Four measures, authored by Assemblymember James Ramos (D-Highland), will be moving to the Assembly floor after approval by the Assembly Appropriations Committee
SACRAMENTO—Four measures authored by Assemblymember James Ramos (D-Highland) – including a bill to create a statewide Office of Suicide Prevention – will be moving to the Assembly floor after approval by the Assembly Appropriations Committee on Tuesday and Wednesday. The bills are:
AB 1968, Land Acknowledgment (approved Tuesday): Would encourage public schools, parks, libraries and museums to recognize past tribal guardianship of lands where their facilities are located. Ramos said the voluntary proposal – AB 1968—is a way to educate Californians and others about Native Americans’ current and ancestral stewardship. “Land acknowledgment also serves to remind us of Native history and treatment of the state’s original people,” Ramos said. “We cannot begin to remedy past injustices without acknowledging and educating ourselves about the forced removal of people from the lands where they lived and worked.” More about the bill may be found here.
AB 2314, Native American Voter Access (approved Tuesday): Would create an advisory committee under the Secretary of State to help Native Americans gain greater access to the electoral process. “Native Americans were denied American citizenship and voting rights until the 20th Century, and that history had a chilling effect on electoral and civic participation,” Ramos stated. He was elected in 2018, hails from the Serrano/Cahuilla tribe and is a lifelong member of the San Manuel Indian Reservation in San Bernardino County. The lawmaker is the first California Indian elected to the Legislature. Additional information may be found on his website.
AB 2112, Office of Suicide Prevention (approved Wednesday): Would establish a statewide Office of Suicide Prevention to coordinate resources, share successful practices, disseminate information and report to the Legislature on progress. Ramos stated, “California and the world have drastically changed since I introduced AB 2112 in early February,” Ramos observed. “Before the pandemic began its path of destruction, the state had already seen in 2017 more than 4,300 violent deaths caused by suicide and 34,371 emergency room visits linked to suicide attempts. Four months later, California and the nation are facing huge spikes in calls to mental health hotlines. More than ever, the state needs a focused, coordinated, forward looking approach to suicide prevention.” More about AB 2112 may be found here.
AB 3099, Public Safety Services on Tribal Lands (approved Wednesday): Would promote greater sharing of information and heightened cooperation between California’s Department of Justice, tribal governments and local law enforcement, including tribal justice systems, to help reduce the number of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls in California. “The murder rates of Native American women can be ten times the national average on some reservations,” Ramos said. “Many suspects are non-Indian, but confusion over which law enforcement agency has jurisdiction helps perpetrators avoid facing justice.” Additional information may be found here.
All bills will move to the Assembly floor.
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Assemblymember James Ramos proudly represents the 40th Assembly district which includes Highland, Loma Linda, Mentone, Rancho Cucamonga, Redlands, and San Bernardino.