barriers for CalWORKS and Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) services in Indian Health Clinics.

Newsom signed the measure Friday on California Native American Day, a holiday first designated in the 1990s to honor the culture and history of Indigenous peoples in the state. California is home to 109 federally recognized Indigenous tribes, the second-most in the nation behind Alaska.

"I'm proud of the progress California has made to reckon with the dark chapters of our past, and we're committed to continuing this important work to promote equity, inclusion and accountability for Native peoples," Newsom said in statement. "As we celebrate the many tribal communities in California today, we recommit to working with tribal partners to better address their unique needs and strengthen California for all."

Among the bills signed into law Friday is AB 1821, by Assemblymember James C. Ramos (D-Highland), the first Native American state lawmaker in California, which will require elementary through high school education regarding the Mission and Gold Rush periods to include the treatment and perspectives of Native Americans, providing students a fuller picture of the state's history.

"For far too long California's First People and their history have been ignored or misrepresented," he said in a statement last month. "Classroom instruction about the Mission and Gold Rush periods fails to include the loss of life, enslavement, starvation, illness and violence inflicted upon California Native American people during those times. These historical omissions from the curriculum are misleading."

The state Department of Education must consult with tribes when it updates its history and social studies curriculum framework after Jan. 1, 2025, under the law.

Newsom, who issued a state apology in 2019 for the historical violence against and mistreatment of Native Americans, also signed SB 310 by Senator Bill Dodd (D-Napa) authorizes the California Natural Resources Agency and local air districts to form agreements with federally recognized California Native American tribes to facilitate cultural burns in ancestral territories.

List of the signed bills announced Friday

• AB 81 by Assemblymember James C. Ramos (D-Highland) - Indian children: child custody proceedings.

• AB 1284 by Assemblymember James C. Ramos (D-Highland) - Tribal ancestral lands and waters: cogovernance and comanagement agreements. A signing message can be found here.

• AB 1821 by Assemblymember James C. Ramos (D-Highland) - Pupil instruction: course of study: social sciences: treatment of Native Americans.

• AB 1863 by Assemblymember James C. Ramos (D-Highland) - California Emergency Services Act: notification systems: Feather Alert.

• AB 2108 by Assemblymember James C. Ramos (D-Highland) - Foster care: missing children and nonminor dependents.

• AB 2348 by Assemblymember James C. Ramos (D-Highland) - California Emergency Services Act: notification systems: Feather Alert. A signing message can be found here.

• AB 2695 by Assemblymember James C. Ramos (D-Highland) - Law enforcement: criminal statistics.

• AB 2795 by Assemblymember Dr. Joaquin Arambula (D-Fresno) - CalWORKs Indian Health Clinic Program.

• AB 3017 by Assemblymember Gregg Hart (D-Santa Barbara) - State-funded assistance grants and contracts: advance payments.

• AB 3074 by Assemblymember Pilar Schiavo (D-Chatsworth) - School or athletic team names: California Racial Mascots Act.

• SB 310 by Senator Bill Dodd (D-Napa) - Prescribed fire: civil liability: cultural burns.

The Governor previously signed the following bills:

• AB 1878 by Assemblymember Eduardo Garcia (D-Coachella) - Housing programs: tribal housing program.

• AB 2261 by Assemblymember Eduardo Garcia (D-Coachella) - Transportation: federal funding: tribes.

• AB 2948 by Assemblymember James C. Ramos (D-Highland) - Adoption Assistance Program: tribal court order.

• SB 1440 by Senator John Laird (D-Santa Cruz) - School operations: 4-day school week.

• SB 1187 by Senate President pro Tempore Mike McGuire (D-North Coast) - Housing programs: Tribal Housing Reconstitution and Resiliency Act.

For full text of the bills, visit http://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.