A Second Apology: Native Bill Heads to Newsom’s Desk

September 8, 2026

California Assemblymember James C. Ramos has introduced legislation requiring the state legislature to formally apologize for historical atrocities committed against Native Americans since 1850, filling a gap left when Governor Newsom issued an executive apology in 2019. Assembly Bill 2115, named the "Rowena Mae Ramos Act" after the assemblymember's mother, passed both legislative chambers unanimously and now awaits the governor's signature.

Who is affected

Native American communities across California
Members of the Serrano/Cahuilla tribe and Yuhaaviatam of San Manuel Nation
Assemblymember James C. Ramos (the first Native American in the California Legislature)
Rowena Mae Ramos (Ramos's late mother, a tribal elder)
Kenneth Kahn and the Santa Ynez Band of Chumash Indians
California state government and the Legislature as an institution
Future visitors to the State Capitol Building

What action is being taken

No explicit ongoing actions are described in the article. The bill has passed the legislature and is awaiting Governor Newsom's decision.

Why it matters

This legislation matters because it represents the California Legislature's first formal acknowledgment of its direct institutional role in enacting laws that facilitated violence and destruction against Native American communities, going beyond the governor's 2019 executive apology. The measure addresses lasting trauma that continues to affect Indigenous communities today, stemming from state-sanctioned policies including California's first governor publicly declaring "war of extermination" funded by taxpayer dollars. By requiring permanent public memorialization through a plaque and archived official apology, the bill aims to promote healing between tribal communities and state government while ensuring an honest historical record is preserved for future generations.

What's next

Governor Gavin Newsom must decide whether to sign or reject AB 2115
If approved, a commemorative plaque will be placed publicly inside the State Capitol Building
A final copy of the apology bearing the Great Seal of the State will be signed by top state officials and the Governor
The signed apology will reside permanently in the State Archives

Read full article from source: The San Diego Voice & Viewpoint