Antonio Ray Harvey
California Celebrates Native American Heritage with New Laws Addressing Violence, Hate and Social Supports
As Native Americans celebrated 100 years of citizenship and the right to vote at the State Capitol, Gov. Gavin Newsom signed a proclamation declaring Native American Day and signed bills aimed at pushing tribal priorities forward. The package of bills, which includes policies to enhance laws for vulnerable Native American youth and increase access to social supports, was signed on Sept. 27.
By Antonio Ray Harvey, California Black Media
As Native Americans celebrated 100 years of citizenship and the right to vote at the State Capitol, Gov. Gavin Newsom signed a proclamation declaring Native American Day and signed bills aimed at pushing tribal priorities forward.
The package of bills, which includes policies to enhance laws for vulnerable Native American youth and increase access to social supports, was signed on Sept. 27.
“I’m proud of the progress California has made to reckon with the dark chapters of our past, and we’re committed to continuing this important work to promote equity, inclusion, and accountability for Native peoples,” Newsom stated.
Newsom signed seven tribal-related bills introduced by Assemblymember James C. Ramos (D-San Bernardino), including Assembly Bill (AB) 2695, which helps California track trends in domestic violence and collect accurate information concerning violence in tribal lands.
AB 2695 will require the California Department of Justice (DOJ) to align its records and data with the National Incident-Based Reporting System (NIBRS) to assist law enforcement agencies and other entities with identifying where incidents related to Missing and Murdered Indigenous People (MMIP) are taking place.
In addition, the bill requires law enforcement to document whether domestic violence incidents took place in Indian Country.
Ramos is the first Native American elected to the California legislature and the chair of the California Legislative Native American Caucus (CLNAC).
“This measure will help California deal with the lack of clear data about MMIP and where domestic violence occurs,” stated Ramos, a member of the Serrano-Cahuilla tribe. “That information will better inform us about how to deal with this issue as California ranks fifth in the nation in MMIP unresolved cases.”
Underreporting, racial misclassification, bias, and lack of resources to follow through and properly close cases are also obstacles when working on MMIP cases. The DOJ will now have the assets to address those issues.
“For the first time in California, law enforcement agencies will be required to collect data on crimes occurring on Indian lands and report that information to my office,” Attorney General Rob Bonta stated. “(AB 2695) will help all of us develop data-driven strategies to end the MMIP crisis in our state and improve justice for tribal citizens.”
As part of the CLNAC’s priority package, Newsom signed into law Assembly Bill 2795 authored by Assemblymember Joaquin Arambula (D-Fresno). Ramos is the co-author of the legislation.
AB 2795 lowers administrative barriers to CalWORKS and Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) services at Indian health clinics in the state.
“It is vital that we ensure members of tribal communities have equitable access to safety net programs when needed,” Arambula stated.
Tony Thurmond, State Superintendent of Public Instructions, co-sponsored AB 1821.
“This initiative supports California’s diverse students to be seen, heard, and understood in their instructional materials, and to foster a deeper appreciation for our Native communities’ history and cultures,” Thurmond stated.
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Antonio Ray Harvey
California Assembly Passes Bill Backed by Newsom to Prevent Gas Price Spikes
On Oct. 1, during a special session, the California Assembly advanced Gov. Gavin Newsom’s proposal to prevent gasoline price spikes, according to the Governor’s office and lawmakers backing the measure. The Assembly passed Assembly Bill (AB) x2-1, authored by Assemblymember Gregg Hart (D-Santa Barbara) and Assembly Majority Leader Cecilia Aguiar-Curry (D-Winters). The bill is on its way to the Senate for consideration.
By Antonio Ray Harvey, California Black Media
On Oct. 1, during a special session, the California Assembly advanced Gov. Gavin Newsom’s proposal to prevent gasoline price spikes, according to the Governor’s office and lawmakers backing the measure.
The Assembly passed Assembly Bill (AB) x2-1, authored by Assemblymember Gregg Hart (D-Santa Barbara) and Assembly Majority Leader Cecilia Aguiar-Curry (D-Winters). The bill is on its way to the Senate for consideration.
If approved, ABx2-1 will empower the state to require oil refiners to maintain a minimum inventory of fuel to avoid supply shortages that trigger higher gasoline prices for consumers — and leading to higher profits for the industry.
In addition, ABx2-1 would authorize the California Energy Commission (CEC) to require refiners to plan for resupply during maintenance outages. The bill passed with a 44-18 vote, with 17 Assemblymembers not voting.
“Just last year, price spikes cost Californians more than $2 billion — forcing many families to make tough decisions like choosing between fueling up or putting food on the table,” Newsom stated. “This has to end, and with the legislature’s support, we’ll get this done for California families.”
Several members of the California Legislative Black Caucus (CLBC) voted in favor of the measure, including Assemblymembers Chris Holden (D-Pasadena), Reggie Jones-Sawyer (D-Los Angeles), Tina McKinnor (D-Inglewood), Kevin McCarty (D-Sacramento), Corey Jackson (D-Moreno Valley), Akilah Weber (D-La Mesa), and CLBC chair Lori Wilson (D-Suisun City).
During the debate, before the vote, Jones-Sawyer said high gas prices are affecting the livelihood of his constituents in South Los Angeles. He told his colleagues that gas in Denver, Colo., is $2.99 per gallon while motorists in South Los Angeles are paying $5.65 per gallon.
“I am hoping that in this legislation that we do have the teeth to ensure that people in South Los Angeles will be protected and that people will understand what we are doing today makes a huge difference in people’s lives,” Jones-Sawyer said.
Assembly Minority Leader James Gallagher (R-Yuba City) offered a solution to preventing soaring gas prices. He said the state needs more storage tanks and pipelines at oil refineries when they are conducting maintenance.
