Gavin Newsom Makes Native American Day Paid State Holiday

Governor Gavin Newsom signed Assembly Bill 1841 on September 25, establishing Native American Day as a paid state holiday for employees in California. While the day has been an official holiday since 1998, the new law ensures workers are paid for the observance, which occurs on the fourth Friday of September.

Proposed by Assemblymember James Ramos, the only Native American elected to the state legislature, the holiday was part of a broader legislative package supporting Indigenous communities. This included the Rowena Mae Ramos Act (Assembly Bill 2115), which provides a formal apology from the state legislature and courts for past atrocities and state-backed violence. Other measures signed by Newsom make the Governor’s Office of Tribal Affairs and the Tribal Police Program permanent, recognize tribal colleges as part of the public higher education system, and strengthen legal protections for Native American children in guardianship cases.

State officials and sponsors described the moves as a foundation for mutual respect and an acknowledgment of the role Native communities played in shaping the state's identity. However, some tribal leaders offered a more critical perspective. Antoinette Del Rio, chairwoman of the California Valley Miwok Tribe, stated that while the legislation honors those who prevailed, symbolic gestures do not atone for historical and ongoing injustices.