California Attorney General Rob Bonta announced the signing of Assembly Bill (AB) 2695 by Governor Gavin Newsom. The new law mandates that law enforcement agencies collect data on crimes occurring on Indian lands and report this information to the California Department of Justice. This initiative aims to address the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Persons (MMIP) crisis and improve public safety in Indian Country and nearby communities. AB 2695 was authored by Assemblymember James C. Ramos and sponsored by Attorney General Bonta.
Attorney General Bonta expressed gratitude for the enactment, stating, "I want to thank Governor Newsom for signing AB 2695 into law. 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. This will help all of us develop data-driven strategies to end the MMIP crisis in our state and improve justice for tribal citizens."
Assemblymember Ramos highlighted the significance of the measure: "This measure will help California deal with the lack of clear data about MMIP and where domestic violence occurs. That information will better inform us about how to deal with this issue as California ranks fifth in the nation in MMIP unresolved cases."
The text of the legislation is available online.