Senate BillPassed first houseGovernment
SB 4: Missing and Murdered Indigenous Persons Justice Program.
What SB 4 does, verified December 7, 2025
This bill establishes a missing and murdered indigenous persons justice program within the Department of Justice. The program is responsible for facilitating collaboration between tribal victims' families, tribal governments, and law enforcement agencies regarding active and inactive cases involving missing and murdered indigenous persons in California. The program acts as a liaison between these parties and works to improve communication and investigation of these cases. The program must submit an annual report to the legislature, which includes data on the number of cases and facts about missing and murdered indigenous persons in California. The program's work is focused on human trafficking cases, and its efforts are intended to improve justice and support for victims' families.
Bill journey
✓IntroducedComplete
✓In CommitteeComplete
✓First Chamber FloorComplete
4Second ChamberCurrent
5GovernorPending
6ChapteredPending
Last action: August 29 hearing: Held in committee and under submission. (2025-08-29)Alert me
Author and sponsors
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| Aug. 29, 2025 | August 29 hearing: Held in committee and under submission. |
| Jul. 16, 2025 | July 16 set for first hearing. Placed on APPR. suspense file. |
| Jul. 16, 2025 | July 16 set for first hearing. Placed on suspense file. |
| Jun. 17, 2025 | From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. with recommendation: To consent calendar. (Ayes 9. Noes 0.) (June 17). Re-referred to Com. on APPR. |
| Jun. 09, 2025 | Referred to Com. on PUB. S. |
Latest bill textAmended version, May 23, 2025 · 549 words
| Amended IN Senate May 23, 2025 |
| Amended IN Senate March 12, 2025 |
CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE— 2025–2026 REGULAR SESSION
Senate Bill
No. 4
| Introduced by Senator Cervantes (Principal coauthor: Assembly Member Ramos) (Coauthor: Senator Richardson) (Coauthor: Assembly Member Schiavo) |
December 02, 2024 |
An act to add Section 15008 to the Government Code, relating to state government.
LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST
SB 4, as amended, Cervantes. Missing and Murdered Indigenous Persons Justice Program.
Existing law establishes the Department of Justice, and makes the department responsible, in part, for overseeing statewide criminal justice programs.
Existing law requires the Department of Justice to provide technical assistance to local law enforcement agencies and tribal governments relating to, among other things, providing guidance for law enforcement education and training on policing and criminal investigations on Indian lands, providing guidance on improving crime reporting, crime statistics, criminal procedures, and investigative tools, and facilitating and supporting improved communication between local law enforcement agencies and tribal governments.
This bill would establish a Missing and Murdered Indigenous Persons Justice Program within and under the discretion of the Department of Justice. The bill would impose specified responsibilities on the program, including facilitating collaboration and acting as a liaison between tribal victims’ families, tribal governments, and federal, tribal, state, and out-of-state law enforcement agencies, where appropriate, regarding active and inactive cases involving missing and murdered indigenous persons in California, including cases involving human trafficking. The bill, until January 1, 2029, 2028, would require the program to submit an annual report to both houses of the Legislature containing, among other things, data on the number of and facts about cases involving missing and murdered indigenous persons in California.
The people of the State of California do enact as follows:
SECTION 1.
Section 15008 is added to the Government Code, to read:15008.
The Missing and Murdered Indigenous Persons Justice Program is established within and under the discretion of the Department of Justice. The program shall have all of the following responsibilities:(a) Facilitate collaboration and act as a liaison between tribal victims’ families, tribal governments, and federal, tribal, state, and out-of-state law enforcement agencies, where appropriate, regarding active and inactive cases involving missing and murdered indigenous persons in California, including cases involving human trafficking.
(b) Provide technical assistance to law enforcement agencies already engaged in investigating cases involving missing and murdered indigenous persons in California, including cases of human trafficking.
(c) Publish data on the number of, and facts about, cases involving missing and murdered indigenous persons in California, where appropriate.
(d) (1) Submit an annual report to both houses of the Legislature containing all of the following:
(A) The cases the department acted as a liaison pursuant to subdivision (a) and provided technical assistance to law enforcement pursuant to subdivision (b).
(B) The information published pursuant to subdivision (c).
(C) An analysis of all appropriate data, and any recommendations to assist or improve upon necessary collaboration and coordination between local, state, and tribal governments in addressing missing and murdered indigenous persons in California.
(2) (A) The requirement for submitting a report imposed pursuant to this subdivision is inoperative on and after January 1, 2029, 2028, pursuant to Section 10231.5.
(B) The report to be submitted pursuant to this subdivision shall be submitted in compliance with Section 9795.
Text of SB 4 as amended, from the official record. Connect Plus keeps every version and highlights what changed.Compare versions