ALL WE'RE GETTING READY TO GET
STARTED HERE WITH, UM, SELECT
COMMITTEE ON NATIVE AMERICAN
AFFAIRS. TODAY WE HAVE A SERIES
OF SPEAKERS. UM IT WILL SPEAK TO
ISSUES THAT ARE IMPORTANT TO, UM
UM, THE COMMUNITY HERE IN
CALIFORNIA NATIVE AMERICANS HERE
IN THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA. PART
OF OUR DISCUSSION WILL BE AROUND
AN AUDIT THAT, UM WAS COMPILED
OF THE UC SYSTEM THAT CALLED FOR
LEGISLATION TO ENCOURAGE MORE
CALIFORNIA TRIES TO BE ABLE TO,
UM GET RIPPED RIPPED THE
DIFFERENT, UH, REMAINS BACK INTO
THEIR ARCHIVES SO THAT BILL
TALKED ABOUT AND WORKS
EXCLUSIVELY WITH THE NATIVE
AMERICAN HERITAGE COMMISSION TO
DEVELOP A LIST TO ENSURE THAT
THAT IS GOING ON, AND THAT, UM,
PARTICULAR AUDIT. WE'RE GOING TO
GET AN UPDATE ON IT IN EARLY
SPRING FROM THE UC SYSTEM, SO I
THOUGHT IT WAS A GOOD IDEA TO
GET AN UPDATE. FROM THE HERITAGE
COMMISSION ON SOME OF THOSE
ISSUES ON REMAINS THAT ARE
COMING BACK TO TRIBES AND
OPENING UP MAKING SURE THAT ALL
TRIBES IN THE STATE OF
CALIFORNIA ARE ABLE TO, UM GET
THOSE REMAINS BACK INTO THE
HANDS OF CALIFORNIA INDIAN
PEOPLE. THERE ALSO IS ANOTHER
AUDIT THAT WAS APPROVED. THAT'S
GOING ON CURRENTLY, AND THAT'S
WHERE THE CAL STATE UNIVERSITY
SYSTEMS SO BEING ABLE TO HERE
FIRSTHAND WHAT HAS WORKED WHAT
HASN'T SO THAT WE CAN BE BETTER
EQUIPPED WITH THE CAL STATE
UNIVERSITY SYSTEM? WHEN THAT
AUDIT COMES BACK, AND WE
ANTICIPATE THAT COMING BACK, UM,
IN LATE SPRING OF NEXT YEAR. SO
WITH THAT WE HAVE A LOT OF, UH
INFORMATION THAT WE WANTED TO
GET OUT IN THIS PARTICULAR
HEARING. WE ALSO KNOW THAT THE
GOVERNOR PUT OUT IN THE BUDGET
AND PUBLISHED A STATEMENT IN
MARCH OF 18 2022 ON THEN $100
MILLION TO SUPPORT TRIBAL LED
INITIATIVES THAT ADVANCED SHARED
CLIMATE CONSERVATION GOAL. BY
THE TIME THE BUDGET WAS APPROVED
100 MILLION NOW A 70 MILLION, SO
WE ALSO WANT TO HEAR FROM TRIBAL
LEADERS. ON ON THOSE AREAS. UM,
SO WE HAVE AN ARRAY OF SPEAKERS
THAT WILL BE HERE TODAY. THIS IS
INFORMATIONAL HEARING OUR FIRST,
UM ROLE WOULD BE TO DO LAND
ACKNOWLEDGMENT, AND AT THIS TIME
WE'D LIKE TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT
THIS TERRITORY OF THE MIWOK
PEOPLE, UM THIS AND NOT AND PART
OF THE PEOPLE OF THIS AREA OUR
FIRST, UM, PANEL DISCUSSION.
PANEL. ONE NATIVE AMERICAN
HERITAGE COMMISSION UPDATE ON
IMPLEMENTATION OF 82 75. AND WE
HAVE THE EXECUTIVE SECRETARY OF
THE NATIVE AMERICAN HERITAGE
COMMISSION TO BE ABLE TO COME
FORWARD AND GIVE US AN UPDATE ON
THAT. BUT BEFORE WE DO, I'D LIKE
TO ASK SOME COMMITTEE MEMBERS IF
YOU HAVE ANY OPENING COMMENTS.
REGINA THANK THE CHAIR FOR
CONVENING THIS HEARING AS CHAIR
OF HIGHER EDUCATION AND LEAVING
. I HAVE NOT BEEN SHY ABOUT
EXPRESSING MY SUPPORT FOR THE
EFFORTS ON REPATRIATION, AND I
AND I HOPE THAT FINALLY BOTH
SYSTEMS YOU SEE, AND THE CSU DO
EVERYTHING WITHIN THEIR POWER TO
MAKE IT HAPPEN, AND IF ONE
INSTITUTION CAN DO IT, THERE'S
NO REASON WHY OTHER INSTITUTIONS
CAN THANK YOU, MR CHAIR FOR
CONVENIENT THIS HEARING TODAY.
THANK YOU, SOME OF THE MEMBER
DINA ANY OTHER COMMITTEE
MEMBERS? THANK YOU. SO WITH THAT
WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT, UM WE
CONTINUE TO ADDRESS THE ISSUES
THAT ARE FACING OUR CALIFORNIA
INDIAN PEOPLE WITH DIFFERENT
REMAINS THAT ARE OUT THERE IN
THE DIFFERENT CONSTRUCTIONS THAT
ARE GOING ON. AND UM, SEEING THE
WILLINGNESS OF THE
ADMINISTRATION, UM AND WORKING
WITH THE NATURAL RESOURCES
SECRETARY TO ENSURE THAT LAND IS
COMING BACK INTO THE HANDS OF
CALIFORNIA'S FIRST PEOPLE. AND
SO THIS THIS SELECT COMMITTEE
HEARING IS GEARED TOWARDS THAT
GETTING INFORMATION INFORMATION
THAT POTENTIALLY COULD BE USED
TO FURTHER THAT VOICE MOVING
FORWARD AND SO WITHOUT FURTHER
TO DO, I'D LIKE TO BRING UP THE
EXECUTIVE SECRETARY, UH, RAYMOND
HITCHCOCK. TO GIVE US AN UPDATE
ON IMPLEMENTATION OF 82 75.
YEAH.
MATRIXES COOCHIE. EMMA CHAIRMAN
, RAYMOND SEE HITCHCOCK, THE
EXECUTIVE SECRETARY OF THE
AMERICAN HERITAGE COMMISSION.
IT'S A PLEASURE TO BE HERE THIS
MORNING STEAMED COMMITTEE
MEMBERS I COME BEFORE YOU AS THE
NEWLY APPOINTED EXECUTIVE
SECRETARY OF THE NATIVE AMERICAN
HERITAGE BECAUSE MISSION JUST
SIX MONTHS INTO MINING RULE.
AFTER TAKING ON THIS ROLE AS A
FERTILE TIME E S. I BECAME
ACUTELY AWARE OF THE MANY ISSUES
AND CHALLENGES THAT FACE THIS
AGENCY AND COMMISSION AS A BODY.
SINCE OUR INCEPTION IN THE
SEVENTIES, THE MISSION AND GOALS
OF THE HERITAGE COMMISSION HAVE
BEEN STEADFAST TO PROTECT OUR
NATIVE ANCESTORS RESTING PLACE,
AND WHEN DISTURBED TO IDENTIFY
THE APPROPRIATE NATIVE AMERICAN
TRIBES OR TRIBAL PEOPLE WHO
WOULD BE THE MOST LIKELY
DESCENDANTS TO GIVE SENSITIVE
RECOMMENDATIONS ON HOW TO
PROTECT THE INTEGRITY. AND
DISTURBANCE AND TREAT ANCESTORS
RESTING PLACE WITH APPROPRIATE
DIGNITY AND RESPECT AS WE FAST
FORWARD INTO THE NINETIES AND
THE 21ST CENTURY, ANOTHER ASPECT
TO PROTECTING OUR ANCESTORS
BECAME THE ADDITIONAL MISSION OF
THE COMMISSION. THE NATIVE
AMERICAN GRAVES REPATRIATION
ACT. NAG PREP OF 1990. IT'S
CALIFORNIA NAG PRO IN 2001. THIS
PAVED THE WAY FOR CALIFORNIA
MUSEUMS, AGENCIES IN HIGHER
LEARNING INSTITUTIONS TO WORK
WITH CALIFORNIA NATIVE AMERICAN
TRIBES TO RETURN ANCESTRAL
COLLECTIONS HELD IN THEIR
POSSESSION FOR DECADES BACK TO
TRIBES. MORE THAN TWO DECADES
LATER. WE'RE STILL WORKING TO
GET THOSE ANCESTORS BACK TO
THEIR RIGHTFUL TRIBAL FAMILIES
IN JUNE OF 2020, THE CALIFORNIA
STATE AUDITOR'S OFFICE CONDUCTED
AN AUDIT TO VERIFY THE
UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA'S
COMPLIANCE WITH FEDERAL NAGPUR
OF 1990, CAL MAG PRA OF 2001.
FOR THE RETURN OF ANCESTORS,
FUNERARY AND CULTURAL ITEMS BACK
TO TRIBES REVIEWED èC BERKELEY
, UC DAVIS AND UC L. A. THE
AUDIT CONCLUDED THE UNIVERSITY'S
INADEQUATE IMPLEMENTATION OF
THESE STATUTES, INCLUDING THE
FOLLOWING AREAS OF CONCERNS AND
FINDINGS. CAMPUSES WERE
INCONSISTENT IN THEIR POSSESSION
IN THE PROCESS FOR RETURNING
HUMAN REMAINS AND ARTIFACTS. TWO
TRIBES THEY USE DIFFERENT
STANDARDS FOR CULTURAL
AFFILIATION, DETERMINATION AND
DISPOSITION. CONSULTATIONS.
CAMPUS COMMITTEES EXERCISED
MINIMAL OVERSIGHT OVER CAMPUS
DECISIONS. UNIVERSITY POLICY
ALLOWED DRASTIC VARIATION IN
CAMPUS PRACTICES. THE
UNIVERSITY'S DRAFT OF ITS NEXT
POLICY FAILED TO STANDARDIZE
CAMPUS PROCEDURES AS THE
LEGISLATURE INTENDED. THE
UNIVERSITY FAILED TO MEET
STATUTORY DEADLINES FOR ITS
NEIGHBOR POLICY. IT HAD
MEMBERSHIP OF THE SYSTEM LINING
CAMPUS COMMITTEES DIDN'T COMPLY
WITH STATE LAW, AND IT LACKED
THE REQUIRED TRIBAL
REPRESENTATION ON THOSE
COMMITTEES. SOME CAMPUSES LOST
REMAINS AND ARTIFACTS BECAUSE
THEY POORLY MANAGED THEIR
COLLECTIONS IN THE PAST. AND
LASTLY, THEY THEIR HERITAGE
COMMISSION HAD NOT PUBLISHED A
LIST OF CALIFORNIA RECOGNIZED
TRIBES, WHICH IS CALLED THE
CONTACT LIST. WE HAVE SINCE
ACTUALLY POSTED OUR CONTACT LIST
SINCE THIS ADDICT CAME OUT IN
SEPTEMBER OF 2020. BUT MANY
DEFICIENCIES THAT WERE FLAGGED
IN THE 2020 AUDIT OR AN ISSUE
STILL TODAY WITH THE UNIVERSITY
SYSTEM. THEY CONTINUE TO
INAPPROPRIATELY HANDLE ANCESTRAL
REMAINS REQUIRES INSTITUTIONS TO
CONSULT WITH CULTURALLY
AFFILIATED TRIBES TO MINIMIZE
HANDLING IS A PART OF THE
PRELIMINARY INVENTORY PROCESS,
WHICH IS ON THE FRONT END OF
ADDRESSING THESE ISSUES. THE
CAMPUS COMMITTEES ARE STILL NOT
GIVEN THE AUTHORITY OUTLINED IN
A B 28 36. THAT MAKE CLAIMS FOR
REPATRIATION OR CLAIMS OF ANY
VIOLATIONS OF THE POLICIES AND
PROCEDURES ADOPTED UNDER CAL
NIAGARA BèC POLICY STATES. THEY
MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS TO THE
CHANCELLOR FOR CORRECTIVE
ACTIONS IS NECESSARY. THE
INTEGRATION OF CAL NAGPUR INTO
THE NEXT PROCESS. BèC POLICY
FAILS IN THIS AREA, AND IT'S
STRONGLY RECOMMENDED THAT THEY
ADOPT A POLICY MODELED AFTER THE
CURRENTLY PROPOSED NAG PRO
REGULATIONS, WHICH PROVIDES A
STEP BY STEP DIRECTION TO COMPLY
WITH BOTH NAG PRA AND CAL NHÀ
OPERA. INCONSISTENCIES ACROSS
CAMPUSES AND DETERMINING
CULTURAL AFFILIATION, WHICH MUST
OCCUR IMMEDIATELY UNDERCOUNT
OPRAH TO CONSULT ON MOVING AND
HANDLING EVENTS. RESTAURANT
REMAINS CAMPUS IS STILL DO NOT
HAVE A STANDARD PROCESS TO
INFORM TRIBES ABOUT MISSING
ANCESTRAL REMAINS AND ARTIFACTS
AND METHODS FOR LOCATING THEM.
IN SEPTEMBER OF 2020 SWEEPING
CHANGES TO CAL MAG PER WERE
ENACTED WHEN A B 2 75 WAS SIGNED
INTO LAW BECOMING EFFECTIVE
JANUARY OF 2021. THIS SET MORE
STRINGENT STANDARDS TO THESE
MUSEUMS AND AGENCIES TO COMPLY
WITH CAL NEGRA, PUTTING THE ONUS
OF RESPONSIBILITY BACK ON THOSE
INSTITUTIONS TO CONSULT AND WORK
COLLABORATIVELY WITH CALIFORNIA
NATIVE AMERICAN TRIBES UPFRONT.
THERE ARE 100 AND 10 FEDERALLY
RECOGNIZED TRIBAL SOVEREIGN
GOVERNMENTS IN CALIFORNIA AND
APPROXIMATELY 70 NON FEDERALLY
RECOGNIZED TRIBES THROUGHOUT THE
STATE LISTED ON THE COMMISSION'S
CONTACT LIST. THE PUBLIC HAS
THIS BELIEF THIS LIST IS A LIST
OF STATE RECOGNIZED TRIBES OF
CALIFORNIA, BUT THIS LIST IS
SOLELY INTENDED FOR TWO PURPOSES
. ONE PURPOSE IS FOR TRIBAL
CULTURAL RESOURCE PROTECTION,
WHICH IS THE PRESERVATION OF OUR
ANCESTORS RESTING PEACEFULLY,
NOT UNEARTHED BY GROUND
DISTURBANCE. THESE ARE OUTLINED
IN STATUTES A B 52, WHICH IS
SECRET PROCESS A B 52 EXCUSE ME
S B 52, WHICH IS GENERAL PLAN
AMENDMENTS AND A B 1 68. ANOTHER
ASPECT TO TRIBAL RESOURCE.
CULTURAL RESOURCE PROTECTION IS
THE RETURN OF OUR ANCESTORS IF
THEY'VE BEEN INADVERTENTLY
DISCOVERED THROUGH GROUND
DISTURBANCE, AND THAT'S OUTLINED
IN PRC CODE 15 97 98, WHICH IS
THE MOST LIKELY DESCENDANTS.
DETERMINATION THAT THE HERITAGE
COMMISSION MAKES WHEN ANCESTORS
ARE INADVERTENTLY DISCOVERED.
THE SECOND PURPOSE OF THE
CONTACT LIST IS FOR THE
REPATRIATION OF ANCESTORS AND
ASSOCIATED FUNERARY AND CULTURAL
OBJECTS BACK TO CALIFORNIA
TRIBES FROM AGENCIES. THIS IS
OUTLINED IN A B 2 75 82 75 HAS
THE POTENTIAL TO HOLD THESE
MUSEUMS, AGENCIES AND HIGHER
LEARNING INSTITUTIONS. TO A
HIGHER STANDARD ACCOUNTABLE FOR
RETURNING OR REPATRIATING THEIR
ANCESTRAL COLLECTIONS BACK TO
TRIBES IN A MEANINGFUL AND
EXPEDITIOUS PROCESS. THE STATUTE
ALSO ENHANCES AND ELEVATES THE
HERITAGE COMMISSION AS A
REPLACEMENT FOR THE REPATRIATION
OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE ESTABLISHED
BY THE FIRST CONTACT PER
STATUTE. THE COMMISSION IS NOW
RESPONSIBLE FOR TRACKING AND
PARTICIPATING IN THE
REPATRIATION PROCESS FROM START
TO FINISH. INCLUDING ASSISTING
AGENCIES AND IDENTIFYING THE
CULTURALLY AFFILIATED TRIBES.
REVIEWING PRELIMINARY
INVENTORIES FOR CAL, KNACK FOR
COMPLIANCE, POSTING THESE
INVENTORIES AND SUMMARIES
MONITORING CULTURAL AFFILIATION
, POSTING FINAL INVENTORIES
REVEALING REPATRIATION REQUEST
POSTING REPATRIATION REQUEST,
REVIEWING AND POSTING CLAIMS AND
TRACKING THIS ENTIRE
REPATRIATION PROCESS. IN
ADDITION TO THESE
RESPONSIBILITIES OUTLINED IN A B
2 75, THE COMMISSION MUST ALSO
PROVIDED DISPUTE RESOLUTION
PROCESS PROVIDING MEDIATIONS
WHEN DISAGREEMENTS OCCUR, AND IT
HAS THE POTENTIAL FOR
ENFORCEMENT AUTHORITY OVER ANY
AGREEMENTS AND HAS THE AUTHORITY
TO IMPOSE CIVIL PENALTIES FOR
ANY CAL MAG VIOLATIONS FOR ANY
BAD ACTORS. SO ONE OF THE
DEADLINES IN A B 2 75 REQUIRES
AGENCIES, MUSEUMS AND HIGHER
LEARNING INSTITUTIONS THAT
REALLY RECEIVE STATE FUNDS. TO
COMPLETE A PRELIMINARY AND
INVENTORY OF THESE COLLECTIONS
THEY HELD IN THEIR POSSESSION
AND IT WAS DUE BY JANUARY. 1ST
OF 2022. SOME OF THE DUTIES OF
THIS PRELIMINARY INVENTORIES AND
SUMMARIES REQUIRE INSTITUTIONS
TO IDENTIFY THE GEOGRAPHICAL
LOCATION OF THEIR COLLECTION.
THE CULTURAL AFFILIATION TO FIND
OUT THE ABORIGINAL TERRITORY AND
THE CIRCUMSTANCES SURROUNDING
THEIR ACQUISITION. THERE'S A
CONSULTANT TRIBES PRIOR TO ANY
WORK BEING CONDUCTED AND
PROTOCOLS, INCLUDING MINIMAL
HANDLING AND IDENTIFY ANYTHING
ASSOCIATED ITEMS WITH TRIBAL
EXPERTISE RECEIVING DEFERENCE.
ONCE COMPLETED, THEY HAD 90 DAYS
TO SUBMIT THESE INVENTORIES AND
SUMMARIES TO THE HERITAGE
COMMISSION FOR POSTING ON OUR
WEBSITE HOMEPAGE, AND WE HAVE A
CAL KNACK FOR LINK TO START TO
TRACK ALL THESE COLLECTIONS. BY
APRIL 1ST OF 2022 THIS YEAR, MY
SECOND DAY ON THE JOB AGENCIES,
MUSEUMS AND HIGHER LEARNING
INSTITUTIONS UPLOADED OVER 3000
INVENTORIES IN 13,000 SUMMARY
COLLECTIONS, WE CREATED A
RUDIMENTARY WEBSITE CREATED BY
THE COMMISSION TO TRY TO TRACK
ALL THESE QUOTE COLLECTIONS THAT
ARE LAID OUT IN THE STEPS IN A B
2 75. AFTER FURTHER
INVESTIGATION BY THE COMMISSION
ONCE WE HAD ALL THESE ON OUR
WEBSITE, THESE INSTITUTIONS DID
NOT DO. THE RITUAL REQUIRED
TRIBAL CONSULTATION OUTLINED IN
A B 2 75. WRONGLY ASSUMED THAT
THE APRIL 1ST DEADLINE WAS SET
FORTH IN THE STATUTE RELIEVE
THEIR DUTY TO COMPLY WITH THE
EXTENSIVE TRIBAL CONSULTATION
REQUIREMENTS AND COUNTING ON
OPRAH. MOST OF THE COLLECTIONS
HAD ARBITRARY INFORMATION
ATTACHED TO EACH INVENTORY
INTEREST SUMMARY. THIS WAS NOT
THE INTENT OF 82 75. AND IT
ADDED A REAL CHALLENGE TO OUR
ABILITY TO TRACK THE PROCESS OF
REPATRIATION FROM START TO
FINISH AS OUTLINED IN A B 2 75.
OVER THE SUMMER. WE'VE SINCE
CHANGED OUR WEB PAGE FROM A
PRELIMINARY INVENTORIES AND
SUMMARIES DATABASE. TO A TRIBAL
RESOURCE COLLECTIONS DATABASE OR
SOMEWHAT OF A COLLECTIONS
LIBRARY IF YOU WILL. WE ARE NOW
ASKING TO HAVE THESE AGENCIES,
MUSEUMS AND HIGHER LEARNING
INSTITUTIONS TO GO BACK AND DO
THE REQUIRED TRIBAL CONSULTATION
BEFORE MOVING THIS COLLECTION
FROM THE DATABASE OR LIBRARY TO
PRELIMINARY INVENTORIES AND
SUMMARIES. THIS STATUTE CREATED
VERY COMPLEX AND SERIOUS
PROBLEMS FOR THE COMMISSION, AND
WE'RE TRYING TO DRESS THEM THAT
WEREN'T CONTEMPLATING WHEN THE
STATUTE WAS ENACTED. WE NEED TO
CONTRACT WITH THE THIRD PARTY I
T COMPANY TO BUILD A
SOPHISTICATED WEBSITE DATABASE
TO TRACK MANAGE AND MONITOR EACH
AND EVERY ONE OF THESE OVER
16,000 COLLECTIONS FROM START TO
FINISH THAT HAVE BEEN UPLOADED
ON OUR WEBSITE. THERE'S A
REPATRIATION PROCESS
INSTITUTIONS UPLOADED TO OUR
WEBSITE. ONCE TRIBAL
CONSULTATION IS COMPLETE. THEN
THEY CAN MOVE IT TO PRELIMINARY
INVENTORIES AND SUMMARIES. IT
GOES TO A SEPARATE TAP. ONCE ALL
THE TRIBES AGREE IT CAN REMOVE
MOVE TO A FINAL INVENTORIES AND
SUMMARIES TAP. THERE'S TIMELINES
ON THIS. WE HAVE TO TRACK CLAIMS
MADE BY TRIBES. WE HAVE TO TRACK
WHEN REPATRIATION QUOTE REQUESTS
ARE MADE BY TRIBES, THEIR
TIMELINES THAT ARE INVOLVED IN
THIS AND WE HAVE TO TRACK AND
ENFORCED REPATRIATION AGREEMENTS
BY TRIBES AND INSTITUTIONS. IT'S
ESSENTIALLY A START TO FINISH
PROCESS WITH REPATRIATION
OUTLINED IN 82 75. WHICH 16,000
COLLECTIONS MEANS THERE'S 16,000
DIFFERENT TIMELINES THAT WE MAY
HAVE TO INDIVIDUALLY TRACK OR
HAVE ABILITY TO ATTRACT US TO
MAKE SURE THAT THE UNIVERSITIES
ARE DOING THEIR JOB AND IT GETS
BACK TO THE TRIBES SO THEY CAN
GET THEIR ANCESTORS HOME. THIS
MAGNIFIES THE NEED FOR THE
HERITAGE COMMISSION TO HAVE
FUNDING ALLOCATED FOR BUILDING A
SOPHISTICATED WEBSITE FOR
TRACKING ALL THESE STEPS FROM
START TO FINISH. WE GOT SOME
INITIAL ESTIMATES, AND THEY
RANGE FROM 80 TO 100,000, BASED
ON THE COMPLEXITY OF THE
TRACKING AND MONITORING
INFORMATION ON OUR WEBSITE. THE
STATUTE OUTLINES ANOTHER ASPECT
, WHICH IS DISPUTE RESOLUTION
AND MEDIATION BETWEEN TRIBES AND
INSTITUTIONS. WHEN DIFFERENCES
OCCUR THROUGH EVERY STEP OF THIS
PROCESS, THEY CAN HAVE A DISPUTE
AT THE BEGINNING AT THE
PRELIMINARY STAGE, THEY CAN HAVE
A DISPUTE AT THE FINAL STAGE.
THEY CAN HAVE A DISPUTE OVER WHO
MAKES THE CLAIM WITH THOSE
INSTITUTIONS. IT WAS
CONTEMPLATED IN A B 2 75 THAT
THE COMMISSIONERS OR COMMISSION
STAFF WOULD BE THE MEDIATORS IN
ANY DISPUTE BETWEEN TRIBES AND
INSTITUTIONS. BUT THIS CREATES
POTENTIAL CONFLICTS IN THE
COMMISSION'S ROLE IN ANY FINAL
AGENCY DETERMINATION ON A MATTER
AS WELL AS THE FACT THAT THE
COMMISSION LACKS THE STAFF TO
PERFORM THIS FUNCTION. WE
RECENTLY SET ASIDE $50,000 OF
OUR OUTSTRETCHED FISCAL BUDGET
AND CONTRACTING WITH THE STATE
THIRD PARTY MEDIATION CONSULTANT
IN THE CASE THAT MAYBE MEDIATION
ARISES. THE COST FOR JUST ONE
MEDIATION WAS ESTIMATED ANYWHERE
FROM 5000 TO $25,000, DEPENDING
ON THE DEPTH OF THE
INVESTIGATION, AND THE TIME
TAKEN. SO THERE'S OVER 16,000
INVENTORIES IN SUMMARIES,
COLLECTIONS OF ANCESTORS AND
FUNERARY REMAINS, AND JUST 1% OF
THAT IS AT LEAST 160 POTENTIAL
MEDIATIONS. AND IF YOU DO THE
MATH ON THAT, LET'S JUST SAY
IT'S $10,000. THAT'S $1.6
MILLION THAT IT COULD COST THIS
. THIS AGENCY TO PROVIDE THE
MEDIATION AS OUTLINED IN A B 2
75. THERE'S A NEED FOR NATIVE
AMERICAN MEDIATORS WITH
EXPERIENCE AND REPATRIATION ALSO
TO MEET THIS NEED AND WE WANT TO
DEVELOP AND IMPLEMENT A TRAINING
PLAN OR PROGRAM WHICH IS NOT
INCLUDED IN OUR $50,000 OUTLAY.
