Bill Text: CA AB275 | 2019-2020 | Regular Session | Amended

NOTE: There are more recent revisions of this legislation. Read Latest Draft

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Bill Title: Native American cultural preservation.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 3-0)

Status: (Passed) 2020-09-25 - Chaptered by Secretary of State - Chapter 167, Statutes of 2020. [AB275 Detail]

Download: California-2019-AB275-Amended.html

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Amended  IN  Assembly  March 26, 2019

CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE— 2019–2020 REGULAR SESSION

Assembly Bill

No. 275

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Introduced by Assembly Member Ramos

January 28, 2019

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An act to add Section 5097.100 to 8318 to the Government Code, to amend Sections 8012 and 8013 of the Health and Safety Code, and to amend Sections 5097.94, 21080.3.1, and 21080.3.2 of the Public Resources Code, relating to Native American resource protection.

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST

AB 275, as amended, Ramos. Native American cultural preservation.

(1) Existing law, the California Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act of 2001, requires all agencies and museums that receive state funding and have possession or control over collections of California Native American human remains and associated funerary obconsulting with tribes that may be affiliated with the human remains and associated funerary objects, this bill would require the agency or museum to consider tribal traditional knowledge, as defined, with comparable or greater weight than other nontribal sources of information. In determining whether an item is an “associated funerary object,” the bill would require that the agency or museum consider tribal traditional knowledge with comparable or greater weight than other nontribal sources of information.

Existing

(2) Existing law establishes the Native American Heritage Commission and vests the commission with specified powers and duties. Existing law requires the commission to publish a document that lists the California Indian tribes meeting the criteria for a California Indian tribe as well as authorized representatives to act on behalf of the tribe for various consultations and in matters pertaining to repatriation under the act (tribal contact list). Existing law authorizes the commission to bring an action to prevent severe and irreparable damage to, or assure appropriate access for Native Americans to, a Native American sanctified cemetery, place of worship, religious or ceremonial site, or sacred shrine located on public property. Existing law requires the Attorney General to represent the commission and the state in litigation concerning affairs of the commission, unless the Attorney General has determined to represent the agency against whom the commission’s action is directed, in which case the commission is authorized to employ other counsel.

This bill would additionally authorize the commission to employ other counsel if the Attorney General has determined there exists a conflict that would impair its ability to zealously advocate on behalf of the commission or when the commission reasonably believes that the Attorney General cannot, in good faith, represent the interests of the commission.

(3) The California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) requires a lead agency, as defined, to prepare, or cause to be prepared, and certify the completion of, an environmental impact report (EIR) on a project that it proposes to carry out or approve that may have a significant effect on the environment or to adopt a negative declaration if it finds that the project will not have that effect. CEQA also requires a lead agency to prepare a mitigated negative declaration for a project that may have a significant effect on the environment if revisions in the project would avoid or mitigate that effect and there is no substantial evidence that the project, as revised, would have a significant effect on the environment. Prior to the release of a negative declaration, mitigated negative declaration, or an EIR for a project, CEQA requires the lead agency to begin consultation with a California Native American tribe that is traditionally and culturally affiliated with the geographic area of the proposed project, if the tribe requested in writing to be informed by the lead agency through formal notification of proposed projects in the geographic area that is traditionally and culturally affiliated with the tribe and the tribe responds in writing within 30 days of receipt of the formal notification requesting consultation. Existing law authorizes the Native American Heritage Commission to provide each California Native American tribe with a list of all public agencies that may be a lead agency within the geographical area with which the tribe is traditionally and culturally affiliated, the contact information of those public agencies, and information on how the tribe may request the public agency to notify the tribe of projects within the jurisdiction of those public agencies for the purposes of requesting consultation pursuant to CEQA.

