An act to add Chapter 4.7 (commencing with Section 8304) to Division 1 of Title 2 of the Government Code, relating to state government, and making an appropriation therefor.
AB 2115 would add a new chapter to the Government Code creating the “California State Legislatures Formal Apology to California Native Americans Act.” The bill declares that the State of California recognizes and accepts responsibility for historical harms and atrocities committed against California Native Americans by state representatives and policies, and it formally apologizes for those harms. Its findings section recounts a long history of forced labor, land dispossession, disenfranchisement, militia violence, Indian boarding schools, Public Law 83-280, water-rights limitations, and other state actions and inactions affecting Native communities.
The bill also requires a physical memorial plaque containing the apology and findings to be installed and maintained in the State Capitol Building. It directs the Department of General Services, in consultation with the Joint Rules Committee, to plan, design, approve, construct, dedicate, and maintain the plaque, including ADA, safety, CEQA, and long-term maintenance review. The Secretary of State must file the final apology with the State Archives for permanent public access, and the Legislature is to prepare the apology and request signatures from specified state leaders. The bill authorizes the receipt of grants and private donations and continuously appropriates those funds for implementation.
AB 2115 would create a new statutory chapter in the Government Code and impose new administrative duties on the Department of General Services, the Joint Rules Committee, and the Secretary of State. It would not change criminal, civil, or regulatory law governing tribes directly, but it would establish an official state apology framework, a permanent archival record, and a Capitol plaque memorializing the apology. The bill also includes a continuous appropriation for any funds received from grants or donations to carry out the chapter, making it a state expenditure measure tied to the memorial project.
The available voting history suggests strong support and little opposition. The bill advanced out of committee unanimously, including a 14-0 do pass recommendation and a later 12-0 vote to do pass and re-refer to Appropriations. No committee transcript or recorded dissent is provided, and the bill’s framing is consistent with a ceremonial and restorative measure rather than a policy dispute over programmatic regulation. Overall, the sentiment appears broadly favorable among legislators who acted on it.
The main points of contention likely center on the bill’s historical framing, its use of state resources, and the scope of the apology. The findings section makes sweeping claims about California’s historical responsibility, including references to militia actions, treaty opposition, boarding schools, and tribal sovereignty, which could draw debate over historical interpretation and institutional culpability. A second possible point of contention is the appropriation and ongoing maintenance obligation for the plaque, though the unanimous committee votes indicate no visible opposition in the available record. The bill also implicitly raises broader questions about whether a formal apology and memorial are sufficient responses to the harms identified.