New CA Law To Address Murder, Missing Persons On Indian Land

TEMECULA, CA — Gov. Gavin Newsom signed a bill this week to address violence and improve public safety within tribal communities and on Indian lands.

AB 2695 will require law enforcement to collect data on crimes that happen on Indian lands and report that information back to the state's Department of Justice to assist in a crisis around missing and murdered Indigenous people in California.

The bill was authored by Rep. James C. Ramos (D-San Bernardino) and sponsored by Attorney General Rob Bonta.

"This will help all of us develop data-driven strategies to end the MMIP crisis in our state and improve justice for tribal citizens," Bonta said.

According to Ramos, California ranks fifth in the nation in unresolved cases involving missing and murdered Indigenous people.

"This measure will help California deal with the lack of clear data about MMIP and where domestic violence occurs," Ramos said.

The Golden State is home to the highest Native American population in the country. In the 19th century, Riverside County, which was then the Colorado Desert lands, was home to several Indigenous tribes including the Cahuilla, Gabrielino, Serrano, Luise’o, Chemehuevi, and Mojave tribes, according to Inlandia Institute.