Bill Text: CA AB275 | 2019-2020 | Regular Session | Amended

NOTE: There are more recent revisions of this legislation. Read Latest Draft

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Bill Title: Native American cultural preservation.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 3-0)

Status: (Passed) 2020-09-25 - Chaptered by Secretary of State - Chapter 167, Statutes of 2020. [AB275 Detail]

Download: California-2019-AB275-Amended.html

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Amended  IN  Senate  July 02, 2019

Amended  IN  Assembly  May 17, 2019

Amended  IN  Assembly  April 29, 2019

Amended  IN  Assembly  April 22, 2019

Amended  IN  Assembly  March 26, 2019

CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE— 2019–2020 REGULAR SESSION

Assembly Bill

No. 275

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Introduced by Assembly Member Ramos
(Coauthor: Assembly Member Gonzalez)

January 28, 2019

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An act to add Section 8318 to the Government Code, to amend Sections 8012 and 8013 of the Health and Safety Code, and to amend Section 5097.94 of the Public Resources Code, relating to Native American resource protection.

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST

AB 275, as amended, Ramos. Native American cultural preservation.

(1) Existing law, the California Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act of 2001, requires all agencies and museums that receive state funding and have possession or control over collections of California Native American human remains and associated funerary objects to inventory those remains and objects for repatriation to the appropriate Indian tribes, as specified. The act requires that the inventory list the human remains and associated funerary objects that are not clearly identifiable as to cultural affiliation with California Indian tribes but that, given the totality of circumstances surrounding their acquisition and characteristics, are determined by a reasonable belief to be human remains and associated funerary objects with a state cultural affiliation with one or more California Indian tribes. As to those human remains and associated funerary objects, the act requires the agency or museum to consult with the California Indian tribes believed to be affiliated with the items, or that may be affiliated, during the compilation of the inventory.

When consulting with tribes that may be affiliated with the human remains and associated funerary objects, this bill would require the agency or museum to consider tribal traditional knowledge, as defined, as having comparable or greater weight than other nontribal sources of information. In determining whether an item is an “associated funerary object,” the bill would also require that the agency or museum consider tribal traditional knowledge as having comparable or greater weight than other nontribal sources of information.

(2) Existing law establishes the Native American Heritage Commission and vests the commission with specified powers and duties. Existing law requires the commission to publish a document that lists the California Indian tribes meeting the criteria for a California Indian tribe as well as authorized representatives to act on behalf of the tribe for various consultations and in matters pertaining to repatriation under the act (tribal contact list). Existing law authorizes the commission to bring an action to prevent severe and irreparable damage to, or assure appropriate access for Native Americans to, a Native American sanctified cemetery, place of worship, religious or ceremonial site, or sacred shrine located on public property. Existing law requires the Attorney General to represent the commission and the state in litigation concerning affairs of the commission, unless the Attorney General has determined to represent the agency against whom the commission’s action is directed, in which case the commission is authorized to employ other counsel.

This bill would additionally authorize the commission to employ other counsel if the Attorney General has determined there exists a conflict that would impair its ability to zealously advocate on behalf of the commission or when the commission reasonably believes that the Attorney General cannot, in good faith, represent the interests of the commission.

(3) This bill would require every state agency, as defined, with significant interaction with tribal issues, peoples, or lands, and request the Regents of the University of California, to designate one or more liaisons for the purpose of engaging in consultation with California Native American tribes on the tribal contact list and educating the agency on topics relevant to the state’s relationship with those tribes.

Digest Key

Vote: MAJORITY   Appropriation: NO   Fiscal Committee: YES   Local Program: NO  

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Bill Text

The people of the State of California do enact as follows:

SECTION 1.

 Section 8318 is added to the Government Code, to read:

8318.

 (a) For purposes of this section, “state agency” means a department or agency of the state, the California State University, the University of California, and the Administrative Office of the Courts. Judicial Council of California.

(b) The Regents, on behalf of the University of California, are requested to designate, and every other state agency with significant interaction with tribal issues, peoples, or lands shall designate, one or more liaisons for the purpose of engaging in consultation with California Native American tribes on the contact list maintained by the Native American Heritage Commission pursuant to subparagraph (B) of paragraph (2) of subdivision (j) of Section 8012 of the Health and Safety Code and educating the agency on topics relevant to the state’s relationship with those tribes.