“If we are talking about having a reserve of gasoline so that we can help avoid price spikes, as has been purported, we need more storage, more infrastructure to do so,” Gallagher said. “Right now, the existing pie only takes you so far and if you hold gasoline back, prices will spike.”
Antonio Ray Harvey
Sacramento: More Than 250 News Professionals Attend Ethnic Media Awards and Conference
More than 250 news professionals representing nearly 150 media outlets attended the annual Ethnic Media Conference, Expo, and Awards held at the Sheraton Grand Hotel in Sacramento on Aug. 27 and 28. Hosted by Ethnic Media Services (EMS) and California Black Media (CBM), the awards ceremony recognized journalists for their outstanding reporting in different topic areas, including health, politics and culture.
Antonio Ray Harvey, California Black Media
More than 250 news professionals representing nearly 150 media outlets attended the annual Ethnic Media Conference, Expo, and Awards held at the Sheraton Grand Hotel in Sacramento on Aug. 27 and 28.
Hosted by Ethnic Media Services (EMS) and California Black Media (CBM), the awards ceremony recognized journalists for their outstanding reporting in different topic areas, including health, politics and culture.
The conference sessions leading up to that event included panel discussions featuring state officials, government agencies, lobbying firms, advocacy organizations and more. It also provided networking opportunities for news media owners and professionals from the Black, Native American, Latino, Asian, Pacific Islander, Eastern European, North African, Caribbean and LGBTQ press.
“Last year, the inaugural convening in the state capital focused on ‘meeting the decision-makers,’” said Regina Wilson, Executive Director of CBM. “This year, the emphasis is on strengthening those connections. Key decision-makers have expressed their appreciation for our return, recognizing that at a time of deep budget cuts, our community ties and communication skills are more essential than ever for building new, more equitable messaging,” Wilson added.
State leaders who attended the event included Attorney General Rob Bonta, State Treasurer Fiona Ma, and Tony Thurmond, State Superintendent of Public Instruction.
In addition to state government officials, business leaders, communications firms, nonprofits, and philanthropic organizations also participated in the conference organized to highlight the crucial role ethnic media play in California’s diverse communities.
“California is home to the largest concentration of multilingual news outlets serving immigrant and ethnic communities in the U.S.,” said Sandy Close, Director of EMS. “This breakthrough public-private partnership to support local journalism brings welcome recognition of the ethnic media sector’s indispensable role in connecting these diverse communities to each other and to the wider public realm.”
Thurmond discussed the ethnic media’s role in reporting on education in the state and why articles from ethnic media outlets have an advantage in reaching targeted audiences in underserved communities.
Thurmond, who is running for the governor of California in 2026, spoke at the opening luncheon where CBM and EMS presented Communications Champion Awards to key stakeholders representing organizations across the state’s communications infrastructure.
“We can’t get the right information out about education without the ethnic media in our state,” Thurmond said. “We need to get people to understand that if a student is not reading at a third-grade level in the third grade we will lose them, and they could end up in the prison pipeline.”
This year’s conference coincided with the announcement of the historic $172 million public-private partnership in California aimed at supporting journalism. That agreement brings together state government and high-tech companies led by Google to support local newsrooms.
The deal, supporters say, serves as a national model for strengthening the traditional role of journalism in providing checks and balances in government and business affairs. At a reception held the first day of the conference, CBM and EMS honored Assemblymember Buffy Wicks (D-Oakland) with the “Legislator of the Year” award. The organizations also thanked Wicks for brokering the deal with Google and for her ongoing support for news media.
“We’ve worked long and hard to gain this recognition as a multilingual, multiracial, multimedia sector,” said Wilson. “We extend our deepest thanks to our sponsors, speakers, media partners, and all our attendees for supporting this collective effort.”
Antonio Ray Harvey
California Legislative Black Caucus Elects New Leadership
On Aug.13, the California Legislative Black Caucus (CLBC) elected Assemblymember Akilah Weber (D-La Mesa) and Assemblymember Isaac G. Bryan (D-Ladera Heights) to serve as its next Chair and Vice Chair, respectively. “The CLBC has a long-standing tradition of excellence in its ability to represent and advocate for the needs of Black Californians, a responsibility that I deeply care about,” Weber stated.
By Antonio Ray Harvey, California Black Media
On Aug.13, the California Legislative Black Caucus (CLBC) elected Assemblymember Akilah Weber (D-La Mesa) and Assemblymember Isaac G. Bryan (D-Ladera Heights) to serve as its next Chair and Vice Chair, respectively.
“The CLBC has a long-standing tradition of excellence in its ability to represent and advocate for the needs of Black Californians, a responsibility that I deeply care about,” Weber stated.
“As I begin my tenure as Chair, I am committed to ensuring that the CLBC upholds its exceptional legislative advocacy, strong partnerships, and exemplary programs as we focus on the major issues impacting our communities,” she continued.
In her new role as Chair, Weber replaces Assemblymember Lori Wilson (D-Suisun City) and Bryan succeeds Vice Chair Sen. Steven Bradford (D-Inglewood) who is termed out at the end of the current legislative session and announced that he is a candidate for Lt. Governor.
“I want to thank our immediate past leadership team for their unwavering commitment to lead during these past two years,” Wilson stated. “Together, we have been a powerful force, championing legislative policies and budget items with the purpose of enriching the lives of Black Californians. I look forward to working with our new leadership as we continue to work to uplift over two million Black residents living in California.”
Assemblymember Mia Bonta (D-Alameda) has been elected Treasurer and Assemblymember Corey Jackson (D-Moreno Valley) will serve as Secretary.
The newly elected officers will assume their two-year terms in December.
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