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AB-2187 • 2026

Public contracts: contracts for services.

Public contracts: contracts for services.

Active

The official status still shows this bill as active or still awaiting another formal step.

Sponsor
Ramos
Last action
Official status
Senate - Appropriations
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The official text states subcontracts are authorized 'for the purpose of fulfilling an interagency agreements,' which implies this exemption may only apply when such agreements exist.

Exemptions for Contracts with Federally Recognized California Native American Tribes

This law exempts contracts that only a federally recognized California Native American tribe can perform from advertising and bidding rules, allows tribes to subcontract work within their own wholly owned businesses under specific conditions, and removes restrictions on tribes winning follow-up work after consulting contracts for tribal cultural resources.

What This Bill Does

  • Exempts contracts that can only be performed by a federally recognized California Native American tribe from advertising and bidding requirements.
  • Removes the rule requiring three competitive bids for service contracts with federally recognized California Native American tribes.
  • Allows these tribes to include subcontracts with subdivisions, subsidiaries, or business enterprises wholly owned by them if they provide a limited waiver of sovereign immunity and justify that costs match market prices.
  • Exempts tribes awarded consulting services contracts for tribal cultural resources purposes from rules usually stopping consultants from bidding on related follow-up work.

Who It Names or Affects

  • State agencies purchasing goods and services
  • Federally recognized California Native American tribes
  • Subdivisions, subsidiaries, or business enterprises wholly owned by federally recognized California Native American tribes

Terms To Know

Advertising and bidding requirements
Rules requiring government agencies to publicly announce they need work and compare offers from different companies before hiring one.
Limited waiver of sovereign immunity
A legal agreement where the tribe agrees to allow lawsuits or claims against them in specific situations related to the contract.
Tribal cultural resources purposes
Work specifically focused on protecting, studying, or managing items and sites important to Native American culture and history, as defined by law.

Limits and Unknowns

  • The exemption for subcontracts applies only if the tribe provides a limited waiver of sovereign immunity.
  • The tribe must justify that its costs are equivalent to market prices for similar services.
  • Subcontracts are allowed only with subdivisions, subsidiaries, or business enterprises wholly owned by a federally recognized California Native American tribe.

Bill History

  1. California Legislative Information

    Senate - Appropriations

Official Summary Text

Public contracts: contracts for services.