UH THAT WOULD HELP US TO GET
MORE MEDIATORS THROUGHOUT THE
STATE TO HELP TRY TO LOWER THIS
POTENTIAL COST FOR MEDIATION. 82
75 INCORPORATES RESTORATIVE
JUSTICE PRINCIPLES AND MEDIATION
AND ANY SUBSIDENCE AGREEMENTS.
UNDOUBTEDLY DISPUTES WILL ARRIVE
OVER THE COMPLIANCE WITH THESE
PRINCIPLES. WHICH IS UNDER
KALNIETE OPERA, AND THE
COMMISSION AGAIN IS CHARGED WITH
ENFORCING ANOTHER SIGNIFICANT
COSTS, WHICH MAY NOT HAVE BEEN
CONTEMPLATING IS THE COMPLIANCE
OF THE ADMINISTRATIVE PROCEDURE
ACT IN DRAFTING CONSULTING ON
ADOPTING FORMAL PUBLIC
REGULATIONS. THESE REGULATIONS
MUST ADDRESS THE CONTACT LIST,
TRIBAL TERRITORIES, THE COWL
NECK PROCESS ITSELF AND
ENFORCEMENT REGULATIONS TO LEVY
CIVIL PENALTIES FOR CAL MAG
PROVIDE ELATION. THIS TOO, IS A
COST WHICH CANNOT BE COMPLETELY
ABSORBED BY THE COMMISSION AND
WILL REQUIRE A BUDGET CHANGE
PROPOSAL. THERE ARE SOME OTHER
AREAS OF LEGISLATIVE LANGUAGE
CLEANUP NEEDED FOR CAL MAG PRA,
BUT WE CAN ADDRESS THOSE AT A
LATER JUNCTURE. BUT THESE ARE
SOME OF THE MAJOR HURDLES THAT
THEY COMMISSION IS SEEING
CURRENTLY RIGHT NOW. AH, SO WE
APPRECIATE YOUR TIME TO ADDRESS
THE COMMITTEE HERE. AND IF YOU
HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR ME, I'M
GLAD TO ASSIST THANK YOU.
EXECUTIVE SECRETARY HITCHCOCK.
IS THERE ANY, UH, COMMENTS
QUESTIONS FROM COMMITTEE
MEMBERS. WAS A MEDIA MEMBER OF
MEDINA. YES UM, YOU MENTIONED
16,000 DIFFERENT ELECTIONS. YES,
SIR. UM YOU KNOW, I WAS AWARE OF
THE COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES
WHICH THERE ARE 10, RIGHT? YOU
SEIZE MAYBE 20 C SUS. WHERE
WHERE ARE THESE COLLECTIONS
OUTSIDE OF THE INSTITUTIONS OF
HIGHER LEARNING STATE AGENCIES
THERE A COUPLE OF STATE AGENCIES
AND ALSO HOUSE COLLECTIONS.
STATE PARKS, CALTRANS, AMONG
OTHERS. UM SOME OF LIKE BERKELEY
, FOR INSTANCE, HAS PROBABLY THE
LARGEST COLLECTION, U. C
BERKELEY AND THE PHOEBE HEARST
MUSEUM. LARGEST AMOUNT OF
COLLECTIONS AND COLLECTIONS ARE
BROKEN UP AND VARIOUS, YOU KNOW,
THIS IS FROM ONE AREA. THIS IS
FROM ANOTHER AREA. THIS IS FROM
A PARTICULAR YOU KNOW THE
ANCESTRAL SITE IF YOU WILL, SO
THEY THEY'VE AMASSED A HUGE
COLLECTION OF COLLECTIONS, IF
YOU WILL. SO A PLACE LIKE èC
BERKELEY WOULD HAVE MANY
ELECTIONS. THOUSANDS YES, I CAN.
OKAY, SO I CAN GET YOU THE EXACT
NUMBER 16,000 DIFFERENT ONES.
COULD BE AT ONE UNIVERSITY.
THOUSANDS WOULD BE AT AT ONE
INSTITUTION THAT'S CORRECT. IT'S
NOT 16 DIFFERENT PLACES, THEN
IT'S SPREAD OUT OVER SEVERAL
DIFFERENT PLACES. SOME HAVE ONE
COLLECTION. SOME HAVE 10. SOME
HAVE 1000 SOME. I'M I'M AT A
LOSS. I CAN GET YOU THAT NUMBER
THAT JUST SEEMED LIKE A HUGE
NUMBER. IT REALLY IS. IT'S A
IT'S A DISTURBING NUMBER
CONSIDERING NAG PRES BEEN AROUND
SINCE 1990 COUNTING SINCE 2001
AND HERE WE ARE IN 2022 WITH A
NEW LAW THAT ACTUALLY GIVES MORE
TEETH TO THE COMMISSION WITH 82
75. AND THOSE ANCESTORS ARE
STILL. I WOULD YOU KNOW, I AM
LEAVING AFTER 10 YEARS IN THE
STATE LEGISLATURE, AND I AND I
WOULD LOOK TO THE CHAIR TO TRY
TO REMEMBER HOW MANY YEARS IT'S
BEEN SINCE THE èC REGIONS MET
AT U C L A. IT'S BEEN PROBABLY
THREE OR FOUR. WHERE, UM
REMEMBER THE CHAIR THERE? UM.
TESTIFYING AND YOU KNOW, IT IS
NOT OKAY. IT IS NOT OKAY FOR US
TO BE HERE. LEAVE GET HERE,
RIGHT, ARRIVE AND NOW LEAVING
TERM OUT AND THE ISSUE STILL
BEING AN ISSUE. THAT IS NOT OKAY
. IT IS NOT OKAY FOR ANY SYSTEM
OF HIGHER EDUCATION. TO TAKE
THAT LONG, UM, TO GET THIS DONE.
AND I WILL WOULD HOPE THAT THAT
WHEN UM, FOLKS THAT ARE STANDING
SITTING HERE AT THIS DIOCESE,
BUT THEY DON'T LEAVE AND THE JOB
NOT BE DONE. BECAUSE IT IS VERY
DISAPPOINTING. IT IS VERY
DISAPPOINTING FOR ME AS A MEMBER
OF THE STATE LEGISLATURE IS VERY
DISAPPOINTING FOR ME AS THE
CHAIR OF HIGHER EDUCATION TO BE
LEAVING AND HAVING SO MUCH WORK,
NOT FINISHED. THANK YOU.
ASSEMBLYMEMBER'S MEDINA.
REMEMBER, RODRIGUEZ HAD A QUICK
COMMENT. YOU SAID CALTRANS HAS
SOME AS WELL RIGHT, CALTRANS,
AND ARE THEY SAFE WHERE THEY
HAVE THEM PLACED AT JUST KIND OF
ELABORATE LITTLE BIT ON THAT? I
BELIEVE I'M NOT SURE EXACTLY
WHERE THEY HAVE THE YOU KNOW,
ANCESTRAL COLLECTIONS, BUT I
KNOW THEY DO HAVE COLLECTIONS IN
THEIR IN THEIR POSSESSION. FROM
VARIOUS HIGHWAY TRANSPORTATION
DEVELOPMENT THROUGHOUT THE STATE
OVER MANY DECADES. THANK YOU,
SIR. REMEMBER RODRIGUEZ AND
THANK YOU, UM EXECUTIVE
SECRETARY HITCHCOCK FOR BRINGING
TO LIGHT. I JUST WANNA ALSO
CLARIFY THE 16,000 REMAINS THAT
YOUR, UM YOUR ALLUDED TO IS JUST
IT'S NOT COMPLETE OF WHAT THE
REMAINS ARE IN THE STATE OF
CALIFORNIA OF NATIVE AMERICAN,
CALIFORNIA INDIAN PEOPLE THAT'S
JUST A COMPONENT OF IT. SO IT'S
NOT THAT THAT'S AN ENTIRETY. UM
AS FAR AS THE QUESTIONS MOVING
FORWARD, 16,000 REMAINS IS A LOT
, BUT THAT'S JUST THE BEGINNING
OF THE REMAINS THAT ARE ACTUALLY
IN THE ARCHIVES AND DIFFERENT
PLACES OF OUR ANCESTORS IN THE
STATE OF CALIFORNIA, SO IT'S NOT
AN AND IT'S A LARGE NUMBER AND
THANK YOU ASSEMBLYMEMBER'S
MEDINA FOR BRINGING TO LIGHT
THAT WE'RE STILL DEALING WITH
THIS ISSUE HERE IN THE STATE OF
CALIFORNIA, BUT 16,000 IS JUST
THE TIP OF WHAT'S TRULY OUT
THERE TO BE REPATRIATED BACK TO
CALIFORNIA'S FIRST PEOPLE. YOU
ALSO DID, UM, TALK ABOUT, UM,
LOOKING AT A THIRD PARTY TO
FULFILL SOME OF THESE THINGS
BECAUSE IT SOUNDS LIKE, UM THOSE
MOVED FORWARD WITH THE 16,000
REMAINS, BUT PUT A LOT OF WORK
ON THE COMMISSION TO FULFILL
WORK THAT SHOULD HAVE ALREADY
BEEN DONE. SO NOW YOU'RE
BRINGING UP A THIRD PARTY
COMPONENT TO HELP GET THAT
COMPONENT DONE AND THAT'S SOME
REACHING OUT WITH TRIBES. IS
THAT RIGHT? SO THE THIRD PARTY
COMPONENT MR CHAIRMAN IS TO HELP
DEVELOP A MORE SOPHISTICATED
WEBSITE THAT TRACKS LIKE EACH
TIME COLLECTION MOVES THROUGH
PARTICULAR STEP AS CONSULTATION
OCCURS TO GET TO REPATRIATION.
THERE'S SEVERAL STEPS THERE'S
TIMELINES INVOLVED IN THAT. AND
IF YOU HAVE 16,000 PLUS
COLLECTIONS THAT'S 16,000
DIFFERENT POTENTIAL TIMELINES
THAT WE HAVE TO TRACK
INDIVIDUALLY, SO WE'RE GOING TO
NEED A YOU KNOW, A DIGITAL
SYSTEM. IT'S NOT SOMETHING YOU
KNOW YOU DON'T HAVE A HAVE A
SLEW OF PEOPLE THAT HAVE TO DO
THAT WORK WITH, BUT IF WE CAN
CREATE A WEBSITE, WE FEEL THAT
THERE THAT'S THE ABILITY TO HAVE
SOMEBODY THAT CAN MANAGE THAT
AND BE ABLE TO MAINTAIN THAT THE
2ND 3RD PARTY COMPONENT IS THE
MEDIATION PROCESS. MEDIATION IS
, UH, PUT ON THE HERITAGE
COMMISSION TO CONDUCT THE
MEDIATION IF THERE'S A DISPUTE
BETWEEN THE UNIVERSITY AND A
TRIBE ON THIS TRIBAL
CONSULTATION. AND THEY HAVE A
RIGHT TO HAVE DISPUTE AT THREE
IF NOT FOUR STEPS OF THE
PROCESS. AND THAT COULD THAT
COULD DRAG US INTO GETTING BACK
IN THE ROOM WITH BOTH
INSTITUTION AND TRIBE OR TRIBE
AND TRIBE TO WORK THROUGH THESE
ISSUES AND MAKE DETERMINATIONS
ON TO HELP CONTINUE TO MOVE THIS
PROCESS FORWARD AND THAT'S WHY
IT'S RECOMMENDED. IT'S A THIRD
PARTY AND NOT THE COMMISSION
ITSELF. IN CASE OF FINAL ACTION
COMES TO US, THEN WE WOULD HAVE
TO RECUSE OURSELVES BECAUSE WE
WERE ACTUALLY PARTY TO
MEDIATION. THANK YOU. THANK YOU
FOR THAT, UM, IN THE DISCUSSION
AROUND AND WITH MY COLLEAGUES,
AND I COULDN'T AGREE MORE WITH
ASSEMBLYMEMBER'S MEDINA THAT YOU
KNOW WE'VE HAD DIFFERENT
HEARINGS ON THIS AND WE'VE SEEN
THE èC COME FORWARD. NOW
THERE'S AN AUDIT, UM, CURRENTLY
BEING DONE WITH THE CAL STATE
UNIVERSITY SYSTEM, UM, TO LOOK
AT THE DIFFERENT REMAINS THAT
ARE IN THEIR ARCHIVES RIGHT FOR
REPATRIATION BACK TO, UM
CALIFORNIA INDIAN TRIBES. IN
TOTAL, AND SO I JUST WANT TO BE
ABLE TO FURTHER THAT DIALOGUE
WITH YOU AS FAR AS THE NEEDS
THAT THE STATE LEGISLATURE, UM
CAN OFFER TO THE NATIVE AMERICAN
HERITAGE COMMISSION TO CONTINUE
TO FULFILL THAT GOING. WE KNOW
THAT THE HERITAGE COMMISSION IS
WORKING HARD ON ALL THESE
ISSUES. UM, CERTAINLY THE
COMMISSIONERS THAT ARE ON THE
DIETS THERE ARE FROM CALIFORNIA
INDIAN TRIBES, AND THEY HAVE A
PASSION DESIRE TO SEE THESE
REMAINS BACK INTO I'M THE
RIGHTFUL HANDS OF CALIFORNIA'S
FIRST PEOPLE AS WELL AS BEING
ABLE TO PICK UP WHERE WHEN YOU
WERE APPOINTED AS SECRETARY TO
START TO FULFILL SOME OF THESE
THINGS IN THE LAW, BUT STILL,
THE STATE HAS A RESPONSIBILITY
TO ENSURE THAT YOU HAVE THE
RESOURCES TO MAKE SURE THAT
THOSE REMAINS ARE COMING BACK TO
CALIFORNIA'S FIRST PEOPLE AND
RIGHTFUL TRIBES. BUT IF ITS
RESOURCES THAT YOU NEED IF IT'S
SOME OF THE THINGS THAT THAT WE
MIGHT NEED TO BE MORE AWARE OF,
BY ALL MEANS, GET THAT
INFORMATION TO US. THIS IS A
START WITH THIS INFORMATIONAL
HEARING, BUT EACH ONE OF THE
MEMBERS THAT IS HERE AND OTHER
MEMBERS TO IN THE STATE
LEGISLATURE ARE OPEN TO HEAR
SOME OF THOSE CHALLENGES THAT
ARE THERE. WANT TO THANK YOU FOR
YOUR TESTIMONY. THANK YOU,
CHAIRMAN. OUR NEXT PANEL. WE'LL
HEAR FROM TRIBAL CHAIRS ON PANEL
TWO. WHO WILL SHARE THEIR
PERSPECTIVES, CHALLENGES AND
SUCCESSES AND DEALING WITH
REPATRIATION. OUR FIRST SPEAKER
WILL BE JANET BILL, CHAIRPERSON
OF THE PECUNIARY CARILLO CHANCY
INDIANS AND WILL START US OFF.
HILLY, HILLY, HONORABLE CHAIR
AND MEMBERS OF THE ASSEMBLY
SELECT COMMITTEE ON NATIVE
AMERICAN AFFAIRS. THANK YOU FOR
INVITING MY TRIBE TO BE A PART
OF TODAY'S INFORMATIONAL
HEARING. ON PROTECTING NATO
AMERICAN CULTURE IN CALIFORNIA.
I AM CHAIRPERSON JANET QUÊ BILL
THE PICKING RANCHERIA THE CHECK
CHANCY INDIANS, A FEDERALLY
RECOGNIZED TRIBE LOCATED IN
COARSEGOLD, CALIFORNIA IN THE
CENTRAL VALLEY, NEAR THE SOUTH
ENTRANCE OF YOSEMITE NATIONAL
PARK. BEFORE DIVING INTO MY
TESTIMONY. I WOULD LIKE TO THANK
ASSEMBLYMEMBER'S. RAMOS AND HIS
STAFF ARE PUTTING TODAY'S
HEARING TOGETHER. YOU CONTINUE
TO BRING ATTENTION TO ISSUES OF
HIGH IMPORTANCE TO OUR TRAVEL
COMMUNITIES. AND WE HAVE SEEN
THE FOLLOW UP THROUGH BY THIS
LEGISLATURE IN PRICE OR RISING,
LONG OVERDUE ACTION. WE
APPRECIATE THE CONTINUED
PARTNERSHIP BIÂU MR CHAIR, YOUR
STAFF ENTIRE COMMITTEE AND THE
LEGISLATURE. TODAY I'LL BE
FOCUSING MY TESTIMONY ON A
COUPLE OF DIFFERENT MATTERS.
FIRST MY TRIBE'S PERSPECTIVE ON
HOW TO BEST PROCEED WITH MAKING
PROGRESS ON THE 2020 NIAGARA AND
REPATRIATION ACT AUDIT CONDUCTED
BY THE STATE THAT THE NATIVE
AMERICAN HERITAGE COMMISSION
EXECUTIVE SECRETARY ROMAN
HITCHCOCK JUST SPOKE TO AND
SECOND MY TRIBE'S PERSPECTIVE ON
THE IMPLEMENTATION OF A B 275
SIGNED INTO LAW IN 2020. THE
FIRST TO THE 2020 STATE AUDIT,
AS WE KNOW THE 2020 STATE AUDIT
FOUND THAT THE UNIVERSITY OF
CALIFORNIA IS NOT ADEQUATELY
OVERSEEING ITS RETURN OF NATIVE
AMERICAN REMAINS AND ARTIFACTS.
IN ADDITION TO THAT OVERALL
FINDING THE AUDIT CONTAINS
SEVERAL RECOMMENDATIONS TO THE
LEGISLATURE, THE COMMISSION AND
THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA TO
ENSURE THE UC SYSTEM IS
INCREASING OVERSIGHT AND
CONSISTENCY AND PROCESSING
CLAIMS BY TRIBES. WE
WHOLEHEARTEDLY BELIEVE THAT
WITHOUT THIS PUBLIC AUDIT AND
SUBSEQUENT HEARINGS HELD ON THIS
ISSUE, WE WOULD BE IN THE SAME
SITUATION AS A COUPLE OF YEARS
AGO WERE INDIAN COUNTRY WOULD
STILL BE AT SIGNIFICANT ODDS
WITH THE SYSTEM DUE TO THE LACK
OF REPATRIATION OF OUR REMAINS
AND ARTIFACTS. IT IS CLEAR THERE
IS STILL A LONG ROAD AHEAD FOR
TRAVEL CLAIMS TO BE FULFILLED.
BUT WE RECOGNIZE THE STEPS THE
UC SYSTEM HAS TAKEN IN
IMPLEMENTING THE AUDIT
RECOMMENDATIONS. WE SAW THIS
THROUGH THE FINALIZATION OF THE
UPDATED èC NAGRA POLICY
DESIGNED TO INCREASE AND ACHIEVE
REPATRIATION OF ANCESTRAL AND
CULTURAL ITEMS. THIS POLICY
AFTER EXTENSIVE STAKEHOLDER
ENGAGEMENT THAT INCLUDED THE
COMMISSION AND TRIBES JUST WENT
INTO EFFECT AT THE BEGINNING OF
THIS YEAR. IT IS STILL TOO EARLY
TO TELL WHETHER THIS POLICY IS
WORKING, BUT WE HAVE HIGH HOPES
THAT THIS POLICY WILL ULTIMATELY
ACHIEVE ITS INTENT. WE LOOK
FORWARD TO THE èC UPDATE THAT
CHAIRMAN SAID WOULD HAPPEN NEXT
YEAR. I CAN SPEAK TO MY TRIBE'S
INTERACTION WITH UC DAVIS, WHICH
IS ONE OF THE UNIVERSITIES
HIGHLIGHTED IN THE AUDIT REPORT.
WE BEGAN TO COMMUNICATE WITH UC
DAVIS IN 2019. TO REVIEW AND
DISCUSS COLLECTIONS OF ITEMS.
BUT ONCE THE PANDEMIC KITS,
THOSE CONVERSATIONS HALTED OUR
EXPERIENCE THUS FAR HAS BEEN
POSITIVE WITH U C. DAVIS AND
WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO
RECONNECTING AND BRINGING HOME
OUR CULTURAL ITEMS. THIS
EXPERIENCE IS IN DIRECT CONTRAST
TO THE NEGATIVE EXPERIENCES
TRIBES HAVE HAD WITH èC
BERKELEY AT THE END OF THE DAY,
ANCESTRAL MAINS AND CULTURAL
ITEMS SHOULD BE RETURNED TO
THEIR RIGHTFUL TRIBES IN A
TIMELY FASHION TO ENSURE
PROGRESS IS BEING MADE BY THE
INSTITUTIONS APPLICATION OF THE
NEW POLICY. WE BELIEVE A FOLLOW
UP OVERSIGHT HEARING OR PROGRESS
REPORT PUBLICLY MADE AND WIDELY
DISTRIBUTED. THIS ALLOWS
STAKEHOLDERS INVOLVED IN THE
REPATRIATION PROCESS AND THE
LEGISLATURE TO BE FULLY AWARE OF
WHAT IF ANYTHING, NEEDS TO BE
IMPROVED AND I BELIEVE CHAIRMAN
RAMOS STATED EARLIER TODAY THAT
THAT WILL HAPPEN IN THE SPRING.
AND SO I WOULD ASK THAT TRIBES
ALSO BE INVOLVED IN ALLOW OUR
VOICES TO BE HEARD AT THAT
HEARING. NOW TO DISCUSS A B 275
IMPLEMENTATION. CONTINUED
OVERSIGHT COULD ALSO SERVE AS A
TOUCH POINT ON THE
IMPLEMENTATION OF A B 2 75. 82
75 REQUIRES INSTITUTIONS SUCH AS
PUBLIC UNIVERSITIES AND MUSEUMS
THAT HAVE TRAVEL REMAINS OR
ARTIFACTS TO PROVIDE A LIST OF
THEIR INVENTORY TO THE
COMMISSION. THE BILL PROVIDES A
KEY COMPONENT. WE HAVE BEEN
MISSING ALL ALONG AND ADEQUATE
REPRESENTATION OF WHAT IS BEING
HELD BY WHO THE SPECIFIC
RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE STATE.
IN THIS CASE, THE COMMISSION IN
ASSISTING THE IDENTIFICATION OF
THE APPROPRIATE CALIFORNIA
TRIBE. HOWEVER AS YOU HEARD
EARLIER, THE LEVEL OF RESOURCES
TO SUPPORT THE WORK OF THE
COMMISSION NEEDS TO BE EXAMINED.
A B 2 75 REQUIRES THE COMMISSION
TO ESTABLISH THE TRACKING
DATABASE FOR AS THE EXECUTIVE
SECRETARY, SAID ROUGHLY 16,000
TRIBAL COLLECTIONS HELD BY
PUBLIC INSTITUTIONS FOR WHICH
THE COMMISSION DOES NOT HAVE THE
ADEQUATE. I T EXPERTISE. TO
TRACK CARRY THIS DIRECTIVE. THE
COMMISSION ALSO NEEDS TO
ESTABLISH A DISPUTE RESOLUTION
PROCESS RELATED TO COMPETING
CLAIMS TO TRAVEL COLLECTIONS,
WHICH THE EXECUTIVE SECRETARY
WENT THROUGH. AND THE COMMISSION
IS TO SERVE AS THE MEDIATOR
THROUGH EACH STEP OF THE PROCESS
AGAIN. THIS MAY BE VERY
EXPENSIVE AND REQUIRED TRAINING
RESOURCES FOR STAFF OR TO
OUTSOURCE THIS TYPE OF MEDIATION
FOR THE COMMISSION. THESE
RESOURCES NEED TO BE LOOKED
INTO, AND MOST SIGNIFICANTLY,
THE COMMISSION IS NOT AFFORDED
THE ADMINISTRATIVE TOOLS TO
ALLOW IT TO ADEQUATELY PROTECT
CONFIDENTIAL TRIBAL INFORMATION
DURING PUBLIC MEETINGS. THAT IS
AFFORDED TO OTHER STATE
ADMINISTRATIVE BODIES, SUCH AS
EXEMPTIONS TO THE BAGLEY CANE
OPEN MEETING ACT OR THE PUBLIC
RECORDS ACT, FOR EXAMPLE. THE
COMMISSION MUST BE PROVIDED WITH
THESE VALUABLE RESOURCES AND
TOOLS TO CARRY OUT ITS
RESPONSIBILITY WHILE
SAFEGUARDING OUR CONFIDENTIAL
TRIBAL INFORMATION. THE
PROVISIONS OF THIS BILL. WE
WOULD ALSO LIKE TO BRING
ATTENTION TO IS WHILE THE BILLS
CALL FOR THE AGENCY OR MUSEUM TO
CONTACT AND CONSULT WITH
CALIFORNIA INDIAN TRIBES, IT HAS
BEEN OUR EXPERIENCE THAT
CONSULTATION HAS BEEN AN ARDUOUS
PROCESS. WE HOPE THE NEW èC
NAGRA POLICY WILL STREAMLINE
THIS PROCESS. AND AGAIN WE LOOK
FORWARD TO THE UPDATES FROM THE
UC SYSTEM AT THE NEXT OVERSIGHT
HEARING. ADDITIONALLY A B 2 75
ALSO SOUGHT TO CORRECT AND
IDENTIFIED WEAKNESS IN THE
COMMISSION'S FIVE YEAR STRATEGIC
PLAN. NAMELY THERE CONTINUES TO
BE SIGNIFICANT LACK OF TRIBAL
STAKEHOLDER KNOWLEDGE OF
COMMISSION LAWS AS WELL AS
CONFUSION WITH RESPECT TO THE
PROTECTION OF NATIVE AMERICAN
REMAINS AND ASSOCIATED FUNERAL
ARTIFACT. AN ATTEMPT TO APPROVE
UPON THESE WEAKNESSES. A B 2 75
REQUIRES EACH STATE AGENCY TO
DESIGNATE ONE OR MORE LAYS ON'S
FOR THE PURPOSE TO ENGAGE WITH
NATIVE AMERICAN TRIBES ON A LIST
THAT IS MAINTAINED BY THE
COMMISSION. CURRENTLY THERE ARE
NUMEROUS VACANCIES ON THIS LIST
, AND IT APPEARS TO BE OUTDATED.
