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A bill to would give Native American tribes more say over the use of state land — in what opponents say is too much — was approved by the California Legislature Sunday.
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The measure was authored by Assemblymember James Ramos, D-Highland, a member of the Serrano/Cahuilla tribe, to ensure that people could not be blocked from access to sacred sites. It would largely prohibit government agencies from “substantially burdening” the ability of Native Americans to exercise religious ceremonies on state land, except for public safety and security reasons.
“In a just world, there would be no need for this bill. Yet the State of California and the federal government have historically attempted to force assimilation on Native Americans,” Assemblymember James Ramos, D-Highland said in a statement. “It’s a long litany of grievous wrongs that aimed at exterminating the state’s First People and erasing their language, their culture and their spiritual traditions and traditions.”
Ramos previously told The Sacramento Bee there were two key provisions in Assembly Bill 1881: Language requiring state agencies to secure tribal consent before building projects that might affect Indigenous spiritual practices and the ability of tribes and individual members to sue if those rights are violated.
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Trade groups representing cities, counties and businesses argued the first provision would give tribes power to delay or halt projects, including those that had already been reviewed under the California Environmental Quality Act. State law requires local governments to work with tribes on projects as part of CEQA review.
The second provision was amended in the process, giving only tribes — but not individuals — the ability to sue a state agency. Despite opposition, the bill easily passed the state Senate and Assembly.
It now goes before Gov. Gavin Newsom who has until the end of September to act on it.
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