SEC. 2.

 Section 8012 of the Health and Safety Code is amended to read:

8012.

 As used in this chapter, terms shall have the same meaning as in the federal Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (25 U.S.C. Sec. 3001 et seq.), as interpreted by federal regulations, except that the following terms shall have the following meanings:

(a) “Agency” means a division, department, bureau, commission, board, council, city, county, city and county, district, or other political subdivision of the state, but does not include a school district.

(b) “Burial site” means, except for cemeteries and graveyards protected under existing state law, a natural or prepared physical location, whether originally below, on, or above the surface of the earth, into which human remains were intentionally deposited as a part of the death rites or ceremonies of a culture.

(c)  “Commission” means the Native American Heritage Commission, established pursuant to Section 5097.91 of the Public Resources Code.

(d) “Cultural items” shall have the same meaning as defined by Section 3001 of Title 25 of the United States Code, except that it shall mean only those items that originated in California.

(e) “Control” means having ownership of human remains and cultural items sufficient to lawfully permit a museum or agency to treat the object as part of its collection for purposes of this chapter, whether or not the human remains and cultural items are in the physical custody of the museum or agency. Items on loan to a museum or agency from another person, museum, or agency shall be deemed to be in the control of the lender, and not the borrowing museum or agency.

(f) “State cultural affiliation” means that there is a relationship of shared group identity that can reasonably be traced historically or prehistorically between members of a present-day California Indian tribe, as defined in subdivision (j), and an identifiable earlier tribe or group. Cultural affiliation is established when the preponderance of the evidence, based on geography, kinship, biology, archaeology, linguistics, folklore, oral tradition, historical evidence, or other information or expert opinion, reasonably leads to such a conclusion.

(g) “Inventory” means an itemized list that summarizes the collection of human remains and associated funerary objects in the possession or control of an agency or museum. This itemized list may be the inventory list required under the federal Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (25 U.S.C. Sec. 3001 et seq.).

(h) “Summary” means a document that summarizes the collection of unassociated funerary objects, sacred objects, or objects of cultural patrimony in the possession or control of an agency or museum. This document may be the summary prepared under the federal Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (25 U.S.C. Sec. 3001 et seq.).

(i) “Museum” means an entity, including a higher educational institution, excluding school districts, that receives state funds.

(j) “California Indian tribe” means any tribe located in California to which any of the following applies:

(1) It meets the definition of Indian tribe under the federal Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (25 U.S.C. Sec. 3001 et seq.).

(2) It is not recognized by the federal government, but is indigenous to the territory that is now known as the State of California, and both of the following apply:

(A) It is listed in the Bureau of Indian Affairs Branch of Acknowledgement and Research petitioner list pursuant to Section 82.1 of Title 25 of the Federal Code of Regulations.

(B) It is determined by the commission to be a tribe that is eligible to participate in the repatriation process set forth in this chapter. The commission shall publish a document that lists the California tribes meeting these criteria, as well as authorized representatives to act on behalf of the tribe in the consultations required under subparagraph (C) of paragraph (1) of subdivision (a) of Section 8013 and in matters pertaining to repatriation under this chapter. Criteria that shall guide the commission in making the determination of eligibility shall include, but not be limited to, the following:

(i) A continuous identity as an autonomous and separate tribal government.

(ii) Holding itself out as a tribe.

(iii) The tribe as a whole has demonstrated aboriginal ties to the territory now known as the State of California and its members can demonstrate lineal descent from the identifiable earlier groups that inhabited a particular tribal territory.

(iv) Recognition by the Indian community and non-Indian entities as a tribe.

(v) Demonstrated membership criteria.

(k) “Possession” means having physical custody of human remains and cultural items with a sufficient legal interest to lawfully treat the human remains and cultural items as part of a collection. The term does not include human remains and cultural items on loan to an agency or museum.

(l) “Preponderance of the evidence” means that the party’s evidence on a fact indicates that it is more likely than not that the fact is true.

