Bills range from domestic violence to suicide prevention to homelessness, natural resources and reintroduction of state tax exemption for military retirees
SACRAMENTO—Assemblymember James C. Ramos (D-San Bernardino) today announced his 2025 legislative package.
“This package continues to focus on public safety, homelessness, mental health access and suicide prevention, honoring our veterans, and confronting the Missing and Murdered Indigenous People crisis and furthering acceptance and knowledge of state tribes,” Ramos stated.
The bills are:
- 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 Assembly Committee on Public Safety.
- AB 53 (Military Tax Exemption)would provide a state tax exemption for retired members of the Armed Forces and recipients of the Department of Defense’s Survivor Benefits Program starting in 2025. Sponsors: American Legion, Department of California,
California Association of County Veterans Service Officers, California Enlisted Association of the National Guard of the United States, Marine Corp League, Department of California and Military Officers Association of America-California Council of Chapters. Referred to Assembly Committee on Revenue and Taxation.
- 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 Assembly Committee on Governmental Organization.
- AB 249 (Continuums of Care Update for Homeless Youth) would require state specified housing and homelessness programs to use a youth-specific coordinated entry system to assist homeless youth receive housing related services. Sponsor: California Coalition for Youth. Referred to Assembly Committee on Housing and Community Development and Assembly Committee on Human Services.
- AB 285 (Domestic Violence Restraining Order) would require that a 180-day criminal protective order be issued when a defendant convicted of domestic violence or sex offenses is released from state prison to protect the victim(s) they were convicted of harming. Sponsors: Offices of the San Bernardino and Riverside County District Attorneys. Referred to Committee on Public Safety.
- AB 308 (Mobile Crisis Response Teams) would encourage county behavioral health directors to develop training in conjunction with law enforcement for mobile crisis response teams so teams can properly respond to cases involving individuals with autism, behavioral health issues or other developmental disabilities. This bill would also encourage a county behavioral health director to develop procedures that would educate teams on proper use of force, de-escalation and stabilization techniques, and other tools for the care of an individual being transferred to a treatment facility. Co-sponsors: Autism Society Inland Empire and Autism Heroes. Referred to Assembly Committee on Human Services.
- AB 359 (FPPC Local Jurisdictions’ Contracts) would repeal the sunset date authorizing the Fair Political Practices Commission (FPPC) to contract with local agencies to administer, implement and enforce local campaign finance or government ethics law. Sponsor: FPPC. Referred to Assembly Committee on Elections.
- 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 440 (Caltrans Suicide Prevention) would mandate the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) to create policies to evaluate, report and develop suicide preventative measures for bridges in the state highway system.AB 440 also requires the California Highway Patrol and state Office of Suicide Prevention to share relevant information with Caltrans. Referred to Assembly Committee on Transportation.
- AB 977 (California State University Burial Sites) wouldrequire the California State University (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) wouldadd 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.
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.