Assembly hearing spotlights missing and murdered Indigenous people; tribes and law enforcement call for funding, training and better coordination

Tribal leaders, researchers and state and county law enforcement told the California State Assembly Select Committee on Native American Affairs that the state must act to address a longstanding crisis of missing and murdered Indigenous people that they said is magnified by an underfunded legal framework and inconsistent local responses.

Cheyenne Stone, chairperson of the Big Pine Paiute Tribe of the Owens Valley, said historical violence remains current: "They shape the lived experience of Native American communities today," she said, describing forced removals and recent discoveries of human remains found during highway work in Owens Valley.

The committee heard recurring themes: calls for mandated and culturally informed law‑enforcement training, quicker and clearer use of the Feather Alert system, better data collection, sustained funding for tribal victim services, and improved government‑to‑government consultation. "If you live on a reservation that should not keep us from responding the same way we would if it was a child in our neighborhood," Assemblymember Sharon Quirk Silva said.

Panelists described jurisdictional and capacity gaps rooted in Public Law 280, the 1953 federal law that shifted criminal jurisdiction in some states, including California. Professor Carol Goldberg, who has researched Public Law 280 for decades, told the committee that the law "left states like California ... no funds to carry [jurisdiction] out," creating persistent under‑resourcing and uneven responses across counties.

Speakers also highlighted operational failures. Chairperson Charles Martin of the Morongo Band of Mission Indians pointed to the recent death of a tribal citizen, Amy Porter, and said, "The Feather Alert process failed Amy Porter and her family," noting the alert was not issued promptly.

State officials described steps already under way. Isaac Pohorkis, acting director of the Office of Native American Affairs in the California Department of Justice, said the office is developing regionally tailored response planning and training with the state attorney general’s advisory council on Public Law 280. "The California Department of Justice is committed to bringing public safety ... to specifically the Indian country," he said.

Law enforcement leaders said practical barriers — understaffed crime labs, uneven local procedures and limited tribal police capacity — hinder investigations. Humboldt County Sheriff William Honsal said counties vary widely in how they implement responses and that familial DNA testing has solved some cold cases but that testing capacity is limited.

Advocates and service providers urged investment in culturally grounded survivor services, remote advocacy and coordinated local‑to‑state data systems. Samantha Thornsberry, program director for the Cahuilla Consortium Victim Advocacy Program, described a state‑funded web hub and outreach effort intended to centralize resources and improve rapid local responses.

The hearing did not produce a formal vote or legislative action. Committee members said they will continue follow‑up work on funding, training standards, data collection and Feather Alert improvements and expect further briefings from the attorney general’s office and county law enforcement.

The testimony combined historical context, recent case examples and immediate operational priorities — a blend of reforms that panelists said will require legislative budgets, state agency action and sustained, government‑to‑government work with tribes.