(m) “Tribal traditional knowledge” means knowledge systems embedded and often safeguarded in the traditional culture of California Native American tribes, including, but not limited to, knowledge about traditional ceremonial practices, lifeways, climate, and subsistence.

SEC. 3.

 Section 8013 of the Health and Safety Code is amended to read:

8013.

 (a) (1) Any agency or museum that has possession or control over collections of California Native American human remains and associated funerary objects shall complete an inventory of all these remains and associated funerary objects and, to the extent possible based on all information possessed by the agency or museum, do all of the following:

(A) Identify the geographical location, state cultural affiliation, and the circumstances surrounding their acquisition.

(B) List in the inventory the human remains and associated funerary objects that are clearly identifiable as to state cultural affiliation with California Indian tribes. These items shall be listed first in order to expedite the repatriation of these items.

(C) List the human remains and associated funerary objects that are not clearly identifiable by cultural affiliation but that, given the totality of circumstances surrounding their acquisition and characteristics, are determined by a reasonable belief to be human remains and associated funerary objects with a state cultural affiliation with one or more California Indian tribes. Consult with California Indian tribes believed by the agency or museum to be affiliated with the items, during the compilation of the inventory as part of the determination of affiliation. If the agency or museum cannot determine which California Indian tribes are believed to be affiliated with the items, then tribes that may be affiliated with the items shall be consulted during the compilation of the inventory. In consulting with tribes that may be affiliated with those items, the agency or museum shall consider tribal traditional knowledge as having comparable or greater weight than other nontribal sources of information.

(2) In determining whether an item is an “associated funerary object,” the agency or museum shall consider tribal traditional knowledge as having comparable or greater weight than other nontribal sources of information.

(b) Any agency or museum that has possession or control over collections of California Indian unassociated funerary objects, sacred objects, or objects of cultural patrimony shall provide a written summary of the objects based upon available information held by the agency or museum. The summary shall describe the scope of the collection, kinds of objects included, reference to geographical location, means and period of acquisition, and state cultural affiliation, where readily ascertainable. The summary shall be in lieu of an object-by-object inventory. Each agency or museum, following preparation of a summary pursuant to this subdivision, shall consult with California Indian tribes and tribally authorized government officials and traditional religious leaders.

(c) Each agency or museum shall complete the inventories and summaries required by subdivisions (a) and (b) by January 1, 2003, or within one year of the date on which the commission issues the list of California Indian tribes provided for under paragraph (2) of subdivision (j) of Section 8012, whichever is later. To the extent that this section requires the inventory and summary to include items not required to be included in the inventory and summary under the federal Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (25 U.S.C. Sec. 3001 et seq.), the agency or museum shall supplement its inventory and summary under this section to include those additional items.

(d) Upon request of a California Indian tribe, a museum or agency shall supply additional available documentation to supplement the information required by subdivisions (a) and (b). For purposes of this paragraph, “documentation” means a summary of existing museum or agency records, including inventories or catalogs, relevant studies, or other pertinent data for the limited purpose of determining the geographical origin, cultural affiliation, and basic facts surrounding the acquisition and accession of California Native American human remains and cultural items subject to this section. This section shall not be construed to authorize the completion or initiation of any scientific study of human remains or cultural items.

(e) Within 90 days of completing the inventory and summary specified in subdivisions (a) and (b), the agency or museum shall provide a copy of the inventory and summary to the commission. The commission shall, in turn, publish notices of completion of summaries and inventories on its internet website for 30 days, and make the inventory and summary available to any requesting tribe or state affiliated tribe.

(f) The inventory and summary specified in subdivisions (a) and (b) shall be completed by all agencies and museums that have possession or control of Native American human remains or cultural items, regardless of whether the agency or museum is also subject to the requirements of the federal Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (25 U.S.C. Sec. 3001 et seq.). Any inventory or summary, or any portion of an inventory or summary, that has been created to meet the requirements of the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (25 U.S.C. Sec. 3001 et seq.) may be used to meet the requirements of this chapter, if appropriate.