This bill would instead authorize the commission to provide each lead agency with a project within the geographic area with which a California Native American tribe is traditionally and culturally affiliated, the contact information of those tribes, and information on how the lead agency may initiate consultation with the tribe pursuant to CEQA. The bill would revise the CEQA tribal consultation provisions to require a lead agency to begin consultation with a California Native American tribe that is traditionally and culturally affiliated with the geographic area of the proposed project as indicated by the tribal contact list. The bill would provide that a California Native American tribe has 45 days within which to begin consultation after receiving a formal invitation to consult from the lead agency. If the consultation concludes because one of the parties reaches the conclusion that mutual agreement cannot be reached with respect to measures to avoid or mitigate a significant effect on a tribal cultural resource, the bill would require the lead agency and the tribe to engage in mediation by the commission.

(4) This bill would require every state agency, as defined, and request the Regents of the University of California, to designate one or more liaisons for the purpose of engaging in consultation with California Native American tribes on the tribal contact list and educating the agency on topics relevant to the state’s relationship with those tribes. The bill would request the Regents of the University of California, and require every other state agency with 30 or more employees or one or more contracts or grants for the procurement of any property or services with or from a California Native American tribe on the tribal contact list, to designate one or more liaisons with the sole responsibility of fulfilling this purpose.

This bill would state the intent of the Legislature to implement updated policies on Native American cultural preservation.

Digest Key

Vote: MAJORITY   Appropriation: NO   Fiscal Committee: NOYES   Local Program: NO  

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Bill Text

The people of the State of California do enact as follows:

SECTION 1.

 Section 8318 is added to the Government Code, to read:

8318.

 (a) For purposes of this section, “state agency” means a department or agency of the state, the California State University, the University of California, and the Administrative Office of the Courts.

(b) The Regents, on behalf of the University of California, are requested to designate, and every other state agency shall designate, one or more liaisons for the purpose of engaging in consultation with California Native American tribes on the contact list maintained by the Native American Heritage Commission pursuant to subparagraph (B) of paragraph (2) of subdivision (j) of Section 8012 of the Health and Safety Code and educating the agency on topics relevant to the state’s relationship with those tribes.

(c) The Regents, on behalf of the University of California, are requested to designate, and every other state agency with 30 or more employees or one or more contracts or grants for the procurement of any property or services with or from a California Native American tribe on the contact list maintained by the Native American Heritage Commission, shall designate one or more liaisons with the sole responsibility of fulfilling the purpose outlined in subdivision (b).

SEC. 2.

 Section 8012 of the Health and Safety Code is amended to read:

8012.

 As used in this chapter, terms shall have the same meaning as in the federal Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (25 U.S.C. Sec. 3001 et seq.), as interpreted by federal regulations, except that the following terms shall have the following meaning:

(a)  “Agency” means a division, department, bureau, commission, board, council, city, county, city and county, district, or other political subdivision of the state, but does not include a school district.

(b)  “Burial site” means, except for cemeteries and graveyards protected under existing state law, a natural or prepared physical location, whether originally below, on, or above the surface of the earth, into which human remains were intentionally deposited as a part of the death rites or ceremonies of a culture.

(c)  “Commission” means the Native American Heritage Commission, established pursuant to Section 5097.91 of the Public Resources Code.

(d)  “Cultural items” shall have the same meaning as defined by Section 3001 of Title 25 of the United States Code, except that it shall mean only those items that originated in California.

(e)  “Control” means having ownership of human remains and cultural items sufficient to lawfully permit a museum or agency to treat the object as part of its collection for purposes of this chapter, whether or not the human remains and cultural items are in the physical custody of the museum or agency. Items on loan to a museum or agency from another person, museum, or agency shall be deemed to be in the control of the lender, and not the borrowing museum or agency.

(f)  “State cultural affiliation” means that there is a relationship of shared group identity that can reasonably be traced historically or prehistorically between members of a present-day California Indian Tribe, tribe, as defined in subdivision (j), and an identifiable earlier tribe or group. Cultural affiliation is established when the preponderance of the evidence, based on geography, kinship, biology, archaeology, linguistics, folklore, oral tradition, historical evidence, or other information or expert opinion, reasonably leads to such a conclusion.