THE VACANCIES ON THIS LIST MUST
BE FILLED AND REMAIN CURRENT IN
ORDER TO BETTER ASSIST TRIBAL
STAKEHOLDERS AND PROTECTING OUR
CULTURE. TO REITERATE SOME OF
THE POINTS I'VE ALREADY MADE. I
WOULD SUGGEST THE FOLLOWING
RECOMMENDATIONS AS A LEGISLATOR
LEGISLATURE ENTERS THE NEW
LEGISLATIVE SESSION. FIRST GREEN
STAKEHOLDERS AND TRAVEL
COMMUNITIES TO THE DECISION
MAKING TABLE SHOULD BE TOP OF
MIND. WE HAVE A WEALTH OF
KNOWLEDGE ON ARRAY OF POLICY
ISSUES, AND WE HAVE SHOWN TO BE
A PARTNER WILLING TO LEND ITS
VOICE TO TOPICS DISCUSSED BY
THIS LEGISLATURE. SPECIFICALLY
MY TRIBE AND I ARE WILLING AND
ABLE TO BE AT THE TABLE AS
CONVERSATIONS PICK UP REGARDING
THE CHANGES TO THE COMMISSION.
WE WOULD ALSO RECOMMEND THAT
THERE BE FORMAL DISCUSSIONS SUCH
AS OVERSIGHT OR INFORMATIONAL
HEARINGS AS A MODE OF
ACCOUNTABILITY TO ENSURE THAT
PROGRESS IS BEING MADE ON THE
AUDIT OF A B 2 75 IMPLEMENTATION
AND ANY OTHER LEGISLATION THAT
IS TO COME OUR TRIBE SUPPORTED
THE EFFORTS IN THIS PAST
LEGISLATIVE SESSION THAT WOULD
HAVE MADE CHANGES TO THE
COMMISSION THROUGH BUDGET
TRAILER BILL AND WE WILL
CONTINUE TO SUPPORT THEM. WE
HAVE PROVEN THAT WHEN WE ALL
COME TO THE TABLE, WE CAN CREATE
MEANINGFUL POLICY IN A SHORT
PERIOD OF TIME. WE SAW THIS IN
THE CREATION OF THE FEATHER
ALERT BILL WE COLLECTIVELY
CRAFTED AND GOT ENACTED INTO LAW
IN THE LAST COUPLE OF MONTHS OF
SESSION. WE STRONGLY BELIEVE WE
CAN REPLICATE THE GREAT WORK. WE
DID THIS PAST LEGISLATIVE YEAR
TO THIS UP CAMPING LEGISLATIVE
SESSION. AGAIN I APPRECIATE THE
INVITATION TO SPEAK TODAY AND
WILL NOTE THAT MY TRIBE AND I
STAND READY TO PROVIDE
ADDITIONAL FEEDBACK AS THE AUDIT
RECOMMENDATIONS AND A B 2 75
IMPLEMENTATIONS. MOVE ALONG.
WHICH GUYS? THANK YOU. THANK
YOU, UM, CHAIRPERSON BILL FOR
THAT TESTIMONY AND ENLIGHTENING
, UM, INFORMATION MOVING FORWARD
ON THE TRULY THE IMPACT OF 82 75
REPATRIATION OF REMAINS BACK TO,
UM, YOUR PEOPLE AND THE PEOPLE
HERE IN THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA.
IS THERE ANY COMMENTS QUESTIONS
FROM COMMITTEE MEMBERS? SOME OF
THE MEMBER DINA. YES, UM
CHAIRWOMAN. DID YOU SAY THAT
THERE WERE SOME THINGS THAT YOU
SEE DAVIS WAS DOING BETTER THAN
OTHER USES. YES SO YOU SEE DAVIS
, I BELIEVE IT WAS JUST A MATTER
OF COMMUNICATION AND CONSTANT
CONSULTATION THAT THEY DID. I
DON'T KNOW IF IT WAS NECESSARILY
THAT THEY HAD A CERTAIN POLICY,
BUT THEY SEEM TO BE WORKING
BETTER WITH OUR TRIBE.
SPECIFICALLY THEN WE'VE HAD
EXPERIENCE WITH èC, BERKELEY.
AND I WOULD ALSO SAY, CHERIF, I
WOULD BE ALLOWED TO, UM I
BELIEVE THERE WAS A QUESTION
ABOUT CALTRANS IN THE LAST PANEL
, AND I DID WANT TO NOTE THAT
OUR TRIBE HAS YO CUT SNAG PRO
COALITION WHICH WE HAVE WITH OUR
SISTER TRIBES, WHICH ARE TABLE
MOUNTAIN. SANTA ROSA, TACHI AND
TRULY RIVER TO HONE UM, AND
WE'RE ACTUALLY HAVING PROBLEMS
WITH CALTRANS AS THEY ARE DOING
THE HIGH SPEED RAIL COMING
THROUGH OUR ANCESTRAL HOMELANDS
. AND SO SOME OF THE QUESTIONS
THAT WE HAD THAT THE
ASSEMBLYMEMBER'S TALKED ABOUT IS
HOW ARE THEY PRESERVING OUR
CULTURE? WHAT TYPE OF MANDATES
DO THEY HAVE? AS FAR AS WHAT
FACILITIES ARE THEY DOING? HOW
ARE THEY HANDLING THEM? UM WHY
AREN'T WE HAVING ACCESS TO MAKE
SURE THAT THEY'RE HANDLING THEM
CORRECTLY? WHY AREN'T THEY BEING
REPATRIATED? SO ARE YO CUT SNAG.
PRO COALITION HAS, UM, DRAFTED A
LETTER AND IS SENDING IT TO THE
HIGH SPEED RAIL AUTHORITY AND
CALTRANS AND, OF COURSE, THE
GOVERNOR'S OFFICE BECAUSE THOSE
ARE QUESTIONS THAT WE HAD AS
WELL. REMEMBER? WHAT WOULD YOU
HAVE ANY IDEA HOW MANY DIFFERENT
TRIBES UM U. C. DAVIS MIGHT HAVE
TO BE DEALING WITH AND DOING THE
REPATRIATION. I WOULDN'T KNOW
OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD. I'M ONLY
AWARE OF OURS, WHICH ARE AT
LEAST FIVE FOR US AND OUR
COALITION. FIVE DIFFERENT TRIBES
CORRECT AND THAT IS PART OF THE
YO CUTS. COALITION. AND AGAIN,
THERE'S FIVE TRIBES IN THAT. AND
THOSE ARE FEDERALLY RECOGNIZED.
BUT THE CONTACT TO THE U C U C.
DAVIS IN PARTICULAR, THE
QUESTION COULD BE MORE, UM,
DIFFERENT TRIBES IN THE STATE OF
CALIFORNIA THAT ARE ALSO
PURSUING NATIVE AMERICAN REMAINS
THAT ARE IN THEIR ARCHIVES. I
WOULD BELIEVE SO. BUT AGAIN, I
WOULDN'T HAVE THE EXACT NUMBER.
CHAIRWOMAN YOU TALKED ABOUT
VACANCIES ON A LIST? CAN YOU
ELABORATE, A LITTLE BIT MORE
SPECIFIC TO WHERE THOSE
VACANCIES ARE AND INTO WHICH, UH
, DEPARTMENT OR WHERE THEY'RE AT
? YES I COULD. BUT I WOULD ASK
OR RESPECTFULLY REQUEST IF I
COULD DO A FOLLOW UP AND I WILL
SEND YOU THE LIST THAT I HAD
RECEIVED. SO THAT WAY YOU CAN
SEE SPECIFICALLY BUT IT LOOKS
LIKE THANK YOU. THANK YOU SO
MUCH, AND IT GOES TO
ASSEMBLYMEMBER'S MADONNA'S, UM,
STATEMENTS THAT YOU KNOW WE'RE
STILL DEALING WITH REPATRIATION
AND REMAINS AND TO KNOW THAT
VACANCY STILL EXIST ON SOME OF
THESE BOARDS TO MAKE SURE THAT
REMAINS COME BACK TO OUR PEOPLE
IS SOMETHING THAT WE ALSO WANT
TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE STAYING
ON TOP OF THANK YOU. THANK YOU
FOR YOUR TESTIMONY. CHAIRWOMAN
BILL. IT'S ALWAYS A PLEASURE TO
WORK WITH YOU ON BILLS AND
GETTING THINGS PASSED IN THE
STATE LEGISLATURE. YOU ALLUDED
TO THE FEATHER ALERT, BILL. WE
GOT THAT DONE WITH A LOT OF WORK
FROM THE TRIBAL COMMUNITIES. UM
AND NOW THAT'S UM MOVED INTO LAW
THAT WILL TAKE PLACE IN JANUARY.
SO THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THAT.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR TESTIMONY.
THANK YOU. I HAVE AN
ANNOUNCEMENT. UM THERE'S A NEW
CALL IN CODE 1850. THERE'S A NEW. COLIN CODE 185. 0110. SURE
IT'S THE SAME. IN THE PHONE.
ACCESS IS 877. 692895. AGAIN
877692. SO THAT WAS THE
ANNOUNCEMENT THERE NEXT, WE'RE
GOING TO HEAR FROM, UH THE
CHAIRPERSON ERICA PINTO FROM
HOUMA INDIAN VILLAGE. SHE'LL BE
TESTIFYING, UM, REMOTELY IN
VIRTUALLY. HERE I'M NOT SURE
THAT SET UP NOW IF SHE'S ON.
CHAIRWOMAN PINTO WAS ELECTED TO
THE TRIBAL COUNCIL AT THE AGE OF
21 IN 2015 BECAME ITS FIRST
FEMALE CHAIRPERSON, YOU INDIAN
VILLAGES LOCATED IN SAN DIEGO
COUNTY IN JULY, CHAIRPERSON
PINTO WAS NAMED TO SERVE ON THE
DEPARTMENT OF INTERIOR'S TRIBAL
ADVISORY COMMITTEE BY SECRETARY
DEB HAALAND. ARE WE ABLE TO GET
HER? UM TO JOIN US VIRTUALLY. SO
AS WE WORK ON THAT. NOW I THINK
IS THE NEXT ONE. ALSO VIRTUALLY
OR NO. YEAH, THE OTHER ONE IS
VIRTUALLY TWO IS ALL THE
VIRTUAL, UM, COMPONENTS WORKING
OR NO. THAT IS VICE CHAIRPERSON
. LAUREL, WB. ROSS ON OKAY. ALL
RIGHT. SO NOW WE'RE GONNA MOVE
TO THAT COMPONENT. WANT TO THANK
UM THANK THE VICE CHAIRPERSON OF
GREAT RENTERIA, WHO WILL BE
GIVING TESTIMONY VIRTUALLY, UM
THE VICE CHAIRPERSON, ROSS HAS
SERVED THE FIVE ELECTED TERMS AS
A MEMBER OF THE TRIBAL COUNCIL
AND IS CURRENTLY SERVING HER
SECOND TERM AS VICE CHAIR. SHE
WILL READ A STATEMENT FROM
CHAIRMAN GREG SARAHS, WHO WAS
NOT ABLE TO PARTICIPATE TODAY,
BUT WE HAVE THE VICE CHAIR. UM
OFFERING TESTIMONY. THANK YOU.
YES. CAN YOU ALL HEAR ME, OKAY.
YES. OKAY PERFECT. HELLO SELECT
COMMITTEE MEMBERS. MY NAME IS
LAUREL ROSS. I AM THE TROUBLE
BASE CHAIR OF THE FEDERATED
INDIANS OF GREAT AND RANCHERIA,
AS NOTED CHAIRMAN SERVICE ASKED
ME TO SPEAK TODAY ON ISSUES VERY
IMPORTANT TO OUR TRIBE. WHILE
THE TITLE OF THIS PANEL CONCERNS
, CHALLENGES AND SUCCESSES OF
REPATRIATION, WE WERE ASKED BY
ASSEMBLYMEMBER'S RAMOS TO SPEAK
GENERALLY ABOUT TRIBAL
CONSULTATION AND OUR EXPERIENCE
WORKING WITH THE NATIVE AMERICAN
HERITAGE COMMISSION. THESE
ISSUES, OF COURSE AFFECT
REPATRIATION. I THINK IT'S
IMPORTANT, HOWEVER, TO START OFF
BY FIRST MAKING CLEAR THAT THIS
INFORMATIONAL HEARING IS NOT
TRIBAL CONSULTATION, FULL TRIBAL
CONSULTATION MUST BE DONE BEFORE
ANY PROPOSALS OR ISSUES
DISCUSSED TODAY MOVED TOWARDS
THE LEGISLATIVE PROCESS. TIMELY,
MEANINGFUL AND INCLUSIVE TRIBAL
CONSULTATION IS KEY IS A KEY
COMPONENT IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF
LEGISLATION AND AGENCY
REGULATIONS THAT AFFECT TRIBES.
SUCH CONSULTATION MUST RESPECT
THE GOVERNMENT TO GOVERNMENT
RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE STATE
AND TRIBES. IT ALSO LEADS TO
LEGISLATION AND REGULATIONS THAT
TRULY REFLECT THE ON THE GROUND
REALITIES NEEDS AND PRIORITIES
OF CALIFORNIA INDIAN COUNTRY.
LEGISLATION AND REGULATIONS
DEVELOPED WITHOUT THE BENEFIT OF
TRIBAL CONSULTATION MAY BE WELL
INTENDED, BUT COMPLETELY MISSED
THE MARK AND RESULT IN A HOST OF
UNINTENDED NEGATIVE CONSEQUENCES
. TRIBES KNOW BEST WHAT TRIBAL
COMMUNITIES NEED AND HOW TO
EFFECTUATE THOSE OBJECTIVES.
TIMELY MEANINGFUL AND INCLUSIVE
TRIBAL CONSULTATION. MEANS THAT
ALL TRIBES ARE INFORMED OF
LEGISLATION OR REGULATORY
PROPOSALS IN ADVANCE. THAT MEANS
EARLY ENOUGH IN THE PROCESS THAT
TRIBES HAVE TIME TO DIGEST,
EVALUATE AND PROPOSED CHANGES
BEFORE THE STATE HAS COMMITTED
TO ANY PARTICULAR APPROACH. THE
PROCESS MUST INVOLVE BACK AND
FORTH AND ONGOING CONVERSATION
BETWEEN LEGISLATURES OR AGENCY
STAFF AND TRIBAL
REPRESENTATIVES. THE NATURAL
RESOURCE TRIBAL TRAILER BILL
THAT WAS PROPOSED AT THE END OF
LAST LEGISLATIVE SESSION FAILED
TO SATISFY THE STANDARD. IT WAS
A COMPLICATED PIECE OF
LEGISLATION INTRODUCED AT THE
11TH HOUR WITHOUT ANY OUTREACH
TO TRIBES. WE UNDERSTAND TRAILER
BILLS GO THROUGH A STREAMLINED
LEGISLATIVE PROCESS. BUT THIS IS
NOT APPROPRIATE FOR BILLS
IMPACTING THE SUBSTANTIVE AND
PROCEDURAL RIGHTS OF TRIBES. AND
WHILE WE APPRECIATE THAT STATE
OF AGENCY OFFICIALS MET WITH MY
TRIBE'S REPRESENTATIVES AND
LISTEN TO OUR CONCERNS. THIS
HAPPENED AFTER THE BILL HAD BEEN
DEVELOPED AND WAS A REACTION TO
US ASKING WHY CONSULTATION
HADN'T OCCURRED. WE ALSO DO NOT
AND CANNOT REPRESENT THE ABUSE
OF EVERY TRIBE IN CALIFORNIA.
TRIBAL CONSULTATION CANNOT BE AN
AFTERTHOUGHT. IT MUST BE THE
FIRST STEP FOR ANY PROPOSED BILL
OR REGULATION. LAST SESSION'S
TRIBAL TRAILER BILL, WHICH WOULD
HAVE STREAMLINED THE CREATION OF
ANY HCS REGULATION VIA A
LEGISLATIVE FIX WAS AND IS
DRIVEN PRIMARILY BY FEAR OF
LITIGATION. STATE AGENCIES FACE
THE RISK OF LITIGATION AND
ISSUING REGULAR RATIONS AND THE
NHC HAS BEEN UNLAWFULLY
OPERATING WITH REGULATIONS FOR
OVER 40 YEARS, SO THIS RISK IS
NOT NEW. YET THE BILL SOUGHT TO
EXAMPLE NHC FROM THE ESTABLISHED
ÁP A ROLE MAKING PROCESS AND
CREATE A UNIQUE, SHORTER
RULEMAKING PROCESS. WE ARE
CONCERNED THAT CREATING A NEW,
UNTESTED RULEMAKING PROCESS WILL
AT BEST LEAD TO CONFUSION OR AT
WORST LEAVE TRIBES UNABLE TO
QUESTION HOW AND WHY DECISIONS
AND REGULATIONS GOVERNING THE
THEIR RELATIONSHIP WITH THEIR
CULTURAL RESOURCES ARE MADE BY
ANY H SEE. WELL OVER A YEAR AGO
, A HC BEGAN PREPARING
REGULATIONS FOR THE CONTACT LIST
. CAL MAG FOR MEDIATION AND
OTHER PROCESSES. TELLING TRIBES
THAT IT PLANNED TO GO THROUGH
AND ÁP A RULE MAKING ATTEMPTS TO
CIRCUMVENT THIS PROCESS THROUGH
THE 11TH HOUR LEGISLATION ONLY
LEADS TO DISTRUST AND CONCLUDE
CONFUSION. REINVENTING THE WHEEL
SEEMS UNNECESSARY AND DEPRIVED
TRIBES AT THE RIGHTS TO ENGAGE
IN A TRANSPARENT, WIDELY
UNDERSTOOD RULEMAKING PROCESS.
THAT PERCEIVED THREAT OF
LITIGATION CANNOT TRUMP THE GOAL
OF MAKING THOUGHTFUL REASONED
REGULATIONS THAT HAVE BEEN FULLY
VETTED BY TRIBAL NATIONS. WE
REMAIN CONCERNED THAT THE
PROPOSED TRAILER BILLS REVISIONS
TO THE PUBLIC RECORDS ACT ARE
VAGUE AND COULD LARGELY EXEMPT
FROM DISCLOSURE ANY AND ALL
DOCUMENTS. DOCUMENTS SUBMITTED
TO THE NHC RELATING TO THE M L D
LIST MOST LIKELY DESCENDANTS
LIST AND THE CONTACT LIST. WE
SUPPORT ROBUST PROTECTION OF
CULTURALLY SENSITIVE DOCUMENTS.
BUT THIS EXPANSION OF THE P R A
EXEMPTION COULD PRECLUDE TRIBES
FROM ATTAINING OBTAINING
INFORMATION NEEDED TO UNDERSTAND
ANY HCS DECISION MAKING
REGARDING THE CONTACT LIST. THE
ML THE DESIGNATIONS AND
REPATRIATIONS DISPUTES. THESE
BIG PR REVISIONS, COUPLED WITH
THE BAGLEY KEENE ACT, LANGUAGE,
ALLOWING FOR CLOSED SESSION
CONSIDERATION OF ADDITIONS OR
REMOVALS TO THE MLD LIST, OR
CONTACT LIST COULD EFFECTIVELY
LOCKED TRIBES OUT OF THE PROCESS
AND HARM TRIBE'S ABILITY TO
PROTECT THEIR ANCESTORS. AN
IMPORTANT CULTURAL RESOURCES.
FULL TRANSPARENT TRIBAL
CONSULTATION ON ANY PROPOSED
CHANGES TO PR, A AND BAGLEY KEEN
IS ESSENTIAL. HERE ARE OUR
EXPECTATIONS FOR THE NHC FIRST.
IN THE PAST, WE SUBMITTED
LETTERS DIRECTLY TO THE FORMER
EXECUTIVE SECRETARY THAT WERE
MET WITH SILENCE. IT IS
INAPPROPRIATE AND DISRESPECTFUL
FOR AGENCY OFFICIALS AND STAFF
TO IGNORE COMMUNICATIONS FROM
TRIBAL LEADERS. AS A MATTER OF
PRACTICE, N A. H D SHOULD ALWAYS
PROVIDE A SUBSTANTIVE RESPONSE
TO TRIBAL CORRESPONDENT. SECOND
WE URGE ANY HC TO HIRE STAFF
EXPERIENCED IN WORKING WITH
TRIBES WITH RELEVANT LEGAL
FRAMEWORK, SUCH AS INDIAN LAW
AND SEQUENCE SEQUA THIRD, THE
NHC SHOULD PROVIDE TRAINING TO
ITS STAFF ON HOW TO POPULARLY
ENGAGED IN TRIBAL COUNCIL TO
CONSULTATION. THIS IS
PARTICULARLY IMPORTANT FOR
AGENCY LEADERSHIP. WHICH GOES TO
THE HEART. OF THE TRIBAL
CONSULTATION BILL A B TWO. 923
EXCUSE ME. FOURTH NHC STAFF
SHOULD HAVE GREATER
OPPORTUNITIES TO BE IN THE FIELD
TO ENGAGE DIRECTLY WITH TRIBES
AND TRIBAL STAFF TO BETTER
UNDERSTAND THE NUANCES OF
DIFFERENT TRIBAL COMMUNITIES AND
CULTURE. FINALLY BECAUSE THE NHC
HAS A LARGE PORTFOLIO IN
OVERSEAS ISSUES THAT ARE BOTH
TIME SENSITIVE AND HIGHLY
IMPORTANT, THE COMMISSION SHOULD
MEET MORE OFTEN THAN QUARTERLY.
A MONTHLY MEETING SCHEDULE IS
NEEDED TO ADDRESS THE IMPORTANT
ISSUES FACING TRIBES. WE TRUST
ANY HC SHARES OUR GOAL OF
CREATING A TRANSPARENT RIGHT
SIZED REGULATION TO EFFECTUATE
ANY HCS RESPONSIBILITIES. THIS
IS NOT A SIMPLE MATTER OF
GOVERNMENT ACCOUNTABILITY, THE
ONGOING LACK OF REGULATIONS AND
CONSISTENT PROCESSES HAS LED TO
CONFUSION IN THE FIELD AND THE
FAILURE TO PROTECT IRREPLACEABLE
CULTURAL RESOURCES. AS A FINAL
NOTE LATER IN THE HEARING, THERE
WILL BE A DISCUSSION ON
POTENTIAL TRIBAL NATURE BASED
SOLUTION. ADVISORY COUNCIL. WE
WANT TO STRESS THAT IF THIS
COUNCIL IS CREATED, IT SHOULD
NOT BE VIEWED AS REPLACING
TRIBAL CONSULTATION ON C N R A
POLICIES AND PROGRAMS. I THANK
YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND FOR
ALLOWING ME AND MY TRIBE THE
OPPORTUNITY TO PARTICIPATE IN
TODAY'S DISCUSSION. THANK YOU SO
MUCH FOR THAT TESTIMONY AND
HEARING FIRSTHAND SOME OF THE
CHALLENGES THAT TRIBES ARE SEEN.
BUT WE ALSO KNOW THAT WE'RE
HEARING THAT THERE'S A RESOURCES
RESOURCES FOR THE NATIVE
AMERICAN HERITAGE COMMISSION TO
BE ABLE TO COMPLY WITH ALL THESE
DIFFERENT, UM, ASPECTS THAT ARE
HERE. WE KNOW THAT THE GOVERNOR
PUT OUT A STATEMENT AND MARCH OF
2022 THAT WE BELIEVE THAT THE
NATURAL RESOURCE AGENCY WAS
ENGAGED WITH SOME TRIBES, BUT WE
KNOW THAT THERE HAS TO BE AN
ONGOING EFFORT REACHING OUT TO
TRIBAL GOVERNMENTS. UM THANK YOU
FOR YOUR TESTIMONY. IS THERE ANY
QUESTIONS COMMENTS FROM
COMMITTEE MEMBERS? MR CHAIR. WE
APOLOGIZE HERE ON OUR END HERE.
MISS PINTO'S LINE IS NOW
AVAILABLE. OKAY WE'LL GET TO
THAT. HOLD THE LINE OPEN. WE'RE
GOING TO END THIS TESTIMONY HERE
. IF THERE'S ANY OTHER
QUESTIONS, QUESTIONS, COMMENTS.
UM I WANT TO THANK THE CHAIRMAN
SARAH'S NEW MISS SOMETHING VICE
CHAIR, UM ROSS FOR BEING ABLE TO
READ THIS TESTIMONY AND GIVE
THAT PERSPECTIVE OF THE
INFORMATION THAT'S BEEN. AND HOW
THESE ISSUES ARE BEING ADDRESSED
. WE CONTINUE TO LOOK AT TRYING
TO DO A BETTER JOB HERE IN THE
STATE LEGISLATURE ON BILLS LIKE
2 75 923 GOVERNMENT TO
GOVERNMENT CONSULTATION. UM
WE'RE TRYING TO, UH, BE A VOICE
RIGHT FOR OUR PEOPLE THAT HAS
BEEN ABSENT FOR OVER 170 YEARS,
SO AS WE CONTINUE TO MOVE
FORWARD WELL, WE CONTINUE TO
WORK TOGETHER TO ENSURE THAT
EVERYONE'S COMMENTS ARE BEING,
UH, HEARD AND MOVING FORWARD TO
ENSURE THAT THE REMAINS OF OUR
ANCESTORS HERE IN THE STATE OF
CALIFORNIA ARE RETURNED TO THE
CALIFORNIA INDIAN TRIBES THAT SO
DRASTICALLY. ARE LOOKING TO GET
THOSE REMAINS REPATRIATED BACK.
