On Native American Day, California Gov. Gavin Newsom signs law re-naming UC Hastings

California Gov. Gavin Newsom has signed a bill into law ordering the re-naming of the University of California’s Hastings College of the Law.

Under Assembly Bill 1936, by Assemblyman James Ramos, D-Highland, the college’s new name will be University of California, College of the Law, San Francisco, or UC Law, San Francisco for short.

The bill also outlines several initiatives for the college to pursue, including renaming the law library with a Native language name and annually reading a statement of the atrocities that the school’s founder, Serranus Hastings, committed against the Yuki people in the 19th century. The measure will also provide collaborative opportunities for Round Valley tribal students to debate and gain writing experience, according to the governor’s office.

Newsom also signed a package of other bills timed to coincide with Native American Day.

That includes bills to create a “Feather Alert” program, similar to Amber or Silver Alerts, to assist law enforcement in searching for Native people who have gone missing under suspicious circumstances; to remove the slur “squaw” from all geographic features and place names in the state and to create a petition process to review offensive or derogatory place names, and to encourage local educational agencies and charter schools to form California Indian Education Task Forces, in partnership with local tribes, to develop curriculum that highlights the history, culture and government of regional tribes.

“As we lift up the rich history and contributions of California’s diverse tribal communities today, the state recommits to building on the strides we have made to redress historical wrongs and help empower Native communities,” Newsom said in a statement.

This story was originally published September 23, 2022 at 4:33 PM with the headline "On Native American Day, California Gov. Gavin Newsom signs law re-naming UC Hastings."