(g)  “Inventory” means an itemized list that summarizes the collection of human remains and associated funerary objects in the possession or control of an agency or museum. This itemized list may be the inventory list required under the federal Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (25 U.S.C. Sec. 3001 et seq.).

(h)  “Summary” means a document that summarizes the collection of unassociated funerary objects, sacred objects, or objects of cultural patrimony in the possession or control of an agency or museum. This document may be the summary prepared under the federal Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (25 U.S.C. Sec. 3001 et seq.).

(i)  “Museum” means an entity, including a higher educational institution, excluding school districts, that receives state funds.

(j)  “California Indian tribe” means any tribe located in California to which any of the following applies:

(1)  It meets the definition of Indian tribe under the federal Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (25 U.S.C. Sec. 3001 et seq.).

(2)  It is not recognized by the federal government, but is indigenous to the territory that is now known as the State of California, and both of the following apply:

(A)  It is listed in the Bureau of Indian Affairs Branch of Acknowledgement and Research petitioner list pursuant to Section 82.1 of Title 25 of the Federal Code of Regulations.

(B)  It is determined by the commission to be a tribe that is eligible to participate in the repatriation process set forth in this chapter. The commission shall publish a document that lists the California tribes meeting these criteria, as well as authorized representatives to act on behalf of the tribe in the consultations required under paragraph (3) subparagraph (C) of paragraph (1) of subdivision (a) of Section 8013 and in matters pertaining to repatriation under this chapter. Criteria that shall guide the commission in making the determination of eligibility shall include, but not be limited to, the following:

(i)  A continuous identity as an autonomous and separate tribal government.

(ii)  Holding itself out as a tribe.

(iii)  The tribe as a whole has demonstrated aboriginal ties to the territory now known as the State of California and its members can demonstrate lineal descent from the identifiable earlier groups that inhabited a particular tribal territory.

(iv)  Recognition by the Indian community and non-Indian entities as a tribe.

(v)  Demonstrated membership criteria.

(k)  “Possession” means having physical custody of human remains and cultural items with a sufficient legal interest to lawfully treat the human remains and cultural items as part of a collection. The term does not include human remains and cultural items on loan to an agency or museum.

(l)  “Preponderance of the evidence” means that the party’s evidence on a fact indicates that it is more likely than not that the fact is true.

(m) “Tribal traditional knowledge” means knowledge systems embedded and often safeguarded in the traditional culture of California Native American tribes, including, but not limited to, knowledge about traditional ceremonial practices, lifeways, climate, and subsistence.

SEC. 3.

 Section 8013 of the Health and Safety Code is amended to read:

8013.

 (a) (1) Any agency or museum that has possession or control over collections of California Native American human remains and associated funerary objects shall complete an inventory of all these remains and associated funerary objects and, to the extent possible based on all information possessed by the agency or museum, do all of the following:

(1)

(A) Identify the geographical location, state cultural affiliation, and the circumstances surrounding their acquisition.

(2)

(B) List in the inventory the human remains and associated funerary objects that are clearly identifiable as to state cultural affiliation with California Indian tribes. These items shall be listed first in order to expedite the repatriation of these items.

(3)

(C) List the human remains and associated funerary objects that are not clearly identifiable by cultural affiliation but that, given the totality of circumstances surrounding their acquisition and characteristics characteristics, are determined by a reasonable belief to be human remains and associated funerary objects with a state cultural affiliation with one or more California Indian tribes. Consult with California Indian tribes believed by the agency or museum to be affiliated with the items, during the compilation of the inventory as part of the determination of affiliation. If the agency or museum cannot determine which California Indian tribes are believed to be affiliated with the items, then tribes that may be affiliated with the items shall be consulted during the compilation of the inventory. In consulting with tribes that may be affiliated with those items, the agency or museum shall consider tribal traditional knowledge with comparable or greater weight than other nontribal sources of information.

