A new legislative package in the California Legislature includes several bills focusing on tribal issues.

The package is being put forward by Assemblymember James C. Ramos (D-San Bernardino), the first and only California Native American serving in the state’s legislature.

Some of the key bills in Ramo’s package focus on confronting the Missing and Murdered Indigenous People crisis and “furthering acceptance and knowledge of state tribes,” Ramos said.

The bills in the package focusing on tribal issues are as follows.

AB 31 (Tribal Peace Officer Status) authorizes the state Department of Justice to grant tribal police from three California tribes state peace officer status if they meet the same California requirements and standards as other police officers in the state. Enactment of AB 31 would assist all law enforcement by clarifying jurisdiction and permitting tribal police to assist communities close to reservations. The bill would also allow participating tribes to enter into agreements to share liability and collaborate on MMIP cases. Sponsor: Yurok Tribe. Referred to the Assembly Committee on Public Safety.

AB 221 (Tribal Nation Grant Fund) would streamline the existing Tribal Nation Grant Fund process to provide annual equal distribution grants, upon application, to all federally recognized tribes that either have no gaming or operate less than 350 Class III gaming devices. Federally recognized Indian tribes pay for the grant funds that exclusively benefit eligible federally recognized nongaming and limited gaming tribes. Sponsors: California Nations Indian Gaming Association and Tribal Alliance of Sovereign Nations. Referred to the Assembly Committee on Governmental Organization.

AB 362 (Shingle Springs Water) would add tribal water uses as a beneficial use of water in the state. AB 362 would also require the State Water Quality Control Board or a regional water quality control to describe, with both quantitative and qualitative information, how the project or regulatory program will impact tribal water uses. Sponsor: Shingle Springs Band of Miwok Indians. Not yet referred to a policy committee.

AB 977 (California State University Burial Sites) would require the California State University, or CSU, system, in consultation with Native American tribes to develop a policy to identify available CSU-owned land for the burial of Native American human remains and establish three tribal burial sites — one in the Northern, Central and Southern regions of the state. Sponsor: Tachi Yokut Tribe. Not yet referred to committee.

AB 989 (Native American Day State Holiday) would make the state Native American Day holiday — the fourth Friday in September — a paid holiday for state employees. Not yet referred to committee.

AB 1369 (Tribal Regalia at High School Graduations) would add clarification to students’ right to wear traditional tribal regalia as determined by the pupil and the pupil’s family at high school graduations. AB 1369 also reaffirms that a local educational agency cannot require a preapproval process to exercise this right or demand that the student wear a cap if the adornment is incompatible with the adornment. Sponsor: California Indian Legal Services. Bill not yet referred to committee.