
- Details
- By Native News Online Staff
California Assemblymember James C. Ramos (D-San Bernardino) on Tuesday, September 19, 2023 issued the following statement about his AB 81, a bill that would make necessary updates to California Indian Child Welfare Act (Cal-ICWA) following the landmark Brackeen decision by the U.S. Supreme Court in June:
"Over the past five years, I have continued to bring forward legislation to address long overlooked issues facing California’s tribal communities and to safeguard Native American families and children. I remain fully committed to working with the Administration and my colleagues in the Legislature to advance that important work. Since the passage of ICWA in 1978 and the codification of ICWA into state law in 2006, California has been committed to protecting Native families and children. Earlier this year, in anticipation of the Supreme Court’s action on ICWA and its protections, I decided to introduce AB 81 to strengthen California’s Indian child welfare provisions and tribal sovereignty by creating additional protections for Native American children and families.
"Following the Supreme Court’s rightful decision to uphold ICWA, and working with the California Department of Social Services, I have decided to extend AB 81 as a two-year measure to continue our work in making the bill as strong as possible to protect Indian Children and families from potential future threats. I will move AB 81 forward with an urgency clause next session after spending time working with stakeholders and the Administration to ensure the legislation best protects Native American children and families across the state."
The measure is currently in the California State Senate floor, awaiting final amendments
More Stories Like This
Native News Weekly (August 25, 2024): D.C. BriefsUS Presidents in Their Own Words Concerning American Indians
Native News Weekly (August 4, 2024): D.C. Briefs
Native News Weekly (June 22, 2025): D.C. Briefs
Read the Text of President Trump's Address to Nation on US Bombing Iran
Help us tell the stories that could save Native languages and food traditions
At a critical moment for Indian Country, Native News Online is embarking on our most ambitious reporting project yet: "Cultivating Culture," a three-year investigation into two forces shaping Native community survival—food sovereignty and language revitalization.
The devastating impact of COVID-19 accelerated the loss of Native elders and with them, irreplaceable cultural knowledge. Yet across tribal communities, innovative leaders are fighting back, reclaiming traditional food systems and breathing new life into Native languages. These aren't just cultural preservation efforts—they're powerful pathways to community health, healing, and resilience.
Our dedicated reporting team will spend three years documenting these stories through on-the-ground reporting in 18 tribal communities, producing over 200 in-depth stories, 18 podcast episodes, and multimedia content that amplifies Indigenous voices. We'll show policymakers, funders, and allies how cultural restoration directly impacts physical and mental wellness while celebrating successful models of sovereignty and self-determination.
This isn't corporate media parachuting into Indian Country for a quick story. This is sustained, relationship-based journalism by Native reporters who understand these communities. It's "Warrior Journalism"—fearless reporting that serves the 5.5 million readers who depend on us for news that mainstream media often ignores.
We need your help right now. While we've secured partial funding, we're still $450,000 short of our three-year budget. Our immediate goal is $25,000 this month to keep this critical work moving forward—funding reporter salaries, travel to remote communities, photography, and the deep reporting these stories deserve.
Every dollar directly supports Indigenous journalists telling Indigenous stories. Whether it's $5 or $50, your contribution ensures these vital narratives of resilience, innovation, and hope don't disappear into silence.
The stakes couldn't be higher. Native languages are being lost at an alarming rate. Food insecurity plagues many tribal communities. But solutions are emerging, and these stories need to be told.
Support independent Native journalism. Fund the stories that matter.
Levi Rickert (Potawatomi), Editor & Publisher