(g) Any agency or museum that has completed inventories and summaries on or before January 1, 2002, as required by the federal Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (25 U.S.C. Sec. 3001 et seq.) shall be deemed to be in compliance with this section provided that the agency or museum does both of the following:

(1) Provide a copy of the inventories and summaries to the commission by July 1, 2002, or within 30 days of the date on which the commission is formed, whichever is later.

(2) Prepare supplementary inventories and summaries as necessary to comply with subdivisions (a) and (b) for those portions of their collections that originate from California and that have not been determined to be culturally affiliated with federally recognized tribes that, in the case of inventories, are those portions of the collections of an agency or museum that have been identified on their inventories under the federal Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (25 U.S.C. Sec. 3001 et seq.) as “culturally unidentifiable,” by January 1, 2003, or within one year of the date on which the commission issues the list of California Indian tribes provided for under paragraph (2) of subdivision (j) of Section 8012, whichever is later.

(h) If the agency or museum determines that it does not have in its possession or control any human remains or cultural items, the agency or museum shall, in lieu of an inventory or summary, state that finding in a letter to the commission at the commission’s request.

(i) Following completion of the initial inventories and summaries specified in subdivisions (a) and (b), each agency or museum shall update its inventories and summaries whenever the agency or museum receives possession or control of human remains or cultural items that were not included in the initial inventories and summaries. Upon completion, the agency or museum shall provide a copy of its updated inventories and summaries to the commission. Nothing in this section shall be construed to mean that a museum or agency may delay repatriation of items in the initial inventory until the updating of all inventories and summaries is completed.

SEC. 4.

 Section 5097.94 of the Public Resources Code is amended to read:

5097.94.

 The commission shall have the following powers and duties:

(a) To identify and catalog places of special religious or social significance to Native Americans, and known graves and cemeteries of Native Americans on private lands. The identification and cataloguing of known graves and cemeteries shall be completed on or before January 1, 1984. The commission shall notify landowners on whose property the graves and cemeteries are determined to exist, and shall identify the California Native American tribe on the contact list maintained by the commission pursuant to subparagraph (B) of paragraph (2) of subdivision (j) of Section 8012 of the Health and Safety Code that is most likely descended from those Native Americans who may be interred on the property.

(b) To make recommendations relative to Native American sacred places that are located on private lands, are inaccessible to Native Americans, and have cultural significance to Native Americans for acquisition by the state or other public agencies for the purpose of facilitating or assuring access thereto by Native Americans.

(c) To make recommendations to the Legislature relative to procedures that will voluntarily encourage private property owners to preserve and protect sacred places in a natural state and to allow appropriate access to Native American religionists for ceremonial or spiritual activities.

(d) To appoint necessary clerical staff.

(e) To accept grants or donations, real or in kind, to carry out the purposes of this chapter and the California Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act of 2001 (Chapter 5 (commencing with Section 8010) of Part 2 of Division 7 of the Health and Safety Code).

(f) To make recommendations to the Director of Parks and Recreation and the California Arts Council relative to the California State Indian Museum and other Indian matters touched upon by department programs.

(g) To bring an action to prevent severe and irreparable damage to, or assure appropriate access for Native Americans to, a Native American sanctified cemetery, place of worship, religious or ceremonial site, or sacred shrine located on public property, pursuant to Section 5097.97. If the court finds that severe and irreparable damage will occur or that appropriate access will be denied, and appropriate mitigation measures are not available, it shall issue an injunction, unless it finds, on clear and convincing evidence, that the public interest and necessity require otherwise. The Attorney General shall represent the commission and the state in litigation concerning affairs of the commission, unless the Attorney General has determined to represent the agency against whom the commission’s action is directed, directed or has determined there exists a conflict that would impair its ability to zealously advocate on behalf of the commission, or when the commission reasonably believes that the Attorney General cannot, in good faith, represent the interests of the commission, in which case the commission shall be authorized to employ other counsel. In an action to enforce this subdivision, the commission shall introduce evidence showing that a cemetery, place, site, or shrine has been historically regarded as a sacred or sanctified place by Native American people and represents a place of unique historical and cultural significance to an Indian tribe or community.

(h) To request and utilize the advice and service of all federal, state, local, and regional agencies, including for purposes of carrying out the California Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act of 2001 (Chapter 5 (commencing with Section 8010) of Part 2 of Division 7 of the Health and Safety Code).