AND AT THE SAME TIME ENSURING
THAT THE CONFIDENTIALITY AND
TRIBAL SOVEREIGNTY IS SOMETHING
THAT CONTINUES TO MOVE FORWARD
THROUGH ALL THE DIFFERENT
AGENCIES THAT ARE THERE, SO THAT
INFORMATION CAN BE, UM AVAILABLE
TO THOSE BASED ON ON THOSE UM,
COMMENTS. I WANT TO THANK YOU
AGAIN FOR YOUR TESTIMONY, AND WE
DO LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING
TOGETHER ON PIECES OF
LEGISLATION. WE WORKED TOGETHER
ON 9 TO 3. WE CONTINUE TO WORK
TOGETHER ON BRINGING AWARENESS
OF WHAT TRULY IS IMPACTING
CALIFORNIA PEOPLE. THANK YOU SO
MUCH THAT THE PEOPLE THAT GREAT
AND RENTERIA THANK YOU. NEXT WE
WILL GO BACK. AND SEE IF CHAIR.
WOMAN, PINTO NOW IS ABLE TO JOIN
US VIRTUAL. TESTING 123. CAN YOU
HEAR ME? YES. WONDERFUL. OKAY?
HOW COME MY NAME IS ERICA MARIE
PINTO. I'M THE CHAIRWOMAN OF THE
HAMMEL, INDIAN VILLAGE OF
CALIFORNIA. I LIKE TO START OFF
BY THINKING THE HONORABLE
CHAIRMAN RAMOS, AS WELL AS THE
REST OF THE NATIVE AMERICANS
SELECT COMMITTEE MEMBERS FOR
CONVENING THIS IMPORTANT HEARING
, AND I ALSO APPRECIATE THE
INVITATION TO SPEAK. I WANT TO
SPEAK THIS MORNING ABOUT
REPATRIATION. AND THAT COULD BE
I TRIED DOWN HERE IN SOUTHERN
CALIFORNIA. PAMELA IS LOCATED IN
SAN DIEGO COUNTY. WE ARE ONE OF
13 BANDS OF THE COMMUNITY NATION
AND WE HAVE DEEP ROOTS IN EAST
SAN DIEGO COUNTY TRACES BACK
WELL OVER 12,000 YEARS. ALSO
SEND YOU A COUNTY IS HOME TO
MORE TRIBES. AND THEN ANY OTHER
COUNTY IN THE NATION. WE HAVE
THE 13 BANDS OF THE COMEY I, AS
WELL AS THE NINE BANDS OF THE
SENIO INDIANS. SO WE'RE ABOUT 19
TRIBAL NATIONS IN SANDY. OH
COUNTY TOTAL. OUR TRIBE WAS
FORMALLY RECOGNIZED BY THE
FEDERAL GOVERNMENT IN 1981. WE
HAVE JURISDICTION OVER A SIX
ACRE RESERVATION. OUR CURRENT
RESERVATIONS ARE VERY SMALL
PIECES OF OUR ORIGINAL
TERRITORY. THE LOSS OF THIS
TERRITORY RESULTED IN SEVERED
TIES THAT EXISTED BETWEEN OUR
PEOPLE AND THE LAND. WE WERE NO
LONGER ABLE TO DIRECTLY PROTECT
OUR SACRED PLACES AND THE
BURIALS OF OUR ANCESTORS. DESTIN
REMOVAL OF OUR ANCESTORS FROM
THEIR FINAL RESTING PLACES IS A
CONTINUATION OF THIS LOSS. THE
IMPORTANCE OF REPATRIATION,
THEREFORE, CANNOT BE OVERSTATED.
REPATRIATION ALLOWS US TO
PROTECT OUR ANCESTORS. AND
ENSURE THEY ARE TREATED WITH
DIGNITY AND RESPECT THAT THEY
DESERVE. REPATRIATION ENSURES
THAT WE MAINTAIN OUR CONNECTION
TO THOSE WHO CAME BEFORE US. IT
ALLOWS US TO RECONNECT TO OUR
ANCESTORS WITH THE LAND AND IN
DOING SO WE CONNECT US WITH THE
LAND. AND FORCING REPATRIATION
IS A CLEAR MESSAGE THAT OUR
ANCESTORS ARE NOT SCIENTIFIC
NOVELTIES. THEY ARE HUMAN
BEINGS. THEY ARE PRECIOUS
RELATIVES. THEY ARE OUR LOVED
ONES WHO DESERVE REST AND TO BE
WITH US. IN SAN DIEGO. THE
KUMITE TRIBES HAVE CREATED THE
COMEY I CULTURAL REPATRIATION
COMMITTEE. TO TAKE THE LEAD IN
BRINGING OUR ANCESTORS ARE
FUNERARY OBJECTS AND CULTURAL
ARTIFACTS HOME WHERE THEY
BELONG. WHILE WE'VE HAD SOME
SUCCESS, WE STILL FACE MANY
OBSTACLES IN THE LAST FEW YEARS
, TRIBES IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
HAVE WORKED WITH THE MUSEUM OF
US FORMALLY THE MUSEUM OF MAN.
TO REVIEW AND REPATRIATE OUR
PRECIOUS ITEMS TO THIS DAY. WE
HAVE RECEIVED SOME ITEMS BACK.
THANKFULLY CALIFORNIA HAS TAKEN
SEVERAL IMPORTANT STEPS IN THE
LAST SEVERAL YEARS TO ENSURE
MUSEUMS AND UNIVERSITIES ARE
COMPLYING WITH THE LAW AND, MORE
IMPORTANTLY, TO ENSURE OUR
ANCESTORS ARE NOT DISTURBED IN
THE FIRST PLACE. FOR EXAMPLE, A
B 52 CALIFORNIA ALSO HAS TAKEN
STEPS TO ENSURE THAT TRIBAL
PEOPLE HAVE A SAY IN THE
OVERSIGHT. POLICY DEVELOPMENT.
AND DETERMINATION RELATED TO
REPATRIATION. AGAIN WE STILL
FACE SEVERAL CHALLENGES. MATTER
OF FACT, UCSD. STILL HAS REMAINS
OF OUR PEOPLE, AND IT IS A FIGHT
A DAILY FLIGHT TO GET THEM BACK
WHERE THEY BELONG. WE NEED TO
FULLY FUND AND STAFF, THE NATIVE
AMERICAN HERITAGE COMMISSION, AS
NOTED IN 2020 AUDITOR'S REPORTS
, REPATRIATIONS BY MUSEUMS AND
UNIVERSITIES CONTINUE TO BE A
PROBLEM IN ACCRA DOES NOT
PROVIDE A SUFFICIENT ENFORCEMENT
MECHANISMS TO DETER AND PENALIZE
NON COMPLIANCE. AS CHAIRPERSON
BILL MENTIONED. BRING TRIBES TO
THE TABLE AS WE COULD SEE
REPRESENTATION MATTERS IN
ASSEMBLYMEMBER'S RAMOS AND AS
WELL AS SECRETARY DEB HAALAND,
REPRESENTATION OF TRIBES AND
TRIBAL PEOPLE MATTERS THERE
NEEDS TO BE CLARITY ON MLB
DESIGNATIONS MOST LIKELY TO SEND
IT DESIGNATIONS AND CLARITY ON
HOW TRIBE IS ADDED TO THE NATIVE
AMERICAN HERITAGE COMMISSION
LIST. AS IT STANDS NOW. IT IS
NOT OKAY. AS A MEMBER SAID IT IS
NOT OKAY. AND WE NEED
CONSISTENCY NOW, AND OUR LOVED
ONES MUST BE RETURNED NOW TO
THEIR HOME. NOW IS THE TIME TO
DO SO. NOW IS THE TIME TO BRING
OUR LOVED ONES HOME. THANK YOU
FOR ALLOWING ME TO TALK TODAY.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU, CHAIRMAN
PINTO FOR YOUR TESTIMONY, ANY
COMMENTS FROM COMMITTEE MEMBERS?
I'M GONNA THANK YOU. AH.
CHAIRWOMAN PINTO FOR YOUR
TESTIMONY AND BRINGING FORWARD.
UM THE REPATRIATION, AND WE
STILL ARE, UM, WORKING HERE IN
2022 GOING INTO 2023 TRYING TO
GET REMAINS BACK TO THE RIGHTFUL
PEOPLE HERE IN THE STATE OF
CALIFORNIA, AND IT'S NOT
SOMETHING THAT'S THAT'S NEW.
THIS IS STUFF THAT WE'VE BEEN
DOING, AT LEAST WHERE OUR FAMILY
UM CULTURAL AND GENERATIONS MY
GRANDMOTHER, MY AUNTS AND
MYSELF. AND NOW SIT IN THE STATE
LEGISLATURE. BUT WE'RE STILL
WORKING TOGETHER AS A PEOPLE TO
ENSURE THAT OUR VOICES ARE BEING
HEARD. SO WE'RE STARTING TO MAKE
A LITTLE LEAD WAY ON THAT WITH
THE DIFFERENT AGENCIES, BUT WE
HEARD EARLIER THAT CALTRANS, UM
CONTINUES TO BE AN AREA THAT WE
NEED TO LOOK AT. SO TRYING TO
GET ALL THE DIFFERENT
DEPARTMENTS, UM, HERE IN THE
STATE OF CALIFORNIA. CALTRANS
DIFFERENT AREAS. DIFFERENT
DEPARTMENTS TO CONTINUE TO REACH
OUT TO TRIBES ON THE
CONSULTATION THAT TAKES PLACE
BETWEEN THE AGENCIES IN THE
GOVERNMENT TO GOVERNMENT FASHION
. THAT IT WE ENSURE THAT THAT
TAKES PLACE, SO I'M GONNA THANK
YOU FOR YOUR TESTIMONY AND THANK
YOU FOR TAKING THE TIME. TO BE
HERE WITH US. OUR NEXT.
PRESENTER IS A CHAIRPERSON
CHAIRMAN. UH WELSH AND LOPEZ,
WHO BRINGS FORWARD UH, VOICE OF
THE, UM, BOOTS AND PEOPLE AND
YOU HEAR ABOUT THE PHILLY
RECOGNIZED TRIBES IN CALIFORNIA
INDIAN TRIBES. THIS IS AN
IMPORTANT VOICE THAT DEALS WITH
THE REPATRIATION AND 82 75, PART
OF THE LEGISLATIVE AUDIT
IDENTIFIED THAT THERE NEED TO BE
MORE OPENNESS TO TRIBES BEING
ABLE TO MOVE FORWARD TO GO AFTER
REPATRIATION ITEMS, THEN FROM
THE UC SYSTEM AND OTHER ARCHIVES
AND TUTORIAL FACILITIES IN THE
STATE OF CALIFORNIA. SO WITH US
TODAY TO BRING THAT VOICE
FORWARD IS CHAIRMAN VALENTIN
LOPEZ FROM THE ARM MOVEMENTS IN
THANK YOU, CHAIRMAN. GOOD
MORNING AND THANK YOU. MY FIRST
DO WANT TO GIVE THANKS TO YOU.
CHAIR RAMOS AND MEMBERS OF THE
SELECT COMMITTEE FOR HOLDING
THIS HEARING TODAY. MY NAME
AGAIN IS VALENTIN LOPEZ, AND I'M
THE CHAIR. OF THE, UM, A MUTANT
TRIBAL BAND, AND OUR TRIBE IS
COMPRISED OF THE DESCENDANTS.
THE INDIGENOUS PEOPLES THAT WERE
TAKING THE MISSION SAN JUAN
BAUTISTA AND SANTA CRUZ. IN THE
CENTRAL. IT'S IN THE CENTRAL
COASTAL AREAS OF CALIFORNIA. I
FIRST WANT TO GIVE RECOGNITION
TO THE PART WING AT LEAST NINE
PEOPLE WHOSE LAND WERE OUT
TODAY. WE OFFER PRAYERS AND
BLESSINGS TO THE ANCESTORS. TO
TODAY'S MEMBERS. AND TO THE
FUTURE DESCENDANTS OF BOTH
TRIBES. UM. I FIRST WANT TO SAY
THAT OUR TRIBE HAS RECEIVED
REMAINS ON ONE OCCASION. THAT
WAS IN 2019 UNDER THE FEDERAL
LIKE PROBLEM, UM REGULATIONS,
AND THOSE REMAINS WERE FROM U C.
SANTA CRUZ. AND THERE'S A
FEDERALLY UNRECOGNIZED TRIBE.
THAT RIGHT? THERE WAS PRETTY
ASTOUNDING AND AMAZING THAT WE
WERE ABLE TO GET THEM THROUGH
WORKING THROUGH THE PROCESS
WITHOUT A FEDERALLY WITHOUT
BEING SPONSORED BY A FEDERALLY
RECOGNIZED TRIBE. WE THOUGHT
THAT THAT RIGHT THERE WOULD SHOW
US A TEMPLATE. FOR GETTING
RECOGNIZED FOR GETTING THE
REMAINS OF ANCESTORS HOME FOR
OTHER TRIBES. BUT AS WE
ATTEMPTED TO WORK WITH OTHER
INSTITUTIONS UM, WE FOUND THAT
IT WAS PRETTY, UH, PRETTY MUCH
AN IMPOSSIBLE IMPOSSIBLE TASK ON
OUR PART. I WANNA AND I'LL TOUCH
WITH SOME OF THOSE POINTS TODAY.
IT IS OUR UNDERSTANDING THAT
COUNT NAGPUR WAS TO BE A
PARALLEL PROCESS TO THE NATIONAL
NIAGARA PROCESS. TELL NAG FOR
PROCESS NEEDS TO BE BETTER
DEFINED. IT SEEMS THAT THE
FEDERAL PROCESSES TO OCCUR FIRST
AND THEN THE CALVINISTIC BRO IS
TO BE FOLLOWED. BUT WHAT
HAPPENED? WHAT A TRIBE GOES TO
THE FEDERAL PROCESS AND THEN
COMES BACK TO GO TO THE NAGRA
PROCESS. THEY PUBLISHED IT ON
THE REGISTER ON THE ON THE
UNREGISTERED NOTICE. AND THEN
OTHER TRIBES WANT TO CLAIM THOSE
REMAINS. UNDER THIS SCENARIO,
TRIBES WOULD HAVE TO GO BACK TO
NATIONAL NAQURA SECOND TIME. AND
THAT RIGHT THERE IS, IS IT
REALLY COMPLICATED, COMPLICATED
AND COMPLEX. SYSTEM TO FATHOM.
AND WE THINK THAT YOU KNOW
THAT'S ONE AREA WHERE IT NEEDS
TO BE BETTER DEFINED. ONE OF THE
PRIMARY PROBLEMS THAT WE SEE
WITH CAL NECK, BRO. IS THAT THE
IS REGARDING THE LIST THAT IS
MAINTAINED BY THE NATIVE
AMERICAN HERITAGE COMMISSION. I
HEARD TODAY FROM TESTIMONY THAT
THAT LIST HAS BEEN WAS REVISED
IN SEPTEMBER OF THIS YEAR LAST
MONTH, AND I WAS NOT AWARE OF
THAT. AND SO I AM. AS SOON AS
I'VE DONE HERE. I CAN PROMISE
YOU I'M GOING TO GO HOME AND
CHECK THAT LIST IMMEDIATELY.
PERHAPS IT ADDRESSED THEM MORE
ISSUES AND PERHAPS NOT. THIS
LIST IS BASED PRIMARILY ON SELF
IDENTIFICATION. UM WITH SOME
INVALIDATED CRITERIA. FOR
EXAMPLE, YOU KNOW IN THAT CAUSES
PROBLEMS FOR US, FOR EXAMPLE OF
FORMER COUNCIL PERSON FROM OUR
TRIBE. WHO ATTEMPTED A COUP TO
TAKE OVER MY SPOT. AND UH, THAT
THAT THAT THAT FAILED SHE SHE
RESIGNED FROM OUR TRIBE. AND WE
DIDN'T KNOW IT. BUT JUST A FEW
MONTHS BEFORE THAT TIME SHE
STARTED A TOMMY AND SHE GOT A
NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION CALLED
THE TOMMY AND NATION. UM UNDER
HER NAME FOR WHAT? SHE IS THE
CHAIRPERSON. AND THEN, AFTER
RESIGNING, SHE SOMEHOW SHOWED UP
ON THE NATIVE AMERICAN HERITAGE
LIST AS A TRIBE IN THE IN THE
FOLLOWING MONTH OF JANUARY. SO
SHE RESIGNS IN IT FROM ONE TRIBE
AND DECEMBER STARTS A NEW TRIBE
, BUT SHE'S IN THE NATIVE
AMERICAN TRIBAL LIST. IN
JANUARY. AND WE IMMEDIATELY
BROUGHT THAT TO THE ATTENTION OF
THE NATIVE AMERICAN HERITAGE
COMMISSION. WE MET WITH THEM.
WITH THE TRIBE, WHICH IS WAS A
REPRESENTATIVE OF WHICH WE
RECOGNIZE AS BEING THE
REPRESENTATIVE OF THE TOMMY AND
NATION WE MET WITH THEM, AND THE
NATIVE AMERICAN HERITAGE
COMMISSION SAYS THAT THEY COULD
NOT DO ANYTHING ABOUT THAT. YOU
KNOW, AND I TOLD HIM ABOUT 600
OF OUR MEMBERS. WE HAVE, YOU
KNOW, 600 PLUS MEMBERS ON OUR
TRIBE BOSS 600. MEMBERS OF OUR
TRIBE RESIGNED BECAUSE EACH OF
THEM START THEIR OWN TRIBE. THAT
WAS A WITH THE NATIVE AMERICAN
HERITAGE COMMISSION RECOGNIZED
THEM AS BEING A LEGITIMATE
TRIBE. IT SEEMS KIND OF LIKE A
LIKE A WE'LL JUST USE THE WORD
GOOFY, AND IT'S KIND OF A GOOFY
PROCESS FOR RECORD YOU KNOW, FOR
A WAY TO FOR A TRACK TO MAKE IT
ON THE LIST. UM ANOTHER ISSUE.
UM. IS IT SOME TRIBES ON THE ON
THE NATIVE AMERICAN LIST IS
COMPRISED OF JUST ONE LINEAR IS
JUST ONE. FAMILY LINEAGE. AND
HOW CAN A FAMILY BIG RECOGNIZED
AS A TRIBE AS A LEGITIMATE
TRIBE. AND YOU KNOW THE WAY THAT
WE I UNDERSTAND TRIBES ARE
DEFINED IS THAT IT MUST BE
HISTORIC, AND THEY MUST BE
CONTINUOUS. I MEAN, HOW CAN A
TRIBE YOU KNOW THAT IS JUST ONE
FAMILY BE RECOGNIZED AS A
CONTINUOUS AND HISTORIC TRIBE.
AND HOW COULD THAT PRIOR MEMBER
WHO RESIGNS? YOU KNOW, AFTER
SERVING, YOU KNOW, SHE SERVED ON
OUR TRIBAL COUNCIL IN THE 19
NINETIES AND THEN AGAIN IN THE
20 IN THE 20 LATE 38TH, YOU
KNOW, HOW CAN SHE BE CONSIDERED
A CONTINUOUS RECOGNIZED TRIBE OF
THE NEW TRIBE THAT SHE JUST
FORMED? THAT MAKES NO SENSE. WE
ALSO HAD AN ISSUE IN OUR IN OUR
TERRITORY, AND THIS IS STILL
TALKING ABOUT THAT LIST. WHERE
BEFORE WE'RE CHAIRPERSON OF OUR
TRIBE. PRIOR TO MY BEING THERE.
THERE WAS ANOTHER CHAIRPERSON
BETWEEN HER SERVICE AND MINE. UM
IN THE YEAR 2000. SHE RESIGNED
AS A CHAIRWOMAN. AND SHE
RESIGNED IN WRITING. SHE
RESIGNED AND WE RECORDED THAT
HER RESIGNATION. AT THAT TIME.
THAT MEETING WAS RECORDED AND.
FOLLOWING THAT SHE REGRETTED HER
RESIGNATION SUBMITTED, UM AND
SHE STARTED SUBMITTING PAPERWORK
TO THE B I A AND TO THE NATIVE
AMERICAN HERITAGE COMMISSION.
SAYING THAT SHE THAT SHE
RESIGNED AND THE THINGS THAT SHE
DID NOT RESIGN, AND SHE STARTED
TO PRESENT HERSELF AS A LITTLE
BIT LEGITIMATE TRIBE AND SAYING
THAT WE WERE THE TRIBE THAT WE
WERE A SPLINTER TRIBE. THAT
CLAUSE. GREAT GREAT PROBLEMS FOR
US. YOU KNOW, AND WE KNEW THAT
SOMETHING HAD TO BE DONE, AND WE
BROUGHT THAT TO THE YOU KNOW,
AND AFTER, YOU KNOW, BEING
PRETTY FORCEFUL AND ON THAT
WE'VE GOT THE, UM. THE
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR'S
OFFICE OF INSPECTOR GENERAL TO
AGREE. TO CONDUCT A FEDERAL
INVESTIGATION ON THAT PRIOR
CHAIRWOMAN. WELL IN THAT IN THAT
INVESTIGATION, THE CHAIRWOMAN
AND IT'S REALLY, UH, REDACTED,
BUT I'VE HEARD FROM SOURCES.
THAT THAT SHE DID ADMIT TO
RESIGNING FROM THE TRIBE, AND
SHE DID SUBMIT. ADMIT TO, UM,
SUBMITTING FRAUDULENT FORMS. BUT
SHE WAS NEVER TAKEN OFF THE THAT
TRIBAL LIST AT THE NATIVE
AMERICAN HERITAGE COMMISSION,
AND SHE'S STILL APPEARS AS A
PETITIONING TRIBE WITH THE B I A
TODAY HOW CAN SOMEONE COMMIT A
FEDERAL FRAUD INVESTIGATION BIG,
YOU KNOW, AND IT'S BEEN PROVEN
AND THAT PERSON STILL PRESENT
THEMSELVES AS A TRIBAL CHAIR.
THESE ARE SOME ISSUES WITH THE
CURRENT LIST. THERE ARE OTHER
ISSUES, BUT THESE ARE SOME OF
THE MAIN ONES. ANOTHER
DIFFICULTY WITH ACCOUNTING
PROBLEM IS IN THE, UM MEDICAL,
UM. THE MITIGATION PROCESS.
MITIGATION GOES THROUGH CAL NAG
PRO AS I UNDERSTAND IT. AND THE
PROBLEM IS THAT ANY TRIBE ON THE
LIST FOR THAT COUNTY LOCATION
CAN SAY THEY DO NOT SUPPORT THE
RECOMMENDATION. OR THE. THE
INTENT. FOR REPATRIATION AND
THEN BE, YOU KNOW, AND THAT CAN
JUST PUT TOTALLY BLOCKED
ROADBLOCK. THE EFFORT TO RECEIVE
, YOU KNOW TO HAVE TO HAVE THE
REMAINS WERE RETURNED TO THAT
TRIBE. UM THEY JUST EXPRESSED
INTEREST IN IT. AND THAT BLOCKS
IT AND THAT HAS HAPPENED TO US
AT A NUMBER OF LOCATIONS,
INCLUDING U C. BERKELEY AND
INCLUDING SAN FRANCISCO STATE
AND INCLUDING STATE PARKS. YOU
KNOW, WE'VE ASKED FOR WE ASK FOR
REBUILDING THE YOU KNOW THE
REMAINS OF OUR ANCESTORS TO BE
RETURNED. AND UH AND WE WERE
UNSUCCESSFUL BECAUSE OTHER
TRIBES SPEAK UP AND SAY THAT
THEY'RE CLAIMING THOSE REMAINS
AND THOSE ARE THERE, YOU KNOW,
THEY SAY THAT'S THEIRS. YOU
KNOW, SINCE THAT TIME WE'VE
TRIED TO WORK WITH OTHER TRIBES
. WE SAID, WELL, LET'S JUST TRY
AND GET THE REMAINS RETURNED TO
ALL OF US AS A GROUP OR THE ONES
THAT ARE THAT ARE INTERESTED IN
THAT. GET THEM TO WORK WITH US,
UH, AS A AS A AS A AS A SOURCING
OF TRIBES FOR THAT REPATRIATION
, BUT SOMETIMES SAY NO, I DON'T
WANT TO DO THAT. I WANT THOSE
TRIBES Tð. THOSE REMAINS TO COME
TO ME ONLY AND THEN I JUST
TOTALLY BLOCKS IT. SO NOW WE'VE
BEEN IN A HOLDING PATTERN. PEACE
INSTITUTIONS. FOR A NUMBER OF
YEARS NOW. WE'RE NOT GETTING THE
REMAINS COMING BACK, YOU KNOW,
RETURNED TO US. AS AN INDIVIDUAL
TRIBE OR AS OTHER TRIBES WERE
NOT GETTING THEIR RETURNED TO
US. IT'S IMPORTANT TO RECOGNIZE
THAT, UM. THAT WHENEVER THESE
REMAINS ARE DISTURBED IT'S A
VIOLATION OF OUR SPIRITUAL
BELIEF. BECAUSE WHEN THEY'RE
JUST REMAINS ARE DISTURBED. THE
YOU KNOW OUR ANCESTORS. THE
SPIRIT VERY ANCESTORS IS CALLED
BACK. AND THEY CANNOT BE
RETURNED TO THE OTHER SIDE. TO
WHERE THEY BELONG. UNTIL THERE'S
A FULL AND COMPLETE BURIAL. AND
SO THE REMAINS THAT HAVE BEEN UM
THERE ARE BEING HELD BY THESE
INSTITUTIONS IS A HUGE VIOLATION
OF THE SPIRITUAL BELIEFS AND
PRACTICES OF THE, UM, A MUTINY.
UM. THERE'S A YOU KNOW ANOTHER
STRATEGY FOR GETTING
REPATRIATION IS TO WORK WITH A
FEDERALLY RECOGNIZED TRIBE. AND
YOU GET, YOU KNOW, AND YOU CAN
GET SPONSORSHIP FROM THEM. UH
UM. WELL, WHEN WE WHEN WE GOT
THE REMAINS RETURNED FROM U C L
A WE GOT WE HAD THOSE REMAINS
RETURNED TO US, AND WE DID NOT
HAVE A SPONSOR. BUT THERE IS NO
OTHER TRIBE AT THAT TIME.
