Press Releases

SACRAMENTO-- California State University administrators faced skeptical legislators and tribal leaders during a joint informational oversight hearing today over their decades-long failure to return 698,200 Native American human remains and artifacts to appropriate tribal descendants in violation of state and federal laws. Assemblymember James C.

SACRAMENTO—The Ayala Drive overcrossing on State Route 210 in San Bernardino County will be renamed in honor of longtime City of Rialto firefighter, Scott “Buckshot” Schwingel, who died of job-related colon cancer.  

SAN BERNARDINO—Assemblymember James C. Ramos (D-San Bernardino) announced today that Fontana resident Angelica Macias was selected as the California Latino Legislative Caucus Foundation 2023 Scholarship recipient for the 45th Assembly District and will receive $5,000.

SACRAMENTO—Tribal law enforcement agencies and tribal courts are closer to gaining access to a national computer network that provides local and state law enforcement agencies with information used to investigate crimes and a message system maintained by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Department of Motor Vehicles and other agencies after unanimous approval today of AB 44 by the Senate Public Safety Committee. Assemblymember James C. Ramos (D-San Bernardino) introduced the measure earlier this year.

SACRAMENTO—Assemblymember James C. Ramos (D-San Bernardino) announced $35 million in new funding in the 2023-24 state budget will assist in meeting regional needs in his district, including a portion that the Inland Empire will share with other areas around the state. The items include:

SACRAMENTO—Military retirees and their surviving spouses pensions’ are a step closer to exemption from state taxation after the Senate Military and Veterans Affairs Committee  approved the measure Monday on a bipartisan 5-0 vote. Several past attempts at similar legislation have failed to pass the house of origin.

California steps up efforts to stem violence against Native Americans as state enacts new Feather Alert system

SACRAMENTO—California’s independent state auditor today reported California State University (CSU) has done little to return Native American remains and cultural items in its possession to tribes after a months-long review requested by Assemblymember James C. Ramos (D-San Bernardino) and the Joint Committee on Legislative Audit.

SACRAMENTO—Assemblymember James C. Ramos (D-San Bernardino), the state’s first and only California Native American elected to the legislature, today joined in applauding the Supreme Court 7-2 decision upholding the 1978 Indian Child Welfare Act (ICWA), a first-ever reverse assimilation policy.

SACRAMENTO—The Senate Governmental Organization Committee, on a 12-0 vote today approved a measure to provide housing and mental health services to the region’s homeless population at unused space at Patton State Hospital. AB 349, authored by Asssemblymember James C. Ramos (D-San Bernardino), will next be heard in the Senate Appropriations Committee.