(2) In determining whether an item is an “associated funerary object,” the agency or museum shall consider tribal traditional knowledge with comparable or greater weight than other nontribal sources of information.

(b) Any agency or museum that has possession or control over collections of California Indian unassociated funerary objects, sacred objects, or objects of cultural patrimony shall provide a written summary of the objects based upon available information held by the agency or museum. The summary shall describe the scope of the collection, kinds of objects included, reference to geographical location, means and period of acquisition, and state cultural affiliation, where readily ascertainable. The summary shall be in lieu of an object-by-object inventory. Each agency or museum, following preparation of a summary pursuant to this subdivision, shall consult with California Indian tribes and tribally authorized government officials and traditional religious leaders.

(c) Each agency or museum shall complete the inventories and summaries required by subdivisions (a) and (b) by January 1, 2003, or within one year of the date on which the commission issues the list of California Indian tribes provided for under paragraph (2) of subdivision (i) (j) of Section 8012, whichever is later. To the extent that this section requires the inventory and summary to include items not required to be included in the inventory and summary under the federal Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (25 U.S.C. Sec. 3001 et seq.), the agency or museum shall supplement its inventory and summary under this section to include those additional items.

(d) Upon request of a California Indian tribe, a museum or agency shall supply additional available documentation to supplement the information required by subdivisions (a) and (b). For purposes of this paragraph, “documentation” means a summary of existing museum or agency records, including inventories or catalogs, relevant studies, or other pertinent data for the limited purpose of determining the geographical origin, cultural affiliation, and basic facts surrounding the acquisition and accession of California Native American human remains and cultural items subject to this section. This section shall not be construed to authorize the completion or initiation of any scientific study of human remains or cultural items.

(e) Within 90 days of completing the inventory and summary specified in subdivisions (a) and (b), the agency or museum shall provide a copy of the inventory and summary to the commission. The commission shall, in turn, publish notices of completion of summaries and inventories on its Web site internet website for 30 days, and make the inventory and summary available to any requesting tribe or state affiliated tribe.

(f) The inventory and summary specified in subdivisions (a) and (b) shall be completed by all agencies and museums that have possession or control of Native American human remains or cultural items, regardless of whether the agency or museum is also subject to the requirements of the federal Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (25 U.S.C. Sec. 3001 et seq.). Any inventory or summary, or any portion of an inventory or summary, that has been created to meet the requirements of the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (25 U.S.C. Sec. 3001 et seq.) may be used to meet the requirements of this chapter, if appropriate.

(g) Any agency or museum that has completed inventories and summaries on or before January 1, 2002, as required by the federal Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (25 U.S.C. Sec. 3001 et seq.) shall be deemed to be in compliance with this section provided that the agency or museum does both of the following:

(1) Provide a copy of the inventories and summaries to the commission by July 1, 2002, or within 30 days of the date on which the commission is formed, whichever is later.

(2) Prepare supplementary inventories and summaries as necessary to comply with subdivisions (a) and (b) for those portions of their collections that originate from California and that have not been determined to be culturally affiliated with federally recognized tribes which, that, in the case of inventories, are those portions of the collections of an agency or museum that have been identified on their inventories under the federal Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (25 U.S.C. Sec. 3001 et seq.) as “culturally unidentifiable,” by January 1, 2003, or within one year of the date on which the commission issues the list of California Indian tribes provided for under paragraph (2) of subdivision (j) of Section 8012, whichever is later.

(h) If the agency or museum determines that it does not have in its possession or control any human remains or cultural items, the agency or museum shall, in lieu of an inventory or summary, state that finding in a letter to the commission at the commission’s request.