SPEAKING UP AND SAYING THAT
THOSE TRIBES BELONG TO US. BUT
YOU KNOW, AT THAT TIME IN 2019,
BUT SINCE THAT TRIBE, ALL THE
TRIBES ARE NOW ON BOARD. TO
BLOCK ANY REPEATING YOUR
REPATRIATION EFFORT BY OUR TRIBE
OR BY ANY OTHER TRIBE THEY WANT
. THOSE REMAINS TO COME BACK TO
THEM ONLY AND SO OUR TRIBE
PREVIOUSLY REQUESTED
SPONSORSHIP. FROM RECOGNIZED
TRIBES AND TWO OF THOSE TRIBES
ARE TESTIFYING TODAY WE
REQUESTED. UM, UM WE REQUESTED
SPONSORSHIP, BUT WE RECEIVED NO
RESPONSE AT THAT TIME. FOLLOWING
TODAY'S MEETING. I WILL BE
REACHING OUT TO OTHER TRUCKS TO
THE TRIBES ONE MORE TIME, HOPING
THAT WE WILL GET A RESPONSE AND
CAN GET IT. YOU KNOW, UM UH, AS
YOU KNOW, WE ARE A FEDERALLY
RECOGNIZED TRIBE. BUT WE STILL
ASSERT OUR SOVEREIGNTY. AND IT'S
A GREAT INSULT TO US. TO HAVE TO
ASK FOR A SPONSORSHIP FROM A
RECOGNIZED TRIBE THAT'S LIKE
ASKING FOR A BIG BROTHER OR OR
IN YOUR MOMMY OR DADDY TO HOLD
OUR HAND THROUGH THIS PROCESS,
BECAUSE WE'RE NOT CAPABLE OF
DOING IT OURSELVES. IT'S A GREAT
INSULT TO HAVE TO DO THIS. BUT
IT'S IMPORTANT ENOUGH TO US TO
GET THE REMAINS RETURNED. THAT
WE WILL, YOU KNOW, THE WILL WILL
MAKE ANOTHER EFFORT AT THAT
FOLLOWING THIS MEETING TODAY.
TALKING ABOUT HAVING ANOTHER
TRIBE SPONSOR. I MEAN, ONE OF
OUR GREAT FEARS RIGHT NOW IS
THAT ONE OF ONE OF THOSE OTHER
TRIBES IN OUR TERRITORY? YOU
KNOW WAS WAS GOING TO L. A
MAKING ATTEMPT TO, UH, WAS ABLE
TO FIND A TRIBE THAT WOULD
SPONSOR THEM TO GET THOSE
REMAINS. WE WOULD BE OUT OF THE
PICTURE. WE WOULD HAVE NO VOICE.
AS FAR AS UM, FOR REPATRIATION,
THAT INSTITUTION WOULD THEN
TURNED THEIR VOTE TOTAL FOCUS ON
WORKING WITH THAT ONE TRIBE WITH
THAT FEDERALLY RECOGNIZED TRIBES
SPAWNED AS A SPONSOR WORK WITH
THEM SOLELY AND WE WOULD HAVE NO
VOICE IN THAT PROCESS. BEYOND
THAT, YOU KNOW, BASICALLY, YOU
KNOW, WERE CUT OUT. AND THAT'S A
VERY BIG CONCERN FOR US. HMM.
THERE'S A POSSIBLE ALTERNATIVE
THAT WOULD LIKE TO LOOK AT HERE
AND, UM, THEY MAY IT MAY WORK OR
MAY NOT, BUT I THINK IT IS. IT'S
WORTH CONSIDERING OR OR OR
RESEARCHING. I BELIEVE BOTH
COLORADO AND IOWA. MADE A
REQUEST TO NATIONAL, UM, NAG PRO
THAT THE STATE. SOLELY BE
RESPONSIBLE FOR NON RECOGNIZED
TRIBES. THE NATIONAL NAG PRO IS
NOT INVOLVED IN IN IN IN NON
RECOGNIZED TRIBE ISSUES. THE
STATE OF CALIFORNIA WANTS TO DO
THAT. AND IF THEY WERE TO BE SIX
SS FEL THEN PERHAPS. THE NET.
YOU KNOW, A CAL NAACP
REMEDIATION PROCESS. COULD MAKE
DETERMINATIONS. ON ON THE
REPATRIATION OF ALL THE REMAINS
OF UNRECOGNIZED TRIBES. THAT ARE
BEING HELD BY THESE INSTITUTIONS
TODAY. UM, IT, UM I DON'T KNOW
IF THAT'S POSSIBLE OR NOT. UM,
BUT THAT IS A RECOMMENDATION.
CULTURAL AFFILIATION. A COUPLE
OF OTHER ISSUES THAT ARE
DIFFICULT HERE. OR ARE OUR
CULTURAL AFFILIATION? YOU KNOW,
WE DO HAVE TRANSITIONAL
TERRITORIES BETWEEN TRIBES MEAN
WE DON'T HAVE DEFINITIVE
BOUNDARY LINES FOR OUR TRIBES.
WE CAN'T SAY THIS RIVER OR THAT
MOUNTAINTOP IS THE ABSOLUTE
BOUNDARY OF OUR TRIBE. AND OUR
TRIBE TAKES A LOOK AT IT AS A AS
A TRANSITIONAL TERRITORY BETWEEN
THESE TWO TRIBES, AND WE'RE
WILLING TO SHARE IT WITHIN THAT
TRANSITIONAL TERRITORY. UM,
RESPONSIBILITY. FOR THOSE
REMAINS THE RESPONSIBILITY FOR
SPEAKING FOREIGN REPRESENTING
THOSE THOSE THE ANCESTORS OF
THOSE TERRITORIES TODAY. SOME OF
THE TRIBES ARE WILLING TO ACCEPT
THAT TRANSITIONAL APPROACH AND
SOME TRIBES ARE NOT. AND TO THAT
. THAT'S ANOTHER ISSUE THAT
CAUSES PROBLEMS HERE. AND IT'S
NOT FAIR TO ASK ME EVEN NATIVE
AMERICAN HERITAGE COMMISSION,
TOO. YOU'RE GONNA HELP THE
TRIBES FIGURE OUT WHETHER
BOUNDARIES ARE WE KNOW THAT, BUT
I JUST WANTED TO POINT OUT THAT
THAT IS AN ISSUE THAT DOESN'T
PACKED. UM OUR TRIBE AS AS A
UNRECOGNIZED TRY, BUT I'M SURE
THAT HAPPENS TO THE UN RIGHT TO
THE FEDERALLY RECOGNIZED TRIBES
OF WELL I'M FINALLY I WANT TO
SAY THAT. UM AS AN A RECOGNIZED
TRIBE. WE DIDN'T KNOW.
ASSISTANCE FROM THE STATE
GOVERNMENT FROM THE FEDERAL
GOVERNMENT. WE GET NO
ASSISTANCE. FROM ANY SOURCE. SO
OUR TRIBE HASN'T OUR TRIBE HAS
NO STAFF. NO NO, NO. NO
ADMINISTRATIVE STAFF, UM,
CULTURAL RESOURCE STAFF.
ETCETERA. WELL WE HAVE IS SOME
FEW MEMBERS WHO ARE WILLING TO
GIVE IT TIME AND ENERGY. AND
THEN YOU KNOW TO HELP US WORK TO
FULFILL OUR OBLIGATIONS THAT ARE
IN OUR IN OUR NEED TO PROTECT
OUR ANCESTORS TO PROTECT OUR
CULTURAL RESOURCES TO SPEAK UP
FOR A SACRED SITES, ETCETERA. SO
AS AN UNRECOGNIZED TRIBE, IT'S
VERY DIFFICULT. SO ANY
ASSISTANCE YOU KNOW, SUCH AS
GRANTS AND STUFF LIKE THAT, UM,
FOR A RECOGNIZED UNRECOGNIZED
TRIBES TO HELP US WITH MAGDA
WOULD BE GREATLY APPRECIATED.
AND WITH THAT, I'D LIKE TO THANK
THIS COMMITTEE FOR GIVING ME THE
OPPORTUNITY TO PRESENT TO YOU
TODAY. AND THANK YOU, CHAIRMAN
LOPEZ, WHERE YOUR TESTIMONY AND
THE ENLIGHTENMENT ON SOME OF THE
STRUGGLES THAT CONTINUE TO
PLAGUE. UM CALIFORNIA'S FIRST
PEOPLE AS A WHOLE, UM, ANY
COMMENTS AND QUESTIONS FROM
COMMITTEE MEMBERS? AND YOU KNOW,
LOOKING AT AND HEARING SOME OF
THE TESTIMONY AND FRUSTRATION.
WE KNOW THAT WE'RE TRYING TO, UM
WORK TOGETHER TO ENSURE THAT
THOSE REMAINS DO COME BACK TO
THE RIGHTFUL PEOPLE. RIGHTFUL
CALIFORNIA INDIAN PEOPLE IN THE
STATE OF CALIFORNIA. THAT WAS
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT AUDIT
REPORT UNCOVERED AND WE WANT.
WE'RE TRYING TO GET A HANDLE ON
THAT, OR AT LEAST SOME INSIGHT
INTO IT. OR WHEN THE CAL STATE
UNIVERSITY AUDIT COMES BACK.
WE'RE GOING TO SEE WHAT THE
RECOMMENDATION WITH THAT AUDIT
WOULD UNCOVER, AND SO WE SEE
THAT A LOTTA AND IT SOUNDED LIKE
A LOT OF TIMES. UM THE
RESPONSIBILITY HAS DROPPED ONTO
THE NATIVE AMERICAN HERITAGE
COMMISSION TO FIGURE THINGS OUT
WITHOUT ADEQUATE RESOURCES AND
ENSURE THAT THEY HAVE AWARE WE
THOUGHT TO COMPLY, BUT I DO
BELIEVE THAT THEY'RE DOING, UM
THE JOB AS AS BEST AS CAN BE
AROUND THE PARAMETERS THAT ARE
THERE. UM WHEN WE WERE CHAIR. WE
DID ALSO STAND IN FOR, UM TWO
TRIBES IN OUR AREA, GABRIELLA
AND TODAVÍA AT THEM TO GET
REMAINS BACK. UM TO, UM THE
PEOPLE THERE TO CONDUCT A PROPER
REBURIAL, BUT THIS UNCOVERS
ANOTHER LAYER A LAYER OF THAT
MAYBE OTHERS DON'T TRULY
UNDERSTAND THAT HERE IN THE
STATE OF CALIFORNIA THERE IS, UM
, CALIFORNIA INDIAN TRIBES THAT
CONTINUE TO PRACTICE. CULTURE
CONTINUED TO PURSUE REPATRIATION
OF ITEMS. UM AND WE NEED TO BE
ABLE TO MAKE SURE THAT VOICE IS
BEING HEARD. SO FINE. THANK YOU
FOR BRINGING THAT VOICE FORWARD
TO US. THANK YOU FOR YOUR
TESTIMONY. OH, THANK YOU. AND
NOW WE WILL BEGIN THE PORTION OF
THE HEARING ABOUT THE NATURE
BASED SOLUTIONS ADVISORY COUNCIL
, THE GOVERNOR AND LEGISLATURE
APPROVED $70 MILLION IN THE 2022
23 BUDGET TO CREATE A TRIBAL
NATURAL RESOURCES COUNCIL. THE
FUNDING AND PROPOSED COUNCIL
WERE CONCEIVED AS A MEANS TO
INITIATE A TROPICAL THAT PROCESS
TO EVALUATE NATURE BASED
SOLUTION PROJECTS WITHIN THE
CALIFORNIA NATURAL RESOURCES
AGENCY. WE CONTINUE TO GET
UPDATES ON THAT AND HEARING
FIRSTHAND FROM, UM LEADERS HERE
IN THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA.
TRIBAL LEADERS. TODAY WE WILL
RECEIVE AN UPDATE FROM THE
LEGISLATIVE ANALYSIS OFFICE
ABOUT NEXT STEPS AND BEGINNING
THE PROCESS OF GATHERING TRIBAL
INPUT ABOUT THE PROPOSED
LEGISLATION. HERE TO PROVIDE AN
ALLEY. OH UPDATE AS HELEN FIRST
TI¾N PRINCIPAL FISCAL AND POLICY
ANALYSIS, UM IS SHE IMPERSONATED
A THERE WE ARE ALL RIGHT. THANK
YOU. GOOD MORNING CHAIR AND
MEMBERS. MY NAME IS HELEN
KIRSTEIN WITH THE LEGISLATIVE
ANALYST'S OFFICE. THANK YOU SO
MUCH FOR INVITING ME TO
PARTICIPATE TODAY. IT'S A REAL
PLEASURE TO BE HERE AND IN
PERSON TO IT'S ALWAYS MORE FUN.
UM SO THANK YOU AGAIN. I'VE BEEN
ASKED TO PROVIDE JUST A BRIEF
UPDATE AS YOU MENTIONED ON THE
NATURE BASED SOLUTIONS PACKAGE
FUNDING THAT WAS PROVIDED FOR
TRIBAL, UM TRIBAL RELATED ISSUES
AS WELL AS THE ASSOCIATED
COUNCIL. TO ACCOMPANY MY REMARKS
. I HAVE A VERY BRIEF, UM, HAND
OUT. EXCUSE ME. YOU SHOULD HAVE
COPIES EITHER IN YOUR PACKETS OR
THE SERGEANT'S ALSO HAVE EXTRA
COPIES. IT'S ALSO AVAILABLE ON
OUR OFFICE'S WEBSITE. IF ANYONE
WATCHING AT HOME WOULD LIKE A
COPY. SO IF YOU TURN TO THE
FIRST PAGE OF THE HANDOUT IT
STARTS WITH, UH VERY SHORT TABLE
HERE. THIS IS REALLY
HIGHLIGHTING JUST THE PORTION OF
THE NATURE BASED SOLUTIONS
PACKAGE THAT'S RELATED TO TRIBES
, SO THERE WAS A LARGER PACKAGE
THAT WAS INCLUDED IN THE BUDGET
THAT WAS ADOPTED BY THE
LEGISLATURE BACK IN AUGUST. AND
THIS WAS THE PIECE THAT THAT
SPECIFICALLY RELATES TO TRIBES.
YOU'LL NOTE THAT IN TOTAL, UM
THE FUNDING PROVIDED FOR THESE
THREE PROGRAMS ARE OUTLINED
HERE. UM IS 152 MILLION OVER A
THREE YEAR PERIOD. THE BULK OF
THIS FUNDING ABOUT 100 MILLION
OVER A TWO YEAR PERIOD, SO AS
WAS DISCUSSED EARLIER 70 MILLION
OF THAT IS WAS PROVIDED IN THE
22 23, THEN, UM, THE PLAN IS TO
PROVIDE AN ADDITIONAL 30 MILLION
AND THAT WOULD BE IN 23 24. SO
IN TOTAL, IT WOULD BE 100
MILLION, BUT OVER A TWO YEAR
PERIOD AND THAT WOULD BE TO
ESTABLISH A NEW TRIBAL NATURE
BASED SOLUTIONS PROGRAM SO THIS
PROGRAM COULD FIND REALLY A HOST
OF DIFFERENT TYPES OF ACTIVITIES
. IT COULD FIND CO MANAGEMENT OF
LAND. IT COULD FUND UM LAND
RETURNS. IT COULD FUND CAPACITY
BUILDING OR ASSISTANCE TO TRIBES
AND ACCESSING OTHER GRANT
OPPORTUNITIES THAT STATE MIGHT
HAVE SO IT COULD BE KIND OF A
RANGE OF DIFFERENT POTENTIAL. UM
TYPES OF THINGS THAT COULD BE
FUNDED AS PART OF THIS 100
MILLION OVER TWO YEARS. NOTABLY
UH, THE GOVERNOR PROPOSED SOME
BUDGET TRAILER LEGISLATION. UM
THAT WAS TO ACCOMPANY THIS
FUNDING ORIGINALLY, AND THAT WAS
TO CREATE WHAT WAS SUPPOSED TO
BE A NEW TRIBAL NATURAL
RESOURCES COUNCIL THAT WAS
INTENDED TO SERVE AS AN ADVISORY
BOARD FOR THIS $100 MILLION, AS
WELL AS BEING ONGOING ENTITY TO
PROVIDE ADVICE AND ASSISTANCE TO
THE RESOURCES AGENCY BOTH AND AS
THEY ALLOCATE POTENTIAL FUTURE
FUNDING RELATED TO TRIBES AS
WELL AS MAKE POLICY DECISIONS.
UM SO THAT BUDGET TRAILER
LEGISLATION IT WAS PACKAGED
ALONG WITH OTHER CHANGES THAT
WERE DISCUSSED EARLIER IN THIS
HEARING RELATED TO, UM, THE
NATIVE AMERICAN HERITAGE
COMMISSION, AND ULTIMATELY, THAT
TRAILER LEGISLATION WAS NOT
INCLUDED IN THE FINAL BUDGET
PACKAGE, SO IT WAS NOT ADOPTED
ULTIMATELY BY THE LEGISLATURE. I
WOULD NOTE, HOWEVER, THAT THERE
WAS SOME BUDGET. UM SOME BUDGET
BILL LANGUAGE, SO SOME LANGUAGE
ACTUALLY IN THE BUDGET BILL THAT
DID PROVIDE, UM SOME ADDITIONAL
DIRECTIONS. THE RESOURCES AGENCY
SPECIFICALLY REQUIRED THE AGENCY
TO MEANINGFULLY CONSULT WITH
TRIBES AND HOLD AT LEAST FOUR
HEARINGS. UM AS PART OF THE
ESTABLISHMENT OF THE GRANT
GUIDELINES FOR THAT $100 MILLION
OVER TWO YEARS, THE 70 MILLION
IN IN THE BUDGET YEAR AND THEN
THE 30 MILLION NEXT YEAR. UM SO
JUST TO NOTE, SO WHILE THE 100
MILLION IS THAT IT WAS THE
BIGGEST PART, THERE WAS ALSO
SOME SOME ADDITIONAL, UM,
THERE'S TWO OTHER PROGRAMS THAT
WERE RELATED TO TRIBES. UM THE
NEXT ONE I WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT,
WHICH IS THE SECOND ONE ON YOUR
TABLE. THERE IS, UM THERE WAS A
POT FOR LOCAL AND TRIBAL NATURE
BASED SOLUTIONS COURSE. UM AND
THAT INCLUDED TWO PIECES, SO ONE
PIECE WAS FUNDING TO GO TO LOCAL
CONSERVATION COURSE TO THE 14.
EXISTING LOCAL CONSERVATION
COURSE. AND ANOTHER PIECE OF
THAT WAS TO ESTABLISH A NEW
PROGRAM, A NEW TRIBAL
CONSERVATION CORPS PROGRAM. AS I
MENTIONED WOULD GO TO THE LOCAL
CONSERVATION CORPS. UM BUT SOME
OF IT IS INTENDED TO GO TO
ESTABLISH THIS NEW TRIBAL NATURE
BASED SOLUTIONS CORE AND THE
IDEA BEHIND THAT IS REALLY THAT
THIS NEW CORE WOULD BE SIMILAR
TO THE EXISTING CALIFORNIA
CONSERVATION CORPS, AND IT WOULD
BE RUN BY THE CONSERVATION
CORPS, BUT REALLY BE TRIBALLY
FOCUSED. UM AND I BELIEVE
THEY'RE STILL WORKING OUT THE
DETAILS OF THAT, BUT THAT IT
WOULD INCLUDE TRIBAL MEMBERS AND
THAT IT WOULD REALLY FOCUS ON
TRIBAL PRIORITIES. UM AND THEN
LASTLY, THERE IS THIS VERY THIS
SMALLER ALLOCATION $1 MILLION A
YEAR FOR TRIBAL STAFFING THAT
WOULD GO THAT GOES TO THE
RESOURCES AGENCY. IT'S INTENDED
TO PROVIDE STAFFING TO HELP
SUPPORT THE AGENCY AS IT
IMPLEMENTS. THIS FUNDING AS WELL
AS IT AS IT ENGAGES ON TRIBAL
ISSUES GOING FORWARD. UM SO WITH
THAT, I'M I'M HAPPY TO TAKE
QUESTIONS. UM PROVIDE ANY OTHER
INFORMATION I CAN TO THE
COMMITTEE. SOMEBODY REMEMBER
DINA? SO THIS IS A GRANT TYPE
PROGRAM OR TRIBES COMPETE RIGHT
FOR THE GRANTS. YES SO MY
UNDERSTANDING OF THAT FIRST
PROGRAM, THE TRIBAL NATURE BASED
SOLUTIONS PROGRAM, 100 MILLION
IS THAT IT WOULD LIKELY BE A LOT
OF US WOULD LIKELY BE GRANTS
THAT WOULD GO OUT TO TRIBES
AGAIN. THEY'RE GOING TO. THEY'RE
WORKING ON GRANT GUIDELINES, AND
THAT WOULD, UM DEFINE IN MORE
DETAIL. WHAT YOU KNOW WHAT THE
CRITERIA WOULD BE AND HOW IT
WOULD GO OUT. UM BUT MY
UNDERSTANDING IS THAT THAT IS
ENVISIONED TO BE PROVIDED AS
GRANTS TO TRIBES COMPETITIVE
BASIS. I BELIEVE SO. SO I
BELIEVE THAT THE GRANT
GUIDELINES WOULD WOULD LAY OUT
THE DETAILS, BUT THE IDEA WOULD
BE THAT IT WOULD BE, UM, SOME
SOME TYPE OF COMPETITIVE GRANT
PROGRAM ONLY FEDERALLY
RECOGNIZED TRIBES WOULD BE ABLE
TO, UH COMPETE FOR THESE GRANTS
. MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT BOTH
FEDERALLY AND NON FEDERALLY
RECOGNIZED TRIBES WOULD BE
ELIGIBLE. AT LEAST THAT'S BASED
ON THE INFORMATION THAT WAS
PROVIDED WHEN THIS WAS GOING
THROUGH THE PROCESS. UM I THINK
, TO THE EXTENT THAT THE
COMMITTEE WANTS MORE UP TO DATE
DETAILS ON THE ADMINISTRATION'S
PLAN, CERTAINLY THE RESOURCES
AGENCY IS ACTIVELY ENGAGED. IT'S
MY UNDERSTANDING ON COMING UP
WITH THE IMPLEMENTATION, SO THEY
HAVE MORE DETAILS THAN I DO. I'M
SURE BUT MY UNDERSTANDING FROM
THE CONVERSATIONS WE HAD, UM AS
THIS WAS GOING THROUGH THE
BUDGET PROCESS IS THAT IT WAS
INTENDED TO BE AVAILABLE TO BOTH
FEDERALLY RECOGNIZED AND NON
RECOGNIZED TRIBES AND THE
PROGRAM SIMILAR TO THE
CALIFORNIA CONSERVATION COURSE
CERTAINLY SOUNDS. INTERESTING
AND DID YOU SAY THAT IT WOULD
INCLUDE, UM TRIBAL MEMBERS AND
NON TRIBAL MEMBERS AND IN THE
NEW CONFIGURATION, SO THEY'RE
SORT OF TWO PROGRAMS THAT WERE
LUMPED TOGETHER IN THAT FUNDING,
SO IT MAKES IT A LITTLE BIT
CONFUSING. UM TO FIGURE OUT
EXACTLY HOW MUCH MONEY IS GOING
TO WHICH ONE PIECE OF THAT OF
THE OF THAT POT IS TO GO TO
LOCAL CONSERVATION CORPS. SO A
NUMBER OF LOCAL AGENCY YOU KNOW,
THEY'RE A MEMBER OF LOCAL
CONSERVATION COURSE THROUGHOUT
THIS STATE, THERE'S ANOTHER
PIECE THAT WOULD GO TO THIS
TRIBAL THIS NEW TRAVEL, NATURE
BASED SOLUTIONS CORE. MY
UNDERSTANDING IS THAT'S REALLY
FOCUSED ON TRIBES AND HAVING
TRIBAL PARTICIPATION. SO HAVING
MEMBERS OF TRIBES PARTICIPATE IN
THAT NEW CORE. UM I'M NOT SURE
WHETHER IT WILL BE SPECIFICALLY
LIMITED TO TRIBAL MEMBERS OR NOT
, UM, BUT MY UNDERSTANDING AT
LEAST, IS THAT REALLY THE FOCUS
OF THAT PROGRAM IS TO HAVE
REALLY A TRIBALLY, UM TRIBALLY
FOCUSED AND LEAD KIND OF, UM AH
, PROGRAM SORT OF VERY, VERY
SIMILAR TO THE EXISTING
CONSERVATION CORPS PROGRAM. BUT
REALLY, AS I SAID, FOCUSED ON
TRIBES, CERTAINLY AN INTERESTING
IDEA. I WISH MUCH MUCH SUCCESS
TO THE BURGER. ER THANK YOU.
SANDRA MEDINA. UM, JUST WANTED
TO, UM ASK AGAIN ON THE TRAILER
BILL, THE LANGUAGE THAT WAS IN
THERE IN THAT BILL. THERE WAS
SOME LANGUAGE AS FAR AS TALKING
ABOUT CONSULTATION THAT YOU
ALLUDED TO YES, AND THERE'S SO
THERE ARE ALSO THERE'S SORT OF
TWO PIECES OF LAND LANGUAGE.
THERE IS THE TRAILER BILL, WHICH
WAS ULTIMATELY NOT ADOPTED, AND
THAT WAS TO ESTABLISH COUNCIL.
SO IT HAD THE STRUCTURE OF THAT
COUNCIL. IT HAD, FOR EXAMPLE, UM
YOU KNOW HOW MANY HOW MANY
MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL WOULD BE
APPOINTED AND FROM WHICH
GEOGRAPHIC AREAS AND THOSE TYPES
OF THINGS? UM AS WELL AS MORE
DETAILS, SO THAT WAS ULTIMATELY
NOT ADOPTED. BUT WHAT WAS
ADOPTED. IS THIS BUDGET. UM,
BUDGET BILL LANGUAGE SO LANGUAGE
? ACTUALLY, JUST IN THE BUDGET
BILL, IT WAS MUCH SHORTER THAN
THE BUDGET TRAILER LEGISLATION.
