An Assembly Bill sponsored by the Karuk Tribe, which seeks to expand consultation between state water agencies and tribes during water policy decisions, passed through the California Assembly last week. … If signed into law, Assembly Bill 2218 would declare, as statewide policy, recognition of “the inequities regarding access to, and control over, water caused by state-sanctioned acts of termination, removal, and assimilation inflicted upon all California Native American tribes.” … A key provision of the bill is requiring consultation with tribes when certain water policies are revisited by state agencies. The State Water Board, when investigating the basis of a water right, would need to consult with a California Native American tribe whose ancestral territory includes the water body, when requested.

Related articles:

• Karuk Tribe: News release: Kalra’s AB 2218 passes state assembly unanimously​​
• CalMatters (Sacramento, Calif.): Brief: AB 2218: Water policy: California Native American tribes