(i) Following completion of the initial inventories and summaries specified in subdivisions (a) and (b), each agency or museum shall update its inventories and summaries whenever the agency or museum receives possession or control of human remains or cultural items that were not included in the initial inventories and summaries. Upon completion, the agency or museum shall provide a copy of its updated inventories and summaries to the commission. Nothing in this section shall be construed to mean that a museum or agency may delay repatriation of items in the initial inventory until the updating of all inventories and summaries is completed.

SEC. 4.

 Section 5097.94 of the Public Resources Code is amended to read:

5097.94.

 The commission shall have the following powers and duties:

(a) To identify and catalog places of special religious or social significance to Native Americans, and known graves and cemeteries of Native Americans on private lands. The identification and cataloguing of known graves and cemeteries shall be completed on or before January 1, 1984. The commission shall notify landowners on whose property the graves and cemeteries are determined to exist, and shall identify the Native American group California Native American tribe on the contact list maintained by the commission pursuant to subparagraph (B) of paragraph (2) of subdivision (j) of Section 8012 of the Health and Safety Code that is most likely descended from those Native Americans who may be interred on the property.

(b) To make recommendations relative to Native American sacred places that are located on private lands, are inaccessible to Native Americans, and have cultural significance to Native Americans for acquisition by the state or other public agencies for the purpose of facilitating or assuring access thereto by Native Americans.

(c) To make recommendations to the Legislature relative to procedures that will voluntarily encourage private property owners to preserve and protect sacred places in a natural state and to allow appropriate access to Native American religionists for ceremonial or spiritual activities.

(d) To appoint necessary clerical staff.

(e) To accept grants or donations, real or in kind, to carry out the purposes of this chapter and the California Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act of 2001 (Chapter 5 (commencing with Section 8010) of Part 2 of Division 7 of the Health and Safety Code).

(f) To make recommendations to the Director of Parks and Recreation and the California Arts Council relative to the California State Indian Museum and other Indian matters touched upon by department programs.

(g) To bring an action to prevent severe and irreparable damage to, or assure appropriate access for Native Americans to, a Native American sanctified cemetery, place of worship, religious or ceremonial site, or sacred shrine located on public property, pursuant to Section 5097.97. If the court finds that severe and irreparable damage will occur or that appropriate access will be denied, and appropriate mitigation measures are not available, it shall issue an injunction, unless it finds, on clear and convincing evidence, that the public interest and necessity require otherwise. The Attorney General shall represent the commission and the state in litigation concerning affairs of the commission, unless the Attorney General has determined to represent the agency against whom the commission’s action is directed, has determined there exists a conflict that would impair its ability to zealously advocate on behalf of the commission, or when the commission reasonably believes that the Attorney General cannot, in good faith, represent the interests of the commission, in which case the commission shall be authorized to employ other counsel. In an action to enforce this subdivision subdivision, the commission shall introduce evidence showing that a cemetery, place, site, or shrine has been historically regarded as a sacred or sanctified place by Native American people and represents a place of unique historical and cultural significance to an Indian tribe or community.

(h) To request and utilize the advice and service of all federal, state, local, and regional agencies, including for purposes of carrying out the California Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act of 2001 (Chapter 5 (commencing with Section 8010) of Part 2 of Division 7 of the Health and Safety Code).

(i) To assist Native Americans in obtaining appropriate access to sacred places that are located on public lands for ceremonial or spiritual activities.

(j) To assist state agencies in any negotiations with agencies of the federal government for the protection of Native American sacred places that are located on federal lands.

(k) (1) To mediate, upon application of either of the parties, disputes arising between landowners and known descendants relating to the treatment and disposition of Native American human burials, skeletal remains, and items associated with Native American burials.

(2) The agreements shall provide protection to Native American human burials and skeletal remains from vandalism and inadvertent destruction and provide for sensitive treatment and disposition of Native American burials, skeletal remains, and associated grave goods consistent with the planned use of, or the approved project on, the land.

(l) To assist interested landowners in developing agreements with appropriate Native American groups for treating or disposing, with appropriate dignity, of the human remains and any items associated with Native American burials.

