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AB 2507

Office of Tribal Affairs.

2025-2026 Regular Session Introduced by Heather Hadwick and 5 co-sponsors

Creates the Office of Tribal Affairs and a Tribal Advisory Committee to standardize and strengthen California’s government-to-tribal engagement and policy input.

From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. with recommendation: To Consent Calendar. (Ayes 14. Noes 0.) (June 23). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.
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Bill Summary · AB 2507

Summary of AB 2507 (2025-2026) – Office of Tribal Affairs

This bill would reorganize and strengthen California’s framework for government-to-government engagement with California Indian Tribes by creating the Office of Tribal Affairs within the Governor’s Office and establishing a Tribal Advisory Committee to advise it.

Purpose and intent

  • Establish a formal, durable administrative structure to strengthen government-to-government relationships between the State of California and California Indian Tribes.
  • Ensure tribes have meaningful input into policies, regulations, and programs that affect tribal communities.
  • Standardize tribal engagement across state agencies and elevate tribal expertise in governance and service design.

Key provisions and changes

  • New organizational structure

    • Create the Office of Tribal Affairs within the Office of the Governor, headed by the Secretary of Tribal Affairs (appointed by the Governor and serving at the Governor’s pleasure).
    • The Secretary of Tribal Affairs shall be the Governor’s principal advisor on tribal affairs and facilitate government-to-government engagement between tribal governments and state agencies. The Secretary must be an enrolled member of a federally recognized California tribe.

  • State agency responsibilities (tribal liaison framework)

    • Every state agency that engages with or has programs affecting tribal governments must:
    • Designate a tribal liaison.
    • Place the tribal liaison in the agency’s executive office, reporting directly to the agency’s chief executive.
    • Ensure the liaison is the primary point of contact for tribal governments and coordinates engagement.
    • Notify the Office of Tribal Affairs within 30 days of a vacancy, appointment, or replacement of the liaison.
    • Adopt a tribal consultation policy aligned with existing Executive Orders B-10-11 and N-15-19.

  • Advisory body: Tribal Advisory Committee

    • Establish a nine-member Tribal Advisory Committee to support the Office of Tribal Affairs.
    • Regional representation: three members each from the northern, central, and southern regions of California.
    • Appointment timeline: Governor to appoint by the second quarter of 2027; members serve three-year terms with staggered starts (2028–2030 for initial terms).
    • Meeting cadence: starting 2027, minimum three meetings per year; from 2028, minimum four meetings per year.
    • Roles: Provide guidance, recommendations, and tribal perspectives to strengthen government-to-government engagement and improve design, access, and implementation of state programs and services affecting tribes.
    • Open meeting requirements: Committee is subject to the Bagley-Keene Open Meeting Act; members serve without compensation but may be reimbursed for necessary expenses.
    • Limitations: Committee does not supersede formal consultation processes or grant approval authority over state actions.

  • Office and committee duties (shared responsibilities)

    • Review and recommend improvements to tribal consultation policies and practices across state agencies; work toward consistency.
    • Identify barriers to tribal participation in state programs (e.g., contracting, timelines, confidentiality concerns).
    • Propose statewide strategies that recognize tribal sovereignty and align state and tribal goals.
    • Develop guidance for agencies on effective tribal engagement (communication protocols, timelines, and early incorporation of tribal knowledge).
    • Identify cross-agency issues and propose coordinated approaches.
    • Provide recommendations on tribal liaison and tribal policy advisor roles, authority, and qualifications.

  • Operational responsibilities of the Office of Tribal Affairs

    • Support implementation of consultation policies and facilitate direct engagement between agencies and tribal governments.
    • Provide training, guidance, and technical assistance to tribal liaisons and agency personnel to promote culturally informed engagement.
    • Improve cross-agency communication to ensure consistency and avoid conflicting processes.
    • Keep tribal governments informed of state policy developments affecting their programs or interests.
    • Track adoption and use of tribal consultation policies and liaison positions.
    • Maintain publicly accessible lists of tribal liaison contacts and adopted tribal consultation policies.

Who is affected

  • State agencies, boards, commissions, and departments with programs affecting tribal governments.
  • Tribal governments and tribal communities in California, as direct beneficiaries of enhanced engagement and more timely, culturally informed program design.
  • The Governor’s Office and the new Secretary of Tribal Affairs, who will lead policy coordination and government-to-government engagement.
  • The nine-member Tribal Advisory Committee (appointed by the Governor) and their regional tribal leadership networks.

Procedural and timeline aspects

  • Effective establishment of the Office of Tribal Affairs and identification of the Secretary of Tribal Affairs as head is immediate to enable implementation.
  • Tribal liaison designation and consultation policy adoption by each state agency must occur, with reporting obligations to the Office of Tribal Affairs within 30 days of liaison vacancy or appointment.
  • The Tribal Advisory Committee appointments must occur by the second quarter of 2027; initial staggered terms run 2028–2030, with ongoing three-year terms thereafter.
  • The committee must meet at least three times annually starting in 2027, increasing to at least four times annually starting in 2028.
  • The bill codifies with references to existing executive orders (B-10-11 and N-15-19) to guide implementation and align new requirements with current federal/state-tribal consultation norms.

Fiscal:

  • The digest notes “Appropriation: NO” and “Fiscal Committee: YES,” indicating no new direct appropriation is attached to the bill, though there may be administrative costs to agencies and the Office of Tribal Affairs for staffing, training, and ongoing operations.

This bill aims to institutionalize and elevate tribal engagement across California state government, making tribal consultation policies, liaisons, and an advisory committee central to state governance with the goal of improved services and stronger government-to-government relations.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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