IT DIDN'T INCLUDE ESTABLISHING
THE COUNCIL. INSTEAD IT JUST
PROVIDES PROVIDED SOME SORT OF
BROAD GUIDANCE TO THE RESOURCES
AGENCY. TO MEANINGFULLY CONSULT
ON DEVELOPING THOSE GRAPHS,
THOSE DRAFT GUIDELINES AND AS
PART OF THAT TO HOLD PUBLIC
HEARINGS, SO, UM, IT WAS
RELATIVELY SHORT, AS IS TYPICAL
WITH BUDGET BILL LANGUAGE, BUT,
UM, BUT I JUST WANTED TO FLAG
THAT FOR FOLKS TO MAKE SURE
FOLKS REALIZED THAT THAT THAT
PART DID MAKE IT INTO THE
BUDGET. THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR
THAT, AND I KNOW THE NATURAL
RESOURCES. UM, AGENCY, UM WAS
ENGAGED. I MEAN, THAT'S HOW THE
GOVERNOR CAME OUT AND FOR THE
MONEY IN THERE WITH THE PRESS
RELEASE THAT CAME OUT AND I
THINK MARCH OF 2022. SO THIS
ISSUE HAS BEEN THERE, BUT WE
WANT TO ENSURE THAT THE
CONSULTATION IS SOMETHING THAT
THAT IS DOCUMENTED. THAT DID
HAPPEN AND WILL WILL HAPPEN IN
THE FUTURE, AND IT WAS IN THE
TRAILER BILL LANGUAGE THAT WAS,
UM TRYING TO GET THROUGH. BUT
ULTIMATELY, UM NEED SOME MORE
WORK, I GUESS WITH THE INPUT OF
THE TRIBAL COMMUNITY, WHICH IS
ONLY JUST THAT THE INDIAN PEOPLE
OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA HAVE
A VOICE AND FEEL THAT VOICE IS
BEING HEARD DURING THE
CONSULTATION PROCESS. THANK YOU
FOR THAT ANY FURTHER QUESTIONS?
NO THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR YOUR
TESTIMONY. THANK YOU SO MUCH. SO
NOW WE'RE GONNA MOVE TO THE
DIFFERENT PANEL. CHANNEL FOUR
TRIBAL NATURE BASED SOLUTIONS
ADVISORY COUNCIL BUDGET
ESTABLISHMENT OF COUNCIL AND
TRIBAL VOICE, AND, UH, I'M GONNA
BE READING AT THE WITH THE
PERMISSION OF THE CHAIRMAN OF
UTD. HE WENT TO A NATION
CHAIRMAN ROBERTS, UM PROVIDED
SOME WRITTEN TESTIMONY AND HAS
ALLOWED ME TO READ THAT INTO THE
RECORD. DEAR CHAIRMAN RAMOS AND
MEMBERS OF THE SELECT COMMITTEE.
ON BEHALF OF THE FAIRLY
RECOGNIZED YES, HE DID. HE WENT
TO NATION. I WRITE TO THANK THE
COMMITTEE FOR SOLICITING WRITTEN
COMMENTS ON THE VARIOUS TOPICS
THE COMMITTEE PLANS TO ADDRESS
AT THE OCTOBER 27TH 2022
HEARING. SPECIFICALLY WHO
UNDERSTAND THE COMMITTEE INTENDS
TO HEAR TESTIMONY ON THREE
TOPICS. ONE STATE AUDITOR'S
REPORT ON REPATRIATION TO TRIBAL
NATURE RESOURCES COUNCIL AND
THREE NATIVE AMERICAN HERITAGE
COMMISSION POLICIES HE DID. HE
INCLUDES ITS PRELIMINARY
COMMENTS ON HERE. THE PRIME
PRIMAL, PRIMARILY FOCUSED ON THE
PROCESS. WE RESPECTFULLY SUBMIT
THE COMMITTEE SHOULD SEEK AND
SECURE BROAD TRIBAL INPUT ON AN
ESSENTIAL FIRST STEP TO
DEVELOPING A BASELINE
UNDERSTANDING OF HOW CALIFORNIA
IS INDIAN COUNTRY VIEWS THESE
PROPOSALS FUNDAMENTALLY FORMAL
CONSULTATION WITH CALIFORNIA
TRIBES. SHOULD BE ACHIEVED
BEFORE LEGISLATION IS AN
INTRODUCED EARLY OUTREACH,
INFORMAL CONSULTATION AND
EXERCISING ITS SOVEREIGNTY.
YOSHI DID. HE TAKES EVERY
OPPORTUNITY TO CONSULT WITH THE
STATE ON POLICY CHANGES,
PARTICULARLY IN PROTECT AND
PROTECTING NATIVE AMERICAN
CULTURAL RESOURCES. WE HAVE
WORKED COLLABORATIVELY
COLLABORATIVELY WITH GOVERNMENT
OFFICIALS ON MANY FRONTS OVER
THE YEARS, ALTHOUGH RECOGNIZE
SOME TRIBES ARE LIMITED IN THEIR
ABILITY TO ENGAGE AND
LEGISLATIVE EFFORTS, MAINLY WHEN
THAT LEGISLATION AS PART OF A
FAST PACED BILL, PACKAGE LAWS
AND POLICIES IMPACTING ALL
CALIFORNIA TRIBES SHOULD NOT BE
NEGOTIATED SELECTIVELY OR
PROPOSED LEGISLATION WITH INPUT
FROM ONLY A FEW TRIBES. INSTEAD
FULL TRIBAL INPUT IS
APPROPRIATE. THIS IS REQUIRED BY
THE STATE'S COMMITMENT TO ENGAGE
IN THE GOVERNMENT TO GOVERNMENT
CONSULTATION PROCESS. AS SUCH,
WE RECOMMEND THE COMMITTEE
PRESENT THE SPECIFIC PROPOSAL OR
PROPOSALS TO ALL CALIFORNIA
TRIBES DEVELOP AN OUTREACH PLAN
AND INITIATE GOVERNMENT TO
GOVERNMENT. UM CONSULTATION THAT
CAN BE COMPLETED AHEAD OF THE
LEGISLATION BEING FORMALLY
INTRODUCED. ONLY BY DOING SO,
CAN THE COMMITTEE HONOR THE
STATE'S OBLIGATION TO ACHIEVE
TRIBAL CONSULTATION BY GIVING
EVERY CALIFORNIA TRIBE AN
OPPORTUNITY. TO ANALYZE AND
COMMIT COMMENT ON THE SUBSTANCE
OF ANY LEGISLATION THAT AFFECTS
THEM. THE STATE AUDITOR'S REPORT
ON REPATRIATION. THE FAILURE OF
UNIVERSITIES AND INSTITUTIONS TO
REPATRIATE NATIVE AMERICAN
REMAINS AND ARTIFACTS, AS
DESCRIBED IN THE 2020 REVIEW OF
THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA
SYSTEM IS A CRITICAL ISSUE TO
DISCUSS INFORMAL CONSULTATION
WITH THE NATIVE AMERICAN
HERITAGE COMMISSION AND TRIBAL
REPRESENTATIVES THROUGHOUT THE
STATE. WE ARE AWARE OF THE
CONSEQUENTIAL IMPACTS ASSOCIATED
WITH LISTING TRIBES ON THE
NATIVE AMERICAN HERITAGE
COMMISSION CONTEXT LIST, AS WELL
AS THE PROCESS FOR NAMING THE
MOST LIKELY DESCENDANTS, WHICH
WAS PROPOSED IN THE PROPOSED
2022 TRAILER MEASURE. THE
SEPARATE ISSUE OF TRIBAL
RECOGNITION ON THE NATIVE
AMERICAN HERITAGE COMMISSION.
CONTACT AND CONSULTATION LIST IS
EXCEPTIONALLY COMPLEX AND
CONTENTIOUS. THIS POLICY WILL
HAVE TO ADDRESS MORE THAN WHO
CAN CLAIM SACRED RESOURCES AND
ARTIFACTS. CURRENT TERRITORIAL
DISPUTES AND THE CAPACITY OF
TRIBES TO HANDLE REPATRIATION
AND RE BURIALS, NONE OF WHICH
CAN BE ADDRESSED WITHOUT
CONSULTATION WITH ALL CALIFORNIA
TRIBES. AS SUCH, IT DESERVES
ADEQUATE TIME AND CONSULTATION
BEFORE IMPLEMENTING ANY FORMAL
STATE RECOGNITION POLICY. TRIBAL
NATURAL RESOURCES COUNCIL. WHILE
WE SUPPORT THE IDEA OF A
TRIBALLY LED PROCESS TO MAKE
RECOMMENDATIONS ON NATURAL
RESOURCE RELATED ISSUES. THE
TRIBAL NATURAL RESOURCES COUNCIL
, AS DESCRIBED STILL NEEDS TO BE
CONSTITUTED. AT THIS TIME, THERE
IS LIMITED INFORMATION ON THE
COMPOSITION OF THE COUNCIL. THIS
ELECTION OR APPOINTMENT PROCESS
, THE FOCUS OF THE COUNCIL'S
WORK, THE AGENCY THAT THE
COUNCIL WILL BE WORKING WITH AND
HOW RECOMMENDATIONS WILL BE
IMPLEMENTED. WE RECOMMEND THAT
THE FORMATION OF A COUNCIL BE
DELAYED ALLOWING FOR TRIBAL
CONSULTATION ON THE PURPOSE AND
FUNCTION OF THE GROUP. IT MAY BE
THAT THE SUBSTANCE OF THE
PROPOSED MEASURES AND COUNCIL IS
PROTECTIVE AND SATISFACTORY TO
YOSHI D. HEAT STILL WITHOUT
FORMAL CONSULTATION, THERE IS NO
WAY TO PROPERLY WEIGH THE MERITS
AND NEED FOR THIS. NATIVE
AMERICAN HERITAGE COMMISSION
POLICIES. YO SHE DID HE SUPPORTS
FINDING SOLUTIONS TO IMPORTANT
POLICY ISSUES, BUT ONLY AS PART
OF AN INCLUSIVE, OPEN,
TRANSPARENT PROCESS IN WHICH ALL
TRIBES CAN PARTICIPATE. WHILE WE
MAY FAVOR STREAMLINING THE
FORMAL STATE RULEMAKING PROCESS
TO HAVE ENFORCEABLE POLICIES IN
PLACE. THE PROCESS NEEDS TO BE
CLEARLY DESCRIBED IN A WAY THAT
FOCUSES ON PROVIDING TRIBES
MEANINGFUL NOTICE AND AN
OPPORTUNITY TO COMMENT. WE
APPRECIATE THE INTENT OF THE
UPCOMING MEETING, WHICH WE SEE
AS THE BEGINNING OF THIS VITAL
EFFORT, SETTING THE STAGE FOR
PRELIMINARY SUBSTANTIVE
DISCUSSIONS, WHICH TRIBES
THROUGH CONSULTATION
FUNDAMENTALLY FORMAL
CONSULTATION WITH CALIFORNIA
TRIBES SHOULD BE ACHIEVED BEFORE
LEGISLATION IS INTRODUCED, AND
WE LOOK FORWARD TO CONSULTING
WITH YOU ON THESE CRITICAL
MATTERS. THANK YOU FOR YOUR GOOD
WORKS ON BEHALF OF TRIBAL
COMMUNITIES BELIEVABLE. CHAIRMAN
ANTHONY ROBERTS. AND I'M GONNA
TAKE A DRINK OF THIS WATER AFTER
READING. THAT.
WITH THE LETTER ALSO CONTRIBUTES
TO THE ONGOING INFORMATIONAL
OUTREACH AND CONSULTATION. AND I
DO WANNA POINT OUT AGAIN THAT IN
THAT TRAILER BILL LANGUAGE THAT
WAS THE ELIO PRESENTED ON TALKED
ABOUT SOME TYPE OF CONSULTATION
MOVING FORWARD. UM, WE WANT. TO
NOW MOVE AND THANK YOU TO
CHAIRMAN ROBERTS FOR PROVIDING
THAT WRITTEN TESTIMONY AND
ENLIGHTENMENT ON A PROCESS THAT
, UM CONTINUES TO PAVE THE WAY
FOR CALIFORNIA INDIAN PEOPLE.
OUR NEXT PRESENTER IS CHAIRMAN
OF HOOPER VALLEY TRIBE, MR JOE
DAVIS.
MORNING ASSEMBLYMEMBER'S ONE. I
REALLY THANK YOU
ASSEMBLYMEMBER'S RAMOS FOR
INVITING ME HERE TODAY, UM I
DIDN'T WANT TO EXPRESS MY
SUPPORT FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF
THIS COUNCIL. UM YOU KNOW, I
THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT TRIBES
BE ABLE TO WORK TOGETHER TO JOIN
FORCES AND ALSO, UH, JUST HAVE A
VOICE IN HOW THESE TYPES OF
PROGRAMS OR ADMINISTERED. UM I'M
REALLY I'M REALLY THANKFUL FOR,
UM WHAT? WHAT THE STATE
LEGISLATOR DID TO CREATE THESE
PROGRAMS THAT TRIBAL NATURE
BASED SOLUTIONS PROGRAM. UM IT'S
GONNA GO A LONG WAYS TO HELP
TRIBES. I THINK IT'S A GOOD
START. YOU KNOW, OBVIOUSLY THIS
$100 MILLION IT WON'T MEET THE
FULL NEED, BUT BUT IT'S A GOOD
START AND I JUST WANT TO TALK
ABOUT, UM, THE IMPORTANCE OF
THIS TO OUR TRIBE. RIGHT NOW.
FOR EXAMPLE, WE'RE LOOKING TO RE
ACQUIRE 10,000 ACRES OF OUR
ABORIGINAL TERRITORY. CURRENTLY
HELD BY A PRIVATE COMPANY. I
BELIEVE FROM AUSTRALIA. AND UM,
RIGHT NOW THE HOOPA VALLEY TRIBE
IN THE FAR NORTHERN PART OF
CALIFORNIA. AS YOU KNOW, UM,
WE'RE ACTUALLY THE LARGEST
RESERVATION IN CALIFORNIA.
HOWEVER WE ONLY OCCUPY ABOUT A
THIRD OF OUR ABORIGINAL
TERRITORY, AND, UM, TO BE ABLE
TO RE ACQUIRE THESE TYPES OF
LANDS IS IT REALLY GETS TO THE
OVERALL HEALTH OF OUR PEOPLE AND
IN THE LONG TERM YOU KNOW, WELL
BEING OF OUR PEOPLE FOR FUTURE
GENERATIONS BEING ABLE TO GET
OUT AND MANAGE THESE TYPES OF
LANDS WHERE OUR SACRED SALMON
RUNS ARE YOU KNOW THE HEADWATERS
TO THOSE TO THOSE SALMON BEARING
STREAMS ARE LOCATED, UM YOU KNOW
, THERE'S SIGNIFICANT GATHERING
GROUNDS FOR ONE OF OUR MAIN FOOD
STAPLES, WHICH IS ACORNS. UM
WE'VE ALREADY BEEN OUT
PARTNERING WITH CAL FIRE, FOR
EXAMPLE, TO RE MEDIATE, UM
PREVENT THE EFFECTS OF SUDDEN
OAK DEATH. UM AND SO BEING ABLE
TO CONTINUE THAT WORK AND
PREVENT OUR SACRED OAK FORESTS
FROM BEING DAMAGED BY THIS TYPE
OF DISEASE IS EXTREMELY
IMPORTANT. AND UH, JUST BEING
ABLE TO GO OUT AND GATHER THE
HERBS AND ALL THE DIFFERENT
MEDICINES HISTORICALLY THAT OUR
PEOPLE HAVE GATHERED IN THESE
AREAS. IT'S GONNA IT'S GONNA NOT
ONLY IMPACT OUR PHYSICAL HEALTH
, BUT ALSO OUR OUR MENTAL,
SPIRITUAL. UH, WELL BEING, UM,
THERE'S A LOT. THERE'S A LOT TO
BE SAID FOR THAT FOR US, YOU
KNOW, EVER SINCE CONTACT AND
JUST THE INABILITY TO ACCESS ALL
OF OUR TRADITIONAL GATHERING
HUNTING FISHING GROUNDS, UM IT'S
REALLY AFFECTED OUR PEOPLE'S
HEALTH AND IN MANY DIFFERENT
WAYS, AND IT'S LED TO, UM YOU
KNOW, ADDICTION, POVERTY, THOSE
SORTS OF THINGS. SO HAVING A
PROGRAM THAT HELPS ADDRESS UH,
THOSE THOSE VARIOUS AREAS IS
EXTREMELY IMPORTANT TO US, AND
WE THINK THAT BY HAVING THIS
COUNCIL BEING ABLE TO WORK WITH
OTHER TRIBES, UM IT'LL GIVE MORE
OF A VOICE TO MAKE SURE THAT
THESE TYPES OF PROGRAMS ARE
CONTINUED THAT THEY'RE
ADMINISTERED WELL. THAT WE'RE
ABLE TO ADDRESS BARRIERS THAT
HAPPEN WHENEVER THERE ARE
OPPORTUNITIES OF FUNDING
OPPORTUNITIES, EITHER THROUGH
FEDERAL OR STATE. UM WE RECENTLY
HAD WRITTEN A LETTER OF SUPPORT
FOR THE YUROK LANDS BILL ARE OUR
NEIGHBORS AND THEY'RE LOOKING TO
RE ACQUIRE SOMETHING. SOMETHING
OF THE NATURE ABOUT 60,000 ACRES
OF THEIR ABORIGINAL TERRITORY TO
ADD IT, ADD IT TO THE
RESERVATION. THROUGH THE FEDERAL
GOVERNMENT. UM SO I THINK IF WE
CAN COME TOGETHER AT THE STATE
LEVEL AND ALSO SUPPORT THOSE
TYPES OF EFFORTS AS WELL, WE
THINK THAT WILL BE A REALLY
POSITIVE OPPORTUNITY BECAUSE
WE'RE CURRENTLY WORKING WITH
CONGRESSMAN HUFFMAN ON A LAND
BILL OF OUR OWN. YESTERDAY WE
JUST MET WITH THE CROUP TRIBE,
ANOTHER ONE OF OUR NEIGHBORING
TRIBES. AND THERE MAY BE SOME
OVERLAP. YOU KNOW, THAT'S ALWAYS
THE THING IS THAT AMONGST OUR
NEIGHBORING TRIBES WE HAVE WE
HAVE OVERLAP IN THE TERRITORIES
AS TO WHO YOU KNOW. OWNS WHAT
AREA? UM YOU KNOW, AND IT'S
OBVIOUSLY YOU KNOW, I DON'T
THINK OUR PEOPLE REALLY LOOKED
AT IT AS AS YOU KNOW, TRUE, YOU
KNOW THAT TYPE OF OWNERSHIP THAT
PEOPLE LOOK AT TODAY.
HISTORICALLY, SO THE TRIBES WORK
TOGETHER. AND THAT'S WHAT WE'RE
TRYING TO GET BACK TO. SO I
THINK BY DEVELOPING THIS KIND OF
COUNSEL, WE CAN SUPPORT NOT ONLY
THE STATE INITIATIVES BUT ALSO
FEDERAL INITIATIVES TO HELP
TRIBES REGAIN THEIR LANDS BACK,
UM, TO PROMOTE THE OVERALL
HEALTH OF NATIVE PEOPLE, AND WE
KNOW, AND WE BELIEVE THAT, UM
HEALTHY ENVIRONMENT, WHETHER
THAT BE CLEAN, WATER, HEALTHY,
HEALTHY WATER SHEDS FOR OUR FOR
OUR SALMON. UM GOOD, REALLY
GREAT. UH YOU KNOW, GATHERING
GROUNDS. IT'S GONNA LEAD TO
BETTER HEALTH OUTCOMES FOR OUR
PEOPLE IN GENERAL. SO SO THAT'S
REALLY WHAT WE'RE AFTER. UM I
ALSO WANTED TO SPEAK A LITTLE
BIT ON THE LOCAL AND TRIBAL
NIECE, NATION BASED SOLUTIONS
CORPSE PROGRAM. SEE, SEE, SEE,
THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE ALSO
REALLY SUPPORT. WE PREVIOUSLY
HAD A TRIBAL C. C. C IN HUPA FOR
A NUMBER OF YEARS, PROBABLY A
GOOD 15 YEARS. THAT PROGRAM WAS
VERY SUCCESSFUL IN THE HOOPA
RESERVATION. UNFORTUNATELY UM,
THE FEDERAL FUNDING THAT
SUPPORTED THAT WENT AWAY ABOUT
FIVE YEARS AGO, AND WE THINK
THAT THIS IS ALSO SOMETHING
THAT'S GOING TO BE EXTREMELY
BENEFICIAL TO OUR PEOPLE.
PREVIOUSLY, WHEN WE HAD THE
PROGRAM MANY OF THE FOLKS THAT
THAT STARTED INTO THAT PROGRAM,
UM WERE PREVIOUSLY PEOPLE WHO
MAY HAVE BEEN HIGH SCHOOL
DROPOUTS. THEY MAY HAVE BEEN AT
RISK THEY HAD YOU KNOW,
SUBSTANCE ABUSE ISSUES IN SOME
CASES, AND OVER TIME YOU START
TO SEE THESE PEOPLE DEVELOP A
SENSE OF SELF WORTH, AND THEY
GAINED TRAINING. PRETTY SOON.
THEY'RE WORKING IN OUR FIRE
DEPARTMENT. THEY'RE WORKING IN
OUR FORESTRY DEPARTMENT AND
WE'VE SEEN A LOT OF GREAT
OUTCOMES IN THAT PROGRAM. AND
IT'S NOT ONLY THAT, BUT BUT THE
WORK THEY DO OUT IN THE
COMMUNITY, YOU KNOW, CLEARING
BRUSH FOR ELDERS BUILDING
HANDICAPPED RAMPS FOR ELDERS,
UM, GETTING OUT INTO THE
WATERSHEDS AND CREATING
HEALTHIER WATERSHEDS FOR FISH
RUNS, UH, A LOT OF GREAT WORK,
AND SO YOU KNOW, WE THINK THAT
THE TRIBES JUST HAVE SUCH A
GREAT TRACK RECORD OF MANAGING
LANDS. UH, YOU KNOW, PROTECTING
LANDSCAPES, BUILDING HEALTHY
ENVIRONMENTS, AND IT LEADS TO
BETTER HEALTH FOR THE PEOPLE, SO
WE REALLY SUPPORT IT. UM WE
APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY THAT
TO HAVE A SAY IN HOW THESE
PROGRAMS ARE ADMINISTERED, AND
WE WOULD JUST LIKE TO CONTINUE
ON THAT PATH AND WORKING WITH
YOU AND THE STATE ASSEMBLY AND
LEGISLATOR STATEWIDE, UM, THAT
WILL ULTIMATELY LEAD TO BETTER
HEALTH FOR NATIVE PEOPLE. THAT'S
THAT'S REALLY THE GIST OF IT.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR YOUR
TESTIMONY. UM CHAIRMAN AH, DAVIS
AND YOU BRING UP ANOTHER
COMPONENT OF WHAT WAS WHAT IS
BEING PRESENTED, AND THAT'S THE
TRIBAL PRACTICES. UM IN MOVING
FORWARD WITH THE 30 30 CLIMATE,
UM INITIATIVE. IT WAS IDENTIFIED
THAT TRIBAL PRACTICES IS
SOMETHING THAT SHOULD BE LOOKED
AT, OR EVEN ADHERED TO. BECAUSE
OF THE MANAGEMENT THAT TRIBAL
PEOPLE HAVE HAD ON THE LAND HERE
IN THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA AND
BY TALKING ABOUT THOSE
INDIVIDUALS THAT MIGHT HAVE WENT
THROUGH A TOUGH PATCH OR A TOUGH
ROAD NOW GETTING BACK TO
BUILDING RAMPS AND CLEARING
BRUSH AND GETTING THEIR LIVES TO
WHERE WE KNOW OUR PEOPLE. UM ARE
CAPABLE OF GETTING TO, UM AND
THE RESILIENCY OF OUR PEOPLE.
BUT THAT'S A BIG COMPONENT.
ANOTHER BIG COMPONENT THAT MIGHT
BE OVER. SHADOWED BY THE TRIBAL
COUNT ARE THE COUNCIL THAT'S
BEEN DISCUSSED AND HOW THE
DIFFERENT BUYBACK OF THE
DIFFERENT LANDS WOULD BE DONE.
BUT LET'S NOT LOOK PAST THE
OTHER PART OF THAT PICTURE, AND
THAT'S THE BEST PRACTICES. OF
THE ORIGINAL CARETAKERS OF THE
STATE OF CALIFORNIA, AND THAT'S
OUR CALIFORNIA INDIAN PEOPLE. SO
THANK YOU FOR BRINGING THAT, UM
TO THE FOREFRONT, BUT ALSO THANK
YOU FOR BRINGING FORWARD THAT
THERE IS POSITIVE THINGS
HAPPENING IN INDIAN COUNTRY, THE
WORKABILITY WITH LOCAL TRIBES IN
THE AREA TO MOVE FORWARD ON
SUPPORTING ONE ANOTHER TO GET
LAND BASED BACK INTO ANCESTRAL
TERRITORY, UM, WORKING TOGETHER
ON ISSUES THAT DRASTICALLY
AFFECT ALL THE STATE OF
CALIFORNIA. SO I WANT TO THANK
YOU FOR THAT TESTIMONY AND YOUR
SUPPORT FOR THE CREATION OF THIS
COUNCIL, BUT ALSO BRINGING TO
LIGHT THE MUCH NEEDED
PERSPECTIVE OF CALIFORNIA'S
FIRST PEOPLE AND A LOT OF THE
POLICIES THAT ARE DEVELOPED HERE
IN THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA AND
SPECIFICALLY TO THE CLIMATE AND
THE 30 30 THAT CONTINUES TO MOVE
FORWARD, SO IT SHOULD HAVE OUR
VOICES, UH, ENGAGED INTO IT. SO
THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MR
CHAIRMAN FOR YOUR TESTIMONY.
THANK YOU, SIR. SO NEXT, UM. WE
WOULD LIKE TO HAVE, UM, CHAIRMAN
MARTIN, I BELIEVE ALSO IS GOING
TO HAVE A TESTIMONY VIRTUALLY OR
ON THE PHONE. FROM ARANGO TRIBAL
COUNCIL. ARE THEY ON THE PHONE
OR VIRTUALLY CONNECTED?
VIRTUALLY HEY, THERE WE GO.
HOPEFULLY YOU CAN HEAR ME. YES.
AND, UH, PRESENT. YOUR NAME AND
TITLE AND YOU'RE READING ON
BEHALF OF THE CHAIRMAN. CORRECT.