(m) To provide each California Native American tribe, as defined in Section 21073, on or before July 1, 2016, with a list of all public agencies that may be a lead agency pursuant to Division 13 (commencing with Section 21000) with a project within the geographic area with which the a California Native American tribe is traditionally and culturally affiliated, as indicated on the contact list maintained by the Native American Heritage Commission pursuant to subparagraph (B) of paragraph (2) of subdivision (j) of Section 8012 of the Health and Safety Code, the contact information of those public agencies, tribes, and information on how the tribe may request the public agency to notify the tribe of projects within the jurisdiction of those public agencies for the purposes of requesting lead agency may initiate consultation pursuant to Section 21080.3.1.

(n) (1) To assume the powers and duties of the former Repatriation Oversight Commission and meet, when necessary and at least quarterly, to perform the following duties:

(A) Order the repatriation of human remains and cultural items in accordance with the act.

(B) Establish mediation procedures and, upon the application of the parties involved, mediate disputes among tribes and museums and agencies relating to the disposition of human remains and cultural items. The commission shall have the power of subpoena for purposes of discovery and may impose civil penalties against any agency or museum that intentionally or willfully fails to comply with the act. Members of the commission and commission staff shall receive training in mediation for purposes of this subparagraph. The commission may delegate its responsibility to mediate disputes to a certified mediator or commission staff.

(C) Establish and maintain an Internet Web site internet website for communication among tribes and museums and agencies.

(D) Upon the request of tribes or museums and agencies, analyze and make decisions regarding providing financial assistance to aid in specific repatriation activities.

(E) Make recommendations to the Legislature to assist tribes in obtaining the dedication of appropriate state lands for the purposes of reinterment of human remains and cultural items.

(F) (i) Prepare and submit to the Legislature an annual report detailing commission activities, disbursement of funds, and dispute resolutions relating to the repatriation activities under the act.

(ii) A report submitted to the Legislature pursuant to this subparagraph shall be submitted in compliance with Section 9795 of the Government Code.

(G) Refer any known noncompliance with the federal Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (25 U.S.C. Sec. 3001 et seq.) to the United States Attorney General and the Secretary of the Interior.

(H) Impose administrative civil penalties pursuant to Section 8029 of the Health and Safety Code against an agency or museum that is determined by the commission to have violated the act.

(I) Establish those rules and regulations the commission determines to be necessary for the administration of the act.

(2) For purposes of this subdivision, the following terms have the following meanings:

(A) “Act” means the California Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (Chapter 5 (commencing with Section 8010) of Part 2 of Division 7 of the Health and Safety Code).

(B) “Tribe” means a “California Indian tribe” as that term is used in the act.

(o) (1) To establish and assess a fee on a person or public or private entity that is reasonably related to the cost of conducting a search of catalogs, described in subdivision (a), inventories, described in Section 5097.96, or lists, described in Section 21073, for that person or entity, which funds shall be available to the commission upon appropriation by the Legislature.

(2) The Legislature finds that, pursuant to subdivision (b) of Section 3 of Article XIII A of the California Constitution, the fees established pursuant to paragraph (1) are not taxes. To the extent that these fees are appropriated through the Budget Act for the purposes for which they are collected to provide services to the people of the State of California, the Legislature finds that these fees are not subject to Article XIII B of the California Constitution.

(p) Review and provide comment and guidance on all policies and procedures proposed pursuant to Article 3 (commencing with Section 8025) of Chapter 5 of Part 2 of Division 7 of the Health and Safety Code.

SEC. 5.

 Section 21080.3.1 of the Public Resources Code is amended to read:

21080.3.1.

 (a) The Legislature finds and declares that California Native American tribes traditionally and culturally affiliated with a geographic area may have expertise concerning their tribal cultural resources.

