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AB-2187 • 2026

Public contracts: contracts for services.

Public contracts: contracts for services.

Passed Legislature

This bill passed both chambers and reached final enrollment, even if later executive action is not shown here.

Sponsor
Ramos
Last action
2026-04-23
Official status
From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. with recommendation: To Consent Calendar. (Ayes 21. Noes 0.) (April 22). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The official source material does not specify any particular focus on Native American tribes beyond federally recognized California Native American tribes.

Public Contracts: Contracts for Services

This law changes how California state agencies can make contracts with federally recognized Native American tribes in California by exempting certain service contracts from advertising and bidding requirements.

What This Bill Does

  • Exempts contracts that only a federally recognized California Native American tribe can perform from advertising and bidding requirements.
  • Allows state agencies to enter into contracts with federally recognized California Native American tribes without needing at least three competitive bids or proposals, if certain conditions are met.
  • Permits a federally recognized California Native American tribe to include subcontracts with wholly owned subsidiaries for fulfilling interagency agreements, provided they give up some legal protections and justify the costs.
  • Exempts California Native American tribes from restrictions on bidding after getting consulting services contracts related to tribal cultural resources.

Who It Names or Affects

  • Federally recognized California Native American tribes
  • State agencies in California

Terms To Know

Sovereign Immunity
A legal principle that protects governments from being sued without their consent.
Subcontract
An agreement between a contractor and another party to perform part of the work under the main contract.

Limits and Unknowns

  • The bill does not specify how these changes will be enforced or monitored.
  • It is unclear what happens if a federally recognized California Native American tribe fails to provide justification for costs as required by the law.

Bill History

  1. 2026-04-23 California Legislative Information

    From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. with recommendation: To Consent Calendar. (Ayes 21. Noes 0.) (April 22). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.

  2. 2026-04-08 California Legislative Information

    From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on G.O. with recommendation: To Consent Calendar. (Ayes 12. Noes 0.) (April 7). Re-referred to Com. on G.O.

  3. 2026-03-16 California Legislative Information

    Referred to Coms. on JUD. and G.O.

  4. 2026-02-20 California Legislative Information

    From printer. May be heard in committee March 22.

  5. 2026-02-19 California Legislative Information

    Read first time. To print.

Official Summary Text

AB 2187, as introduced, Ramos.
Public contracts: contracts for services.
Existing law that governs state acquisition of goods and services exempts certain consulting services contracts from advertising and bidding requirements, including contracts that can only be performed by a public entity, as defined.
This bill would additionally exempt contracts that can only be performed by a federally recognized California Native American tribe from the above-described advertising and bidding requirements.
Existing law requires a state agency to secure at least 3 competitive bids or proposals for each contract for services. Existing law exempts specified contracts from this requirement, including a contract that is with, among other entities, another state agency, a local governmental entity, an auxiliary organization of the California State University, or an auxiliary organization of
a California community college.
This bill would additionally exempt a contract that is with a federally recognized California Native American tribe from the above-described provisions and would authorize a federally recognized California Native American tribe to include a subcontract with any subdivision, subsidiary, or business enterprise wholly owned by a federally recognized California Native American tribe for the purpose of fulfilling an interagency agreements if the contracting federally recognized California Native American tribe provides a limited waiver of sovereign immunity and a justification of cost of service to show market equivalence of similar services.
Existing law prohibits a person, firm, or subsidiary thereof that has been awarded a consulting services contract from submitting a bid for, or being awarded a contract for, the provision of services, the procurement of goods or supplies, or any other
related action that is required, suggested, or otherwise deemed appropriate in the end product of the consulting services contract, with certain exceptions.
This bill would exempt California Native American tribes awarded a consulting services contract for tribal cultural resources purposes, as defined, from the above-described provisions.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
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