GOOD MORNING. MY NAME IS
BERNADETTE AND BRIAR T. AND I AM
THE TRIBAL HISTORIC PRESERVATION
OFFICER AT THE MERINGUE
ABANDONED MISSION INDIANS IN
CABAZON, CALIFORNIA. MARENGO
TRIBAL CHAIRMAN CHARLES MARTIN
SENDS HIS REGRETS, AS
UNFORTUNATELY HE WAS NOT ABLE TO
PARTICIPATE IN TODAY'S
PROCEEDINGS. HOWEVER HE DID ASK
THAT I PROVIDE THE FOLLOWING
TESTIMONY ON HIS BEHALF. TO
BEGIN CHAIRMAN MARTIN AND MORAGO
WOULD LIKE TO THANK THE
COMMITTEE FOR ITS TIME TODAY AND
TO ALSO THANK ASSEMBLYMEMBER'S
RAMOS FOR HIS DEDICATION AND
LEADERSHIP AS CHAIRMAN OF THIS
IMPORTANT GROUP. WE APPRECIATE
THE OPPORTUNITY TO SHARE
MARANGOS THOUGHTS ON THE
NECESSARY AND RELEVANT ITEMS
BEING DISCUSSED IN RELATION TO
THE COMMITTEE'S TRAVEL NATURE
BASED SOLUTIONS ADVISORY
COUNCIL. THERE ARE THREE ISSUES
WE'D LIKE TO ADDRESS FIRST
EQUITABLE REPRESENTATION FROM
TRIBES ACROSS THE STATE IN THE
COMPOSITION OF THE ADVISORY
COUNCIL. SECOND THE
QUALIFICATIONS AND THE
EXPERIENCE OF THE TRIBAL
ADVISORY COUNCIL MEMBERS. THIRD
AND, LASTLY, COORDINATION AND
LOGISTICS FOR THE ADVISORY
COUNCIL TO OPERATE EFFICIENTLY.
FIRST ON THE COUNCIL'S
COMPOSITION. ON THE MAKEUP OF
THE TRIBAL ADVISOR COUNCIL.
MORAGO RECOMMENDS THE COUNCIL BE
COMPOSED OF 12 MEMBERS APPOINTED
BY THE SECRETARY OF NATURAL
RESOURCES. EACH MEMBER SHOULD
REPRESENT ONE OF THE THREE
GEOGRAPHIC REGIONS IN THE STATE
, NORTHERN CENTRAL AND SOUTHERN
CALIFORNIA IN WHICH THEIR TRIBE
IS LOCATED. THE COUNCIL SHOULD
BE COMPOSED OF TRIBAL LEADERSHIP
AND LEAD AGENCIES FROM MAJOR
REGIONS ACROSS THE STATE. THREE
TRIBAL LEADERS FROM NORTHERN
REGION, THREE FROM THE CENTRAL
REGION AND THREE FROM THE
SOUTHERN REGION. AND THREE
MEMBERS FROM LEAD AGENCIES FROM
ACROSS THE STATE. EACH POSITION
SHOULD ALSO INCLUDE AN ALTERNATE
WHO POSSESSES THE DELEGATED
AUTHORITY FROM EACH TRIBAL
LEADER ON THE COUNCIL, THE
SECRETARY OF NATURAL RESOURCES
WILL BE WILL SERVE AS 1/13
MEMBER AND THE CHAIR OF THE
COUNCIL. THE COUNCIL MAY ALSO
NEED TO ELECTED VICE CHAIR OR A
COUNCIL SECRETARY TO RECORD THE
COUNCIL MEETING MINUTES AND
PRESERVE MEETING DOCUMENTS.
SECOND ON THE QUALIFICATIONS AND
EXPERIENCE OF THE TRIBAL
ADVISORY CONSOLE TO ENSURE THE
COUNCIL'S GOALS ARE ALIGNED
ACCURATELY REFLECT THE WORK OF
THE TRIBES ACROSS THE STATE.
CONGO RECOMMENDS THAT THE
MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL HAVING AN
UNDERSTANDING AND EXPERIENCE IN
AREAS CRITICAL TO TRIBAL HISTORY
AND OPERATIONS. THESE AREAS
INCLUDE KNOWLEDGE OF SACRED
SITES AND SACRED PLACES,
REPATRIATION, TRADITIONAL
GATHERING AREAS AND SUBSISTENCE
PLANNED AREAS. BIODIVERSITY.
CONSERVATION AND PROTECTION OF
CULTURAL AND NATURAL RESOURCES.
IN ADDITION, THE TRIBES TO BE
ESSENTIAL PARTNERS FOR CRITICAL
ISSUES IN THE STATE MEMBERS OF
THE ADVISORY COUNCIL MUST BE
ABLE TO PROVIDE TRAVEL
PERSPECTIVES TO PROMOTE
PRESERVATION AND CONSERVATION OF
CULTURAL AND NATURAL RESOURCES.
THROUGH MEANS OF EDUCATION,
ADVISING AND INFORMATION
PERTAINING TO THE PURPOSE AND
THE ATTEMPT OF THE TRIBAL NATURE
BASED SOLUTIONS ADVISORY COUNCIL
OBJECTIVE SCHOOLS. THIRD AND
LASTLY, WE WOULD LIKE TO ADDRESS
COORDINATION AND LOGISTICS TO
ENSURE THAT THE VIRUS HONORARY
COUNCIL OPERATES EFFICIENTLY.
LOGISTICAL GUIDELINES MUST BE
ESTABLISHED FOR THE GROUP.
TRAVEL ADVISORY COUNCIL
CANDIDATES MUST PROVIDE AN
APPLICATION WITH THE RESUME AND
OR A CV TO BE CONSIDERED AND
APPOINTED BY THE SECRETARY OF
THE NATURAL RESOURCES FOR A
POSITION ON THE COUNCIL. AND
FINALLY FOR THE COUNCIL TO
MAINTAIN A QUORUM. MEMBERS OF
THE TRAVEL ADVISORY COUNCIL MUST
BE WILLING TO ACTIVELY
PARTICIPATE AND ATTEND ALL
MEETINGS FOR THE COUNCIL TO
ENHANCE ITS CRITICAL WORK. IN
CONCLUSION. THE MERINGUE
O'BANNON MISSION INDIANS WISHES
TO THANK ASSEMBLYMEMBER'S RAMOS
AND HAD THIS COMMUNITY FOR
ALLOWING US TO PRESENT OUR
CONSIDERATIONS FOR THE CRITICAL
WORK OF THE TRIBAL NATURE BASED
SOLUTIONS ADVISORY COUNCIL. AND
I AM HAPPY TO TAKE YOUR
QUESTIONS BACK TO CHAIRMAN
MARTIN. BUT THANK YOU. THANK YOU
FOR THAT TESTIMONY, MR BROWN 40
AND THANK YOU TO THE TRIBAL
COUNCIL TRAVEL GOVERNMENT FOR
OFFERING, UM, IDEAS AND
POTENTIAL SOLUTIONS TO SOME OF
THESE ISSUES THAT WE'VE BEEN
GETTING INFORMATION ON DURING
THIS HEARING. I WANT TO THANK
THE MERINGUE GO TRIBAL COUNCIL
FOR CONTINUING TO WORK TOGETHER.
UM ON ISSUES IMPORTANT TO
CALIFORNIA'S FIRST PEOPLE, AND
ALSO WANT TO ENSURE THAT WE GET
THE WRITTEN TESTIMONY. UM
PROVIDED TO OUR OFFICE SO THAT
WE COULD LOOK AT SOME OF THESE
IDEAS THAT HAVE BEEN PRESENTED.
UM FOR TOO LONG. WE'VE LOOKED AT
AREAS THAT MY HAVE DISSENSION.
BUT I THINK NOW WE HAVE TO START
LOOKING AT AREAS THAT BRING US
TOGETHER SO THAT WE COULD
CONTINUE TO WORK TOGETHER FOR
THE BETTERMENT OF OUR ANCESTORS
TO GET OUR ANCESTORS AND REMAINS
BACK INTO THE GROUND HERE IN THE
STATE OF CALIFORNIA. THANK YOU.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR TESTIMONY.
THANK YOU. NOW I WOULD LIKE TO
INTRODUCE THE YUROK TRIBAL
CHAIRMAN JO JAMES. HE HAS SERVED
AS CHAIRMAN SINCE NOVEMBER. 2018
HE HAS BEEN ENGAGED ADVOCATE FOR
PRESERVATION, RESTORATION AND
PROTECTION OF NATIVE LANDS,
INCLUDING TESTIFYING IN
WASHINGTON, D C LAST MONTH AND
SUPPORT OF THE URUK LANDS ACT.
HE IS ALSO A STRONG ADVOCATE AND
PARTNER AND CONFRONTING THE
ISSUE OF MISSING AND MURDERED
INDIGENOUS PEOPLE AND OTHER
CONCERNS IN INDIAN COUNTRY. WE
APPRECIATE HIS TIME AND
TRAVELING HERE FROM HUMBOLDT
COUNTY. AND HIS TESTIMONY IS
VERY MUCH WELCOME HERE IN THIS
COMMITTEE, MR CHAIRMAN. GOOD
MORNING, CHAIRMAN RAMOS AND IN
THE COMMITTEE AGAIN, THANK YOU
FOR THE INVITE. IT'S ALWAYS A
PLEASURE AND AN HONOR TO COME
DOWN HERE AND SPEAK ON BEHALF OF
OUR TRIBE. AS YOU MENTIONED MY
NAME IS JOE JAMES AND CHAIRMAN
OF THE EUROPE TRIBE WERE LOOKING
UP THERE. NORTH ON A CLIMATE
RIVER ALSO COME FROM THE VILLAGE
OF SRI GONE. AH AGAIN. I'M GOING
TO TALK ABOUT AS THE, UH, THAT
THE NATURE BASED SOLUTIONS. UH,
PROJECT AND FUNDING. FIRST OF
ALL, WE ARE A NATURAL RESOURCE
TRIBE AS A MY BROTHER HERE FROM
HOOPER VALLEY TRAVEL CHAIRMAN
STIR JOE DAVIS MENTIONED. WE
SHARE A LOT IN COMMON UP THERE
UP THERE IN NORTHERN CALIFORNIA
OR DANCE. PEOPLE WERE PRAYER
PEOPLE OR TRADITIONAL PEOPLE. UH
YOU KNOW, WE PRAY EVERY DAY FOR
THE CREATOR. AND I'M GOING TO
GET INTO WHAT WE'RE HEARING
ABOUT TALKING ABOUT HERE TODAY.
UM IMPORTANCE OF THE RIVER, THE
ENVIRONMENT. UM EVERYTHING THAT
MOTHER EARTH PROVIDES US THE
LANDSCAPE. WE DO, UH,
PRESERVATION CONSERVATION AS
ASSASSINATION NATURAL RESOURCE
TRIBE. WE LIVE OFF THE RIVER AND
THE LAND AND VERY THANKFUL THAT
IT GIVES US AND PROVIDES US OUR
PEOPLE THEIR ALONG OUR HOMELAND.
YOU KNOW, I AM HERE TODAY, UH,
TO SPEAK ON BEHALF OF THE
TROUBLE NEEDS BASED SOLUTIONS.
WE STRONGLY SUPPORTED I SAID TO
SUPPORT LETTER, UH, FOR THE 100
MILLION. I'M ALSO 100. MILLIONS
OF GOOD START, UM, LOOKING
FORWARD FOR, UH, CHAIRMAN OF THE
COMMITTEE. UH THE SUPPORT THAT
AND ALSO, I WOULD LIKE TO
REQUEST THAT MOVED UP TO 200
YEAR A YEAR 200 MILLION AGAIN.
WHEN WE TALK ABOUT CALIFORNIA.
WHEN THE GOVERNOR FIRST CAME IN,
YOU KNOW HE'S OPENING TO TRAVEL
LEADERS. WE TALKED ABOUT THE
HISTORY OF CALIFORNIA. WE'RE
TALKING ABOUT CO MANAGEMENT.
WE'RE TALKING ABOUT GETTING LAND
BACK. ABSOLUTELY. ABSOLUTELY
THIS DOES HERE OPENS THE DOOR OR
BUILDS ON THE EXISTING
PARTNERSHIPS AND RELATIONSHIPS
THAT TRIBES HAVE FOUGHT FOR SO
LONG TO GET TO THIS POINT,
INSTEAD OF CALIFORNIA. THAT'S
WHAT'S IN FRONT OF US. IT'S NOT
JUST THE MONEY. IT'S NOT JUST
WHAT WE'RE DOING AGAIN. WE HAVE
AN OPPORTUNITY AGAIN TO DO THE
GREAT WORK WE'RE DOING REGARDING
THE COMBAT OF CLIMATE CHANGE THE
LARGE THEOLOGICAL KNOWLEDGE THAT
WE'RE DOING ALREADY SINCE THE
BEGINNING SINCE TIME YOU KNOW,
AND SO THAT'S WHY I GET SO
EXCITED AND PASSIONATE ABOUT
THIS AND ADJUSTED TO WORK AGAIN.
THAT'S WHY THROUGHOUT THE 200
THEIR 100 MILLION THEIR
CHAIRMAN, SO NOW YOU'VE GOT TO.
YOU'VE GOT AN ASK FOR A REQUEST
FOR MAX OFF THERE, AND SO AGAIN,
IT'S A LITTLE BIT, UH, AS I
MENTIONED, OR, UH, WE'VE BEEN
DOING A STEWARDSHIP AND
CONSERVATION WORK FOR QUITE SOME
TIME. THE YUROK TRIBE IS LOCATED
ON THE LOWER CLIMATE RIVER.
WE'RE FISHING TRUCK. AGAIN
EVERYTHING WE DO AS A LIVING IN
BALANCE, YOU KNOW, TO CREATE
THAT CYCLE TO COME BACK IN A
GOOD WAY. FURTHER PROTECTIONS OF
OUR MEMBERS, OUR COMMUNITY AT
RIVER AND ENVIRONMENT. YOU KNOW,
WE HAVE A NUMBER OF VILLAGES
ALONG THE CLIMATE DRIVEN ALONG
THE COASTLINE AND AGAIN WE LOOK
AT THIS AS AN OPPORTUNITY OF THE
GREAT WORK THAT WE HAVE BEEN
DOING INDIGENOUS PEOPLES. FIRST
PEOPLE. SINCE THE BEGINNING OF
TIME. UH THAT'S WHAT WE SEE IN
FRONT OF US HERE. IS THIS
OPPORTUNITY HERE AND WE'RE GONNA
STILL CONTINUE THAT GREAT GREAT
WORK, WHETHER IT'S WITH THE HELP
OF THE STATE OF THE FEDERAL
GOVERNMENT. WE'RE STILL GONNA DO
WHAT WE DO AS FIRST PEOPLES, UM
YOU KNOW, WE'VE BEEN, UH DOING
WATERSHED RESTORATION AND
FISHERY ISSUES FOR A NUMBER OF
YEARS. THE LAST 20 PLUS YEARS ON
THE KLAMATH RIVER, THE TRINITY
RIVER TO IMPROVE, UH, WETLANDS,
UH, RIVER RESTORATION TO HELP
OUR STAND AND COME BACK AND
SPAWN. UM UH YOU KNOW, WE HAD WE
HAD A HUGE FISH GO IN 4000 TO,
UM YOU KNOW THAT HURT OUR PEOPLE
AS AS FISHING PEOPLE RELY ON
FISH. THAT'S OUR THAT'S OUR
CITIZENS. THAT'S OUR DIET.
THAT'S OUR LIVELIHOOD THAT'S
BEEN TAUGHT DOWN BY OUR ELDERS,
AND THEN WE CONTINUE TO PRACTICE
AND LIVE IT AND WALK IT. AND SO
AGAIN, WE'RE FISHING TRIBE. I
ALSO WANT TO TALK ABOUT THE
GREAT WORK THAT WE ALL HAVE BEEN
DOING UP THERE AND EXCITED DAM
REMOVAL. THE CLIMATE, DAM
REMOVAL OR DAMS ARE COMING DOWN
THE LARGEST DAM REMOVAL IN THE
UNITED STATES. DRIVEN BY YOUR
ROCK AND TRIBES UP THERE.
PARTNERS OF THE STATE FEDERAL
GOVERNMENT, UM FISHERMEN ALLIES
AGAIN THAT'S GOING TO PAVE THE
WAY FOR RIVER RESTORATION. WE'RE
TALKING ABOUT CLIMATE CHANGE
CONSERVATION. BEING ABLE. TO
WALK THE BANKS OF A RIVER TO
PICK ROUTES FOR OUR BASKET
MATERIAL AND AGAIN AND ALSO TO
LOOK AT HOW CAN WE PARTNER OR
HOW CAN WE DIRECTLY PURCHASED
LAND WITH THIS OPPORTUNITY
THAT'S IN FRONT OF US HERE? UM
LAND ACQUISITIONS. WE HAVE
CHURCHES THE NUMBER OF LAND AS A
CHAIRMAN DAN DAVIS MENTIONED
EARLIER. WE'VE BEEN WORKING ON
THE LANDS BILL TO EXTEND OUR
RESERVATION. WITH LAND THEY
ALREADY OWNED FEE ALREADY AND
AGAIN. WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD FOR
THE KILLING OF THAT THAT JOURNEY
IN THAT AND IN THAT STRUGGLE
WITH THAT FIGHT FOR OUR LAND.
WE'VE BEEN WORKING WITH A LOT OF
CARBON. WE'RE USING THE CARBON.
UH USING THAT BACK HOME AGAIN TO
USE OUR TRADITIONAL LAWS. HOW
HOW WE DO OUR WORK REGARDING
FORCE PRACTICE. BEST MANAGEMENT,
UM FIRE PREVENTION, UM. YOU
KNOW, FIRE PREVENTION FIRE IS
ALSO A TOOL THAT WE USE BACK AT
HOME. YOU KNOW, WE BURN TO GO
PICK OUR BASKET MATERIALS. WE
HARVEST IT, WE BURN IT. AND SO
WE USED FIRE. JUST NOT AS UH, AS
DANGER, BUT HE ALSO USED AS A
TOOL AND AGAIN, THAT'S ALL PART
OF THE THIS WORK THAT WE'RE
TALKING ABOUT. BUT ALSO WE'RE
DOING IS A REALLY EXCITING.
HAPPY CONDOR REINTRODUCTION OVER
100 YEARS NOW WE HAVE CONDORS
BACK UP THERE IN, UH, EUROPE
COUNTRY AND WORKING WITH THE RED
NATIONAL PARK, U. S FISH AND
WILDLIFE, THE STATE PARKS.
TRIBES LOCAL COLLEGES UP THERE
AGAIN AS A SO THAT REALLY
EXCITED ABOUT THAT WORK AND WHAT
WE'RE TALKING ABOUT CO
MANAGEMENT, TOO. WE JUST SIGNED
A CO MANAGEMENT AGREEMENT. UH
WITH THE STATE PARK WITH THE
VILLAGE OF SU MAKE UP THERE IN
THEIR ANCESTRAL TERRITORY ALONG
THE COASTLINE THERE. UM YOU
KNOW, IT WAS PRACTICE POINT, AND
WE'RE READY TO CHANGE THAT NAME.
THANK THE, UH, THE GOVERNOR
YOURSELF IN THE ADMINISTRATION
FOR THAT WORK. AND SO WE'VE BEEN
DOING THAT WE SIGNED AN MOU WITH
THEM OR FOR THE MANAGEMENT IN
THE PARTNERSHIP COOPERATION OF
ASSUMING PARK. AND SO THAT'S
THAT'S THE WORK THAT WE HAVE
BEEN DOING AS AS A CONSERVATION
AND NATURAL RESOURCE. SINCE WE
WERE THERE SINCE THE BEGINNING
OF TIME. AND AGAIN, THERE'S A WE
HAVE A GREAT OPPORTUNITY IN
FRONT OF US HERE. AH THE PUSH
THIS OF THE OF THE 100,000,070
MILLION THIS YEAR. I THINK IT'S
30 THERE, UM AND AGAIN. IT
IMPACTS US IN A GREAT WAY, AS AS
AS FIRST PEOPLES INDIGENOUS
PEOPLES OF THE WORK THAT WE DO
AND AGAIN, WE STRONGLY SUPPORTED
. I BELIEVE IN CONSULTATION.
YES, DO THE CONSULTATION. BUT
THINGS ARE HAPPENING NOW. IN
REAL TIME WE MOVE IN REAL TIME
ON THE TRIBAL LEVEL, THE STATE
LEVEL FEDERAL LEVEL ALL THE TIME
. I'M GONNA SPEAKING FOR MY
TRIBE. IT'S ABOUT NATURAL
RESOURCE CONSERVATION, A THREAT.
WHETHER IT'S FIRE CLIMATE
CHANGE. WE ARE DOING EVERYTHING
WE CAN EITHER TO PROTECT OR
ENHANCE OR PROMOTE OUR
RESOURCES. YOUR ON OR NEAR THE
RESERVATION. SO AGAIN, THE SEMI
RAMOS I WANT. I WANT TO THANK
YOU AND THE COMMITTEE. WE
STRONGLY SUPPORT THIS AND WE'RE
GOING TO CONTINUE TO ADVOCATE
FOR THIS PROGRAM THAT'S IN PLACE
HERE AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO WORK
WITH YOU AND THE COMMITTEE OF
PUSHING THIS FORWARD. THANK YOU.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU, CHAIRMAN
JAMES. WE'RE BRINGING TO LIGHT
THE ONGOING SUCCESSES WHEN
PEOPLE DO WORK TOGETHER UP IN
YOUR AREA, WORKING WITH THE
LOCAL, UM NEIGHBORING TRIBES TO
LOOK AT THE LAND BASE LAND ACT,
UM, HAVING A CONDOR RESTORATION
PROJECT MOVING FORWARD AND
LOOKING AT THE WATER WAYS AND
STREAMS AND MAKING SURE THAT UM
, LIFE THAT PROVIDES LIFE TO
YOUR PEOPLE THROUGH THE
FISHERIES CONTINUES TO FLOW. AND
FOR YOUR SUPPORT AND YOUR
COMMENTS THAT TAKING ADVANTAGE
OF AN OPPORTUNITY. THERE'S NEVER
BEEN AN OPPORTUNITY WHERE MONEY
HAS BEEN PUT INTO THE BUDGET FOR
MANAGEMENT, UH, WOULD TRIBAL
KNOWLEDGE AND ALSO THE POTENTIAL
FOR BUYING BACK TRADITIONAL
LANDS? I THINK IT'S SITS IN
FRONT OF US AS A AS A PEOPLE OF
THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA FIRST
PEOPLE TO COME TOGETHER AND SO
THAT WE COULD TAKE ADVANTAGE OF
WHAT'S IN FRONT OF US. WE KNOW
THAT WE'VE WORKED HARD TO GET TO
WHERE WE ARE, UM, WITH SOME OF
THE RESTORATION THE POLICIES
THAT ARE THERE, BUT NOW WE HAVE
A WILLING ADMINISTRATION TO WORK
WITH US. BUT WE ALSO HAVE TO
MAKE SURE THAT THE VOICES OF OUR
PEOPLE ARE BEING HEARD. UM
THROUGHOUT THIS PROCESS, AND SO
, YOU KNOW, TAKING ADVANTAGE OF
THIS OPPORTUNITY. UM AND TO COME
TOGETHER AS A PEOPLE. AND COMING
TOGETHER AS A PEOPLE TODAY AND
WHERE WE'RE AT AND THE DIFFERENT
POSITIONS THAT ALL OF US HAVE A
TRIBAL CHAIRS, TRIBAL LEADERS,
UM THAT WE HAVE TO COME TOGETHER
AS A PEOPLE TO ENSURE THAT THESE
PROCESSES MOVE FORWARD IN A
TIMELY MANNER. REAL TIME WE HAVE
70,000,030 MILLION PROPOSED
AGAIN NEXT YEAR. BUT WE'RE IF WE
COME TOGETHER AS A PEOPLE,
THERE'S NO REASON WE CAN'T STOP
AND GET ONGOING FUNDING AS LONG
AS WE COME TOGETHER, AND IT'S
THE VOICES OF OUR ANCESTORS THAT
BASICALLY WE ARE ACTUALLY BEING
THAT VOICE IN FRONT OF OUR
PEOPLE. SO I WANT TO THANK
EVERYBODY. ANY CLOSING REMARKS.
CHAIRMAN JAMES NO, I JUST THANK
YOU. AH I TOTALLY AGREE COME
TOGETHER AS AS A VILLAGE. IN THE
WORK TOGETHER. I DO WANT TO, UH
, ADD A NOTE. I THINK IT'S
APPROPRIATE, THOUGH. UM YOU
KNOW, UH, CHAIRMAN RAMOS, YOU
KNOW, UH, THE EQUAL HEARING
THAT'S PENDING THE SUPREME COURT
. I JUST WANT TO LET YOU KNOW
IT'S A AS IT'S NEAR AND DEAR TO
ALL OF OUR HEARTS. UH IT'S
WORRYING SOME AND AGAIN AS WE'RE
CONTINUED TO. AH SEE HOW THAT
UNFOLDS BACK AT HOME. YOU KNOW
THAT'S THREATENING OUR
SOVEREIGNTY. OUR OUR FAMILIES,
OUR YOUTH, OUR FAMILIES,
CHILDREN AT HOME AND AGAIN. I
JUST WANTED TO MENTION THAT
BECAUSE THAT THAT IS ON OUR
MINDS AND OUR HEARTS BACK AT
HOME, AND THEN AS AS YOU'RE
WELL, WELL AWARE OF IT. I KNOW
THAT TOO, AND AGAIN BASED ON THE
THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO
PROVIDE TESTIMONY HERE ON BEHALF
OF EUROPE TRIBE WALK LÀ. THANK
YOU, CHAIRMAN JAMES AND
POTENTIALLY OUR NEXT HEARING
TOPIC COULD BE EQUAL AS YOU. AH
PROMOTED PROMOTED A BUDGET
REQUEST, AND NOW YOU'RE
PROMOTING THE NEXT HEARING ON
EQUAL. EQUALLY IS DEFINITELY
BEING ATTACKED, AND IT'S GOING
TO BE HEARD IN THE U. S. SUPREME
COURT COMING UP IN NOVEMBER THAT
DEALS WITH ASSIMILATION POLICIES
THAT WERE, UM TAKEN OUT ON
CALIFORNIA IN PEOPLE AND INDIAN
PEOPLE THROUGHOUT THE UNITED
STATES TO TAKE OUR CHILDREN AWAY
FROM FROM CULTURE FROM THE
FAMILIES, OUR OWN PEOPLE AND TO
PUT THEM IN NON NATIVE AMERICAN
FAMILIES TO BREAK THAT
ASSIMILATION INTO A DIFFERENT
CULTURE AND A DIFFERENT
STREAMLINE THAT DRASTICALLY IS
UNDER ATTACK. BUT I'M PLEASED TO
KNOW THAT THE ATTORNEY GENERAL
STATE OF CALIFORNIA HAS JOINED
ON THE AMICUS OF THAT. SO YOU'LL
SEE THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA ON
THAT, UM, SHEET THAT'S THERE, SO
WE CONTINUE TO WORK ON ALL THESE
TOPICS MOVING FORWARD. I WANT TO
THANK ALL THE PRESENTERS. HERE
REPRESENTING INDIAN COUNTRY FROM
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA WITH
CHAIRWOMAN PINTO CHAIRWOMAN BILL
UM VICE CHAIR ROSS CHAIRMAN
VALENTINO LOPEZ. UM ALSO, UM,
CHAIRMAN ROBERTS FROM YOSHIDA.