(b) Prior to Before the release of a negative declaration, mitigated negative declaration, or environmental impact report for a project, the lead agency shall begin consultation with a California Native American tribe that is traditionally and culturally affiliated with the geographic area of the proposed project if: (1) the California Native American tribe requested to the lead agency, in writing, to be informed by the lead agency through formal notification of proposed projects in the geographic area that is traditionally and culturally affiliated with the tribe, and (2) the California Native American tribe responds, in writing, within 30 days of receipt of the formal notification, and requests the consultation. When responding to as indicated by the list maintained by the Native American Heritage Commission pursuant to subparagraph (B) of paragraph (2) of subdivision (j) of Section 8012 of the Health and Safety Code. When corresponding with the lead agency, the California Native American tribe shall may designate a lead contact person. person, which designation shall remain in effect until and unless rescinded by the California Native American tribe. If the California Native American tribe does not designate a lead contact person, or designates multiple lead contact people, the lead agency shall defer to the individual listed on the contact list maintained by the Native American Heritage Commission for the purposes of Chapter 905 of the Statutes of 2004. pursuant to subparagraph (B) of paragraph (2) of subdivision (j) of Section 8012 of the Health and Safety Code. For purposes of this section and Section 21080.3.2, “consultation” shall have the same meaning as provided in Section 65352.4 of the Government Code.

(c) To expedite the requirements of this section, the Native American Heritage Commission shall assist the lead agency in identifying the California Native American tribes that are traditionally and culturally affiliated with the project area.

(d) Within 14 days of determining that an application for a project is complete or a decision by a public agency to undertake a project, the lead agency shall provide formal notification a formal invitation to consult to the designated contact of, or a tribal representative of, traditionally and culturally affiliated California Native American tribes that have requested notice, tribes, which shall be accomplished by means of at least one written notification that includes a brief description of the proposed project and its location, the lead agency contact information, and a notification that the California Native American tribe has 30 days to request consultation pursuant to this section. 45 days to begin the consultation process pursuant to this section, unless the parties mutually agree to an extension of the 45-day period.

(e)The lead agency shall begin the consultation process within 30 days of receiving a California Native American tribe’s request for consultation.

SEC. 6.

 Section 21080.3.2 of the Public Resources Code is amended to read:

21080.3.2.

 (a) As a part of the consultation pursuant to Section 21080.3.1, the parties may propose mitigation measures, including, but not limited to, those recommended in Section 21084.3, capable of avoiding or substantially lessening potential significant impacts to a tribal cultural resource or alternatives that would avoid significant impacts to a tribal cultural resource. If the California Native American tribe requests consultation regarding alternatives to the project, recommended mitigation measures, or significant effects, the consultation shall include those topics. The consultation may include discussion concerning the type of environmental review necessary, the significance of tribal cultural resources, the significance of the project’s impacts on the tribal cultural resources, and, if necessary, project alternatives or the appropriate measures for preservation or mitigation that the California Native American tribe may recommended to the lead agency.

(b) The consultation shall be considered concluded when either of the following occurs:

(1) The parties agree to measures to mitigate or avoid a significant effect, if a significant effect exists, on a tribal cultural resource.

(2) A party, acting in good faith and after reasonable effort, concludes that mutual agreement cannot be reached.

(c) In the event that consultation concludes due to a party’s conclusion that mutual agreement cannot be reached, the parties shall engage in mediation by the Native American Heritage Commission.

(c)

(d) (1) This section does not limit the ability of a California Native American tribe or the public to submit information to the lead agency regarding the significance of the tribal cultural resources, the significance of the project’s impact on tribal cultural resources, or any appropriate measures to mitigate the impact.

(2) This section does not limit the ability of the lead agency or project proponent to incorporate changes and additions to the project as a result of the consultation, even if not legally required.

(d)

(e) If the project proponent or its consultants participate in the consultation, those parties shall respect the principles set forth in this section.

SECTION 1.Section 5097.100 is added to the Public Resources Code, to read:

5097.100.

It is the intent of the Legislature to implement updated policies on Native American cultural preservation.