(i) To assist Native Americans in obtaining appropriate access to sacred places that are located on public lands for ceremonial or spiritual activities.

(j) To assist state agencies in any negotiations with agencies of the federal government for the protection of Native American sacred places that are located on federal lands.

(k) (1) To mediate, upon application of either of the parties, disputes arising between landowners and known descendants relating to the treatment and disposition of Native American human burials, skeletal remains, and items associated with Native American burials.

(2) The agreements shall provide protection to Native American human burials and skeletal remains from vandalism and inadvertent destruction and provide for sensitive treatment and disposition of Native American burials, skeletal remains, and associated grave goods consistent with the planned use of, or the approved project on, the land.

(l) To assist interested landowners in developing agreements with appropriate Native American groups for treating or disposing, with appropriate dignity, of the human remains and any items associated with Native American burials.

(m) To provide each California Native American tribe, as defined in Section 21073, on or before July 1, 2016, with a list of all public agencies that may be a lead agency pursuant to Division 13 (commencing with Section 21000) within the geographic area with which the tribe is traditionally and culturally affiliated, the contact information of those public agencies, and information on how the tribe may request the public agency to notify the tribe of projects within the jurisdiction of those public agencies for purposes of requesting consultation pursuant to Section 21080.3.1.

(n) (1) To assume the powers and duties of the former Repatriation Oversight Commission and meet, when necessary and at least quarterly, to perform the following duties:

(A) Order the repatriation of human remains and cultural items in accordance with the act.

(B) Establish mediation procedures and, upon the application of the parties involved, mediate disputes among tribes and museums and agencies relating to the disposition of human remains and cultural items. The commission shall have the power of subpoena for purposes of discovery and may impose civil penalties against any agency or museum that intentionally or willfully fails to comply with the act. Members of the commission and commission staff shall receive training in mediation for purposes of this subparagraph. The commission may delegate its responsibility to mediate disputes to a certified mediator or commission staff.

(C) Establish and maintain an internet website for communication among tribes and museums and agencies.

(D) Upon the request of tribes or museums and agencies, analyze and make decisions regarding providing financial assistance to aid in specific repatriation activities.

(E) Make recommendations to the Legislature to assist tribes in obtaining the dedication of appropriate state lands for the purposes of reinterment of human remains and cultural items.

(F) (i) Prepare and submit to the Legislature an annual report detailing commission activities, disbursement of funds, and dispute resolutions relating to the repatriation activities under the act.

(ii) A report submitted to the Legislature pursuant to this subparagraph shall be submitted in compliance with Section 9795 of the Government Code.

(G) Refer any known noncompliance with the federal Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (25 U.S.C. Sec. 3001 et seq.) to the United States Attorney General and the Secretary of the Interior.

(H) Impose administrative civil penalties pursuant to Section 8029 of the Health and Safety Code against an agency or museum that is determined by the commission to have violated the act.

(I) Establish those rules and regulations the commission determines to be necessary for the administration of the act.

(2) For purposes of this subdivision, the following terms have the following meanings:

(A) “Act” means the California Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (Chapter 5 (commencing with Section 8010) of Part 2 of Division 7 of the Health and Safety Code).

(B) “Tribe” means a “California Indian tribe” as that term is used in the act.

(o) (1) To establish and assess a fee on a person or public or private entity that is reasonably related to the cost of conducting a search of catalogs, described in subdivision (a), inventories, described in Section 5097.96, or lists, described in Section 21073, for that person or entity, which funds shall be available to the commission upon appropriation by the Legislature.

(2) The Legislature finds that, pursuant to subdivision (b) of Section 3 of Article XIII A of the California Constitution, the fees established pursuant to paragraph (1) are not taxes. To the extent that these fees are appropriated through the Budget Act for the purposes for which they are collected to provide services to the people of the State of California, the Legislature finds that these fees are not subject to Article XIII B of the California Constitution.

(p) Review and provide comment and guidance on all policies and procedures proposed pursuant to Article 3 (commencing with Section 8025) of Chapter 5 of Part 2 of Division 7 of the Health and Safety Code.