California lawmakers approve Native American religious and land protections

California lawmakers have passed two significant pieces of legislation impacting tribal rights and land management. Assembly Bill 1881, known as the California Indian Freedom Act of 2026, establishes new protections for the religious and spiritual practices of Native American tribes on state-owned lands. Effective January 1, 2028, the law prohibits state agencies from substantially burdening Native American religious exercises unless they can demonstrate a compelling governmental interest using the least restrictive means. This includes ensuring access to sacred sites, ceremonial grounds, and the gathering of traditional plants and foods.

Additionally, Assembly Bill 2494 has been approved and is heading to Governor Gavin Newsom’s desk. This bill seeks to shift the management of California’s state forest system away from a commercial logging mandate toward a model that prioritizes carbon storage, wildfire resilience, and biodiversity. The legislation directs state officials to seek agreements with Native American tribes to integrate traditional ecological knowledge into land management practices, paving the way for tribal co-management of ancestral forests.