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Governor signs bill to help track domestic violence cases on California Native American Day

Ramos bill aims to help state track trends in domestic violence and collect accurate data about violence on tribal lands

For immediate release:

SACRAMENTO—Gov. Gavin Newsom today signed AB 2695 requiring the Department of Justice to align its records and data with the federal National Incident-Based reporting system to assist law enforcement and others understand where criminal incidents related to Missing and Murdered Indigenous People (MMIP) are occurring and also include a notation indicating whether domestic violence incidents took place in Indian Country.

Assemblymember James C. Ramos (D-San Bernardino) who authored the bill said, “This measure will help California deal with the lack of clear data about MMIP and where domestic violence occurs. That information will better inform us about how to deal with this issue as California ranks fifth in the nation in MMIP unresolved cases.”

AB 2695 was one of seven Ramos tribal-related bills approved today.

“I want to thank Governor Newsom for signing AB 2695 into law,” said Attorney General Rob Bonta. “For the first time in California, law enforcement agencies will be required to collect data on crimes occurring on Indian lands and report that information to my office. This will help all of us develop data-driven strategies to end the MMIP crisis in our state and improve justice for tribal citizens.”

The National Institute of Justice 2016 report found that 84% of American Indian/Alaska Native women (1.5 million people) experience violence in their lifetimes, 67% were concerned for their own safety, and 41% had been physically injured from physical violence by intimate partners, stalking, and sexual violence. Underreporting, racial misclassification, bias, and lack of resources to follow through and close cases are challenges when working on MMIP cases.

Other Ramos tribal bills signed today include:

  • AB 81 reinforces California protections for Native American families and the Indian Child Welfare Act
  • AB 1284 encourages the Natural Resources Agency, and its departments, boards, conservancies, and commissions, to enter into cogovernance and comanagement agreements with federally recognized tribes
  • AB 1821 requires that the impact of the Mission and Gold Rush eras on California Native Americans is taught
  • AB 1863 requires California Highway Patrol (CHP) to state reasons for denying request for a Feather Alert, a public notification system used when Native Americans are missing and overseen by the CHP
  • AB 2108 requires county social workers and others to immediately notify parents, guardians, legal counsel and other pertinent adults when a foster child is missing.
  • AB 2348 revises and strengthens California’s Feather Alert, requiring law enforcement agencies to respond within 24 hours of a request, and also allowing for tribal governments to directly communicate with the California Highway Patrol about a request.

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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.