HE CHAIRMAN DAVIS, FROM WHO? PA
CHAIRMAN MARTIN PROVIDING THIS
TESTIMONY AND CHAIRMAN JO JAMES.
UM AND ALL THE DIFFERENT
REPRESENTATION THAT'S HERE AND
ALSO WANT TO HIGHLIGHT THE GOOD
WORK THAT THE HERITAGE
COMMISSION CONTINUES TO DO. I
KNOW A LOT OF ISSUES HAVE BEEN
DROPPED. WE HEAR THAT RESOURCES
IS SOMETHING THAT NEEDS TO BE
LOOKED AT. WE ALSO KNOW THAT
THERE'S A CHALLENGE CHALLENGES
THERE, BUT WE ALSO ASK FOR
INDIAN COUNTRY. TO BE, UM A
LITTLE UNDERSTANDING OF THE
VOICE THAT WE'RE TRYING TO, UM
BRING FORWARD HAS BEEN ABSENT
FOR OVER 170 YEARS. NOW WE HAVE
OPPORTUNITIES TO MOVE FORWARD
WITH MANAGEMENT PLANNING. WE
HAVE OPPORTUNITIES TO GET
REMAINS BACK INTO THE HANDS OF
CALIFORNIA. INDIAN PEOPLE, ALL
TRIBES. WE HAVE THAT OPPORTUNITY
IN FRONT OF US SO CONTINUING TO
WORK TOGETHER TO ENSURE OUR
VOICES ARE BEING HEARD IS
SOMETHING THAT WE NEED TO DO
HERE IN INDIAN COUNTRY WORKING
TOGETHER, WE CAN DO A LOT WE CAN
NO LONGER WORK IN SILOS. WE NEED
TO WORK TOGETHER AS A PEOPLE OF
PEOPLE AS THE FIRST PEOPLE HERE
IN THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA, AND
WITH THAT, I'M GOING TO GO TO
PUBLIC COMMENT. PUBLIC COMMENT
IS MEANT TO BE AROUND THE ISSUES
THAT WE DISCUSSED HERE TODAY. WE
DO RESERVE THE RIGHT TO MAKE
SURE THAT COMMENTS ARE CORDIAL
AND RESPECTFUL. UM WE WILL FIRST
GO TO THE PHONE LINES SEE IF ANY
PHONE LINES ARE THERE FOR PUBLIC
COMMENT. THANK YOU, MR CHAIR.
LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, IF YOU
WISH TO MAKE A COMMENT AT THIS
TIME, PLEASE PRESS ONE THAN ZERO
ON YOUR PHONE. PRESS ONE, THEN.
ZERO ONE MOMENT MR CHAIR. ONE
PERSON HAS SIGNALED THAT THEY
WISH TO SPEAK.
WE WILL NOW GO TO THE LINE OF
LOUISE RAMIREZ, PLEASE GO AHEAD.
AND PARDON ME. I APOLOGIZE. MR
CHAIR JUST A MOMENT. WE'RE GOING
TO GO TO THE LINE OF KENNETH
WOODROW. HELLO MY ONLINE YES,
SIR. YES, CORRECT. WOODROW
TRAVEL CHAIR WILL CAUTION. YOU
TRIED, UM I REALLY. ENJOY
LIFTING TO THE DEVELOPMENTS FROM
THE HOOP ON YOUR ROCK. BEING
THAT I'VE BEEN UP THERE. YOU
KNOW, I SEE THE GOOD THE GOOD
THINGS YOU'RE DOING. I WANT TO
CHECK RAMOS FOR AND THE
COMMITTEE ON THIS, UM, I
REPRESENT ARE HISTORICAL TRIBE.
FOR SOME REASON, WE WEREN'T PART
OF THE 1934 ORGANIZATION ACT.
BUT WE ARE A CALIFORNIA TRIBE.
WE HAVE A CONSTITUTION BYLAWS.
WE FOLLOWED TRADITIONAL METHODS
THAT WE DID GO INTO THE
NONPROFIT AREA IF I WILL. ONE C
THREE AND I UNDERSTAND THAT SOME
OF THIS GRANT WRITING WILL BE
FUNNY TO UNRECOGNIZED TRIBES.
BEING THAT WE DON'T HAVE A LAND
BASE. BUT WE STILL PRACTICE OUR
CULTURE. WE HAVE OUR LANGUAGE
PROGRAM GOING ON. WE HAVE OUR
OUR SWEATS ARE GATHERINGS, BUT
WE HAVEN'T BEEN ABLE TO DO THESE
FOR YEARS BECAUSE A LOT OF
FINANCIAL PROBLEMS COMING IN THE
WAY. WE DO NOT GET NOTHING.
EXCUSE ME. WE DO NOT GET NO
SUPPORT OUTSIDE. SO THIS IS ALL
DONE AT TRIBAL LEVEL. YOU KNOW
WHAT WE DO WHAT WE CAN WE DO
BACHELOR WEAVING ASSOCIATED WITH
YOUR CLOSEST TRIBE TO US. THEY
WALKED CHINESE WE DO WITH OUR
LANGUAGE PROGRAM. WE DO OURS. UM
YOU KNOW, I'VE BEEN HARPING.
HARPING AND HARPING ABOUT, YOU
KNOW, THE TRUTH AND HEALING
COUNCIL. AH! TO GIVE US A SOME
SORT OF FORM. OF STATE
RECOGNITION. YOU KNOW, WE DO
HAVE OUR PACKAGE 83 PROCESS. YOU
KNOW, WE DO SHOW HISTORICAL
TIES. WE HAVE TO TREATIES WITH
THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA. BUT I
DO RECOGNIZE. A LOT OF ISSUES. A
LOT OF OUR TRIES. A SISTER
TRIBES ARE NOT ON THE 52 LIST.
BECAUSE TO THEM. TO WASTE OF
ENERGY. BUT I DO SEE THAT THERE
IS FUNNY COMING DOWN. WE ARE
TRYING TO DEAL WITH THEIR RETURN
OF OUR ANCESTORS, BUT WE HAVE NO
LANDS TO REBURY HIM ON. YOU
KNOW, HOPEFULLY THERE'S 30 30
WILL HELP US. YOU KNOW, GET SOME
LAND BACK, BUT WE'RE SO OUT OF
THE LOOP. I ONLY GOT THIS YES,
THIS PHONE CONFERENCE. BE
ANOTHER TRIBE. AND THEN CALLING
IN, YOU KNOW, THEY HAD THE PHONE
TREES DOWN. SO I'M LISTING HERE
AND SO WHERE DO WE FIT IN? YOU
KNOW, WE HAVE 456 DIFFERENT
TRIBES ARE NOT ARE NOT ON THE A
B 52 LEFT. BUT WE'VE BEEN ON IT
SINCE THE BEGINNING. WE'RE ON
THE F B 18 LIST. SO WE'RE
LOOKING AT. WHERE DO WE FIT IN?
WE DON'T HAVE A BIG TRIBAL
STAFF. WE DON'T HAVE ANYTHING.
WE HAVE CULTURAL RESOURCES. ONE
OF OUR PEOPLE IS WORKING UP IN
THE MOUNTAINS RETURNING YOU
KNOW, LOOKING AT THE CULTURAL
MONITORING UM. UM, WE'RE ALSO ON
THE HIGH SPEED RAIL, YOU KNOW,
AND I DO HAVE ISSUES. WITH THE
HIGH SPEED RAIL BECAUSE THEY
DON'T GIVE US AN UPDATE OF THE
ITEMS AND THE ANCESTORS THAT
THEY'RE FINDING. UM EXCESS FLAG
ON THE HIGH SPEED RAIL. YOU
KNOW, SOME OF THEM ARE GIVEN TO
CONSERVANCIES THAT ARE NOT EVEN
WITHIN THE PARAMETERS OF THE
STATE. I MONITOR THOSE. AND I
SAID, WELL, CAN WE WORK WITH YOU
TO RETURN? YOU KNOW SOME OF THE
INDIGENOUS PLANTS TO THE AREA.
THEY PRETTY MUCH SAID WE LOCKED
THE GATE. GOODBYE. THAT'S WHAT
WE GET. BECAUSE. I'M GOING. WHO
DO WE TALK TO? I MEAN, THERE'S
SUCH A BIG, WHOSE CHAIN HI SPEED
RAIL. IT'S LIKE I TALK, BUT
NOBODY LISTENS. AND WE'RE TRYING
TO PROTECT OUR OUR ANCESTRAL
LANDS. BUT IT'S REALLY, REALLY
HARD. WHEN MONEY COMES DOWN FROM
THE STATE TO PROJECTS AND WE
HAVE NOTHING TO SAY ABOUT IT. IT
REALLY HURTS BECAUSE YOU KNOW, I
EVEN NOTIFIED HIM THAT THERE IS
A VILLAGE THERE THAT BURIAL
GROUNDS. THEY SAID. OKAY, WELL,
YOU HAVE YOUR INPUT. I GO. WELL,
WE RECOMMEND THAT YOU HAVE A
TRIBAL MONITOR OUT THERE. NO, WE
WILL HAVE A CULTURAL MONITOR OUT
THERE. YOU WOULD HAVE TO ASK THE
PERMISSION OF THE PRIVATE
LANDOWNER WHERE FEDERAL FUNDING
STATE FUND IS GOING DOWN. PEOPLE
CAN'T OKAY, BUT WE KNOW IT'S
THERE. WE KNOW IT'S THERE. IT'S
DOCUMENTED TO ETHNOGRAPHIC
STUDIES. GO, HOPEFULLY. WE'LL BE
ABLE TO CREATE SOME SORT OF
PROGRAM TO MONITORING. THE
CULTURAL RESOURCES THAT WE DO
KNOW OF. I MEAN, THERE'S SOME
ITEMS IN MY ELDERS TOLD ME THAT
WERE BORN IN THE TWENTIES. I
TOOK HIM OUT THERE. WE DID
SURVEYS, YOU KNOW, THEY POINTED
OUT AREAS OF BURIALS. YOU KNOW
VERY IS OF INFLUENCE. UH, SO IT
REALLY HURTS. WHEN I HEAR YOU
KNOW. FINALLY THE STATE'S
CATCHING UP. BUT YOU KNOW WE'RE
STILL HERE. YOU KNOW, UH WE CAN
SHOW OUR BACK. YOU KNOW BACK
GRANDCHILDREN CHARTS ALL THE WAY
BACK TO YOU KNOW, WHEN WE SIGNED
THE TREATY OF 51, THEN WE SIGNED
THE TREATY OF 56. YOU KNOW, UH
BUT I REALLY THINK TO HELP US
BUT DEEP COMMUNICATION, YOU
KNOW, LIKE I SAID, IS I ONLY GOT
THIS TO ANOTHER PERSON, ANOTHER
TRAVEL CHAIR. THAT HEY, HAVE YOU
GOTTEN THIS? AND I GO. NO, BUT I
SURE GOING TO GET ONLINE TO HEAR
WHAT'S GOING ON. AND IT'S ONE
THINK EVERYBODY. HOPEFULLY
EVERYTHING WORKS OUT. GREAT BUT
DON'T FORGET US, YOU KNOW, LOOK,
SASHI W U. K S A. C H I, YOU
KNOW, WE HAVE A LARGE
ENROLLMENT. BUT WE HAVE BEEN
WORKING ON THE 83 PROCESS. THANK
YOU FOR YOUR COMMENTS. CAN YOU
CAN YOU WRAP IT UP? THANK YOU.
YES UH I REALLY LOOK AT THIS HAS
BEEN A BENEFIT SCORE. ALL TRIBES
NOT JUST BARELY RECOGNIZED BUT
ALSO DON'T RECOGNIZED TRIBES.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU,
CHAIRMAN. ANY OTHER, UM PHONE
LINES. UH, OTHER COMMENT. AND
FINALLY WHAT? ONCE AGAIN. ANYONE
WITH COMMENTS, PLEASE PRESS
WOMEN ZERO AT THIS TIME. OKAY,
NOW WE'RE GONNA GO TO LINE 18.
YOUR LINE IS NOW OPEN. HELLO
ASSEMBLYMEMBER'S MEMBERS. UM MY
NAME IS LOUISE MIRANDA RAMIREZ.
TRIBAL CHAIRWOMAN FORLANI
COASTER KNOWN AS LA NATION. WE
ARE THE INDIGENOUS PEOPLE OF
MONTEREY COUNTY. I'D LIKE TO SAY
THANK YOU FOR KEEPING US
INFORMED AND PROVIDING WITH THE
INFORMATION TODAY. I'D LIKE TO
SAY THAT, UM I'VE HEARD ONE WORD
COME FROM YOU THAT I THINK IS SO
IMPORTANT THAT YOU'VE SAID OVER
AND OVER IS THAT WE NEED TO WORK
TOGETHER. WE NEED TO BE TOGETHER
NOT AS A FEDERALLY RECOGNIZED
TRIBE NOT AS A STATE. RECOGNIZED
TRIBE NOT AS A NON MECHANIZED
TRIBE. AND WHEN WE WORK TOGETHER
, WE DON'T SAY THIS IS WHAT I
WANT. THIS IS WHAT YOU SHOULD
WANT, BECAUSE I WANT IT AND THEN
WE CAN WORK TOGETHER. I LIKE TO
SAY, ALSO SAY THAT I'VE HAD THE
SUPPORT OF THE YOKA COALITION TO
RETURN AND REBURY ANCESTORS
DISTURBED ON FEDERAL PROPERTY BY
THE DEPARTMENT OF ARMY, AND
WE'VE HAD A POST EVER READ THE
AERIAL AND THROUGH THE COALITION
, ALONG WITH THE SENATE-ROOM ISH
IT WAS VERY IMPORTANT AND I LIKE
TO SAY THAT THE COALITION DID
NOT COME IN AND SAY THIS IS OUR
HOMELAND. WHAT THEY SAID TO THE
ARMY AND THE PENTAGON WAS THAT
THEY ACKNOWLEDGED US AS THE
INDIGENOUS PEOPLE OF THIS AREA.
I DON'T WANT TO SAY HOW
IMPORTANT THAT IS BECAUSE NO ONE
ELSE WAS LISTENING, AND WE THINK
THAT IT'S IMPORTANT IN BUILDING
THE RELATIONSHIPS WITH THESE
OTHER TRIBES AS WELL. I'D ALSO
LIKE TO SAY IN OUR HOMELAND I
HAD BEEN WORKING FOR A COUPLE OF
YEARS WITH THE MUSEUMS IN THE
AREA AND ALL OF OUR ANCESTRAL
REMAINS WERE RETURNED TO A
LONELY COSTA. NO ONE HAS NATION
AND WE WORKED WITH THE CITY AND
THE PEOPLE OF THE AREA TO RE
BURY THEM, SO IT'S VERY
MEANINGFUL TO US THAT WE WERE
ABLE TO WORK ON THEM. AND I'D
ALSO LIKE TO ADDRESS WHEN WE
TALKED ABOUT CONSULTATION. I
FIND THAT CONSULTATION IS NOT
MEANINGFUL. IT SEEMS USELESS
BECAUSE THERE ARE MANY TRIBES
AND IF ONE TRIBE REQUEST
SOMETHING, THEY WON'T GIVE IT TO
ANOTHER TRIBE OR WANT TO WORK
WITH ONE TRIBE BECAUSE TOO MANY
TRIBES WANT TO BE INVOLVED. I
BELIEVE THAT CONSULTATION IS NOT
BEING ADDRESSED BY COUNTIES AND
CITY PEOPLE MEANINGFUL, BELIEVE
THEY DO NOT WORK WITH US AS THEY
SHOULD, AS A GOVERNMENT TO
GOVERNMENT. I DON'T WANT TO
CARRY ON BECAUSE I KNOW REALLY,
UM, A LOT OF PEOPLE, BUT I THINK
YOU COULD KEEPING US INFORMED,
AND I HOPE THAT AS A NON
RECOGNIZED TRIBE WE WILL BE ABLE
TO WORK WITH FEDERALLY
RECOGNIZED TRIBES. STATE
RECOGNIZED TRIBES THAT WE HAVE
BEEN PUSHING FOR, AND WE ARE
HISTORICAL TRIBE. I THANK YOU
AGAIN FOR KEEPING US INFORM.
THANK YOU. SO MUCH FOR YOUR
TESTIMONY ANY OTHER PUBLIC
COMMENT ON THE LINE ON THE PHONE
LINES? MR CHAIR? THERE IS NO ONE
ELSE TO SIGNAL THAT THEY WISH TO
SPEAK. THANK YOU. THANK YOU SO
MUCH. UM, NOW I'M MOVING TO THE
CHAMBERS. ANYONE IN PUBLIC
COMMENT, PLEASE COME UP TO THE
MICROPHONE. THANK YOU, CHAIRMAN
RAMOS. I WANTED TO GIVE PUBLIC
COMMENT AND A FEW RESPONSES TO
SOME OF THE TESTIMONY EARLIER
TODAY, IF THAT'S APPROPRIATE
AGAIN. I'M RAYMOND HITCHCOCK
WITH THE HERITAGE COMMISSION IS
EXECUTIVE SECRETARY.
ASSEMBLYMEMBER'S MEDINA HAD
ASKED ABOUT HOW MANY COLLECTIONS
THAT BERKELEY HAS OR THAT WE
HAVE ON OUR WEBSITE AND THERE'S
5692 COLLECTIONS. 681 OF THEM
ARE INVENTORIES, WHICH INCLUDES
ANCESTORS AND 5000 OVER 5000, OR
SUMMARIES, AND WITH THE 2020
AUDIT, SOME OF THE THINGS THAT I
ACTUALLY TALKED ABOUT. IN THE
DEFICIENCIES OF THE AUDIT. èC
BERKELEY IS ONE OF THE PROBLEMS
THAT WE HAVE THAT THEY'RE NOT
FOLLOWING THE STATUTES AND THEY
NEED TO BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE AND
NOTIFY THAT CAL MAG PRA AND THE
TRIBAL CONSULTATION THAT'S
OUTLINED INTO CAL NEGRA NEEDS TO
BE FOLLOWED. UM VICE CHAIRWOMAN
ROSS OF THE FEDERATED BAND GREAT
IN INDIANS AND CHAIRMAN ANTHONY
ROBERTS OF OUR SISTER TRIBE
ACROSS THE RIVER HERE WENT TO
YOUR YOUR TODAY HE TRIBAL
CONSULTATIONS IMPORTANT TO ME AS
A FORMER TRIBAL LEADER. I
UNDERSTAND THAT THE ISSUES
FLAGGED IN THE TRAILER BILL OVER
THE SUMMER WERE ISSUES THAT I
SAW. I WAS TRYING TO HELP US
HAVE THE TOOLS WE NEED TO HELP
US BETTER MOVE THE COMMISSION
ALONG WITH THESE ISSUES WE
TALKED ABOUT TODAY. I'M STRONGLY
AGREE WITH TRIBAL CONSULTATION
AND. AND IT'S TOO MANY TRIBES
OUT THERE WHO WANT TO REACH OUT.
I'M GONNA PUT OUT TO FOR US FOR
TRIBAL CONSULTATION TO TALK
ABOUT THESE ISSUES THE
COMMISSION HAS AND I'D LIKE TO
HEAR FROM THE TRIBES AS WELL TO
ENGAGE IN THAT FORMAL TRIBAL
CONSULTATION TO HELP US HAVE THE
TOOLS SO WE CAN ALL WORK
TOGETHER TO PROTECT OUR
ANCESTORS. NOT ONLY THE ONES
THAT HAVEN'T BEEN DISTURBED, BUT
THE ONES THAT ARE GETTING
DISTURBED AND THE ONES THAT NEED
TO GET BACK HOME TO THEIR
FAMILIES. AND TO CHAIRMAN
VALENTIN LOPEZ OF THE ARMAMENTS
IN TRIBE HE HAD BROUGHT UP THE
CONTACT LIST WAS REVISED IN
SEPTEMBER OF 2022 THE CONTACT
LIST. SINCE I'VE BEEN THE
EXECUTIVE SECRETARY. THERE'S
BEEN NOBODY ADDED TO THE LIST OR
NOBODY REMOVED FROM IT. BUT AS
YOU HEARD TODAY FROM SOME OF THE
TESTIMONY, CONTACT LIST
REGULATIONS WITH STRINGENT
CRITERIA WILL HELP THE
COMMISSION TO REAFFIRM NATE WHAT
CALIFORNIA NATIVE AMERICAN
TRIBES ARE ON THE CONTACT LIST
AND THE BAGLEY KEEN EXEMPTIONS
THAT WERE IN THE TRAILER BILL
OVER THE SUMMER WOULD ALLOW OUR
COMMISSIONERS TO REVIEW THAT
SENSITIVE TRIBAL INFORMATION AND
TO BE ABLE TO PINE ON IT TO MAKE
SURE THAT THE CALIFORNIA TRY TO
THE AMERICAN TRIBES ON THE LIST
ARE, IN FACT THE CRITERIA THAT'S
EXPECTED OF THEM. AND LASTLY,
THE TRIBAL NATURAL RESOURCES
COUNCIL THAT WAS IN THE TRAILER
BILL. IT'S UNNECESSARY TO HELP
GET THAT $70 MILLION OUT TO
TRIBES FOR THE NATURE BASED
SOLUTIONS. IT HELPS. IT'S THE
CONDUIT THAT ALLOWS TRIBES. TO
DIRECT THE CNR AND THE
GOVERNOR'S OFFICE TO HOW THAT 70
MILLION AND HOPEFULLY 100
MILLION AND ITS CHAIRMAN, JAMES
POINTED OUT WITH C 200 MILLION
IN THE NEXT YEAR FUNDING BUDGET
TO DISPERSE THOSE MONIES TO
TRIBES FOR THOSE NATURE BASED
SOLUTIONS TAKING CAMILLE THANK
YOU, UM, FOR THAT ANY OTHER
PUBLIC COMMENT FROM THE
CHAMBERS? HEARING NONE. UM I
WANT TO THANK ALL THE PRESENTERS
AND THOSE HERE AND THOSE
LISTENING TO THIS TESTIMONY AND
WATCHING THE FEED THE LIVE FEED
TO IT. THESE ARE IMPORTANT
ISSUES THAT ARE IMPORTANT TO
CALIFORNIA PEOPLE. THESE ARE
ISSUES THAT HAVE ALWAYS BEEN
IMPORTANT TO OUR PEOPLE. IT'S
JUST NOW THAT WE'RE STARTING TO
RAISE THE ADVOCACY OF WORKING
TOGETHER TO GET RESTORATION
RESTORATION OF THE CONDOR
POPULATION UP IN NORTHERN
CALIFORNIA. SEEING PEOPLE
WORKING TOGETHER TO ENSURE THAT
FISHERIES AND WATERWAYS ARE
BEING ABLE TO HAVE THE CULTURAL
ASPECTS AND FEEDING OF THE
PEOPLE. UM YOU'VE HEARD
DIFFERENT TESTIMONY HERE TODAY,
BUT IT'S A TESTIMONY FROM
THROUGHOUT THE STATE OF
CALIFORNIA, AND THE MESSAGE IS
CLEAR THAT WE NEED TO WORK
TOGETHER AS CALIFORNIA PEOPLE,
AND WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT
THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA IS
LISTENING TO THE VOICES. THOSE
THAT WANT TO MOVE FORWARD TO BE
ABLE TO HAVE THEIR VOICES MOVE
FORWARD TO HEAR AND TO HAVE A
SOLUTION TO THE 70 MILLION
POTENTIALLY $100 MILLION THAT
ARE THERE, BUT ALSO THE
MANAGEMENT, THE MANAGEMENT OF
OUR PEOPLE WHO ARE THE FIRST
CARETAKERS OF THE STATE OF
CALIFORNIA AND CONTINUE TO BE
THE CARETAKERS OF THE STATE OF
CALIFORNIA WAS WITH THAT
HISTORICAL KNOWLEDGE, THAT
KNOWLEDGE THAT IS CONTINUING TO
LIVE WITHIN OUR TRIBAL COUNCILS.
THAT VOICE CONTINUES NEED TO BE
HEARD, BUT WE ALSO HAVE TO TAKE
ADVANTAGE OF THE OPPORTUNITY
THAT'S IN FRONT OF US TO COME
TOGETHER AS A PEOPLE TO ENSURE
THESE POLICIES ARE CHANGED IN
THE VOICES CONTINUE TO BE HEARD
. SO WE GET BACK THAT LAND TO
OUR PEOPLE. SO WE MAKE SURE THAT
THE MANAGEMENT IS DONE WITH THE
KNOWLEDGE OF OUR PEOPLE AND TO
ENSURE THAT THE VOICES OF OUR
ANCESTORS THEY CONTINUE TO CRY
OUT TO THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA.
TELL THE PEOPLE WHO WE TRULY ARE
AS CALIFORNIA PEOPLE. IT'S TIME
THAT WE WORK TOGETHER TO MAKE
SURE THAT WE GET THE REMAINS
BACK TO OUR PEOPLE AND TO WORK
ON THESE ISSUES TOGETHER AND
COLLABORATIVELY TO ENSURE THAT
THE VOICES ARE BEING HEARD.
THANK YOU. AND THAT CONCLUDES
THIS HEARING. QUÊ MR CHAIR.