AB 971 California Assembly · 2025-2026 Regular Session

State Property: San Pasqual Battlefield State Park.

Summary

Existing law authorizes the Director of General Services to execute grants to real property belonging to the state in the name and upon behalf of the state, whenever the sale or exchange of real property is authorized or contemplated by law, if no other state agency is specifically authorized and directed to execute the grants. This bill would require the director to quitclaim to the San Pasqual Band of Mission Indians, at no cost to the tribe, all interests of the state in the land that it owns within the San Pasqual Battlefield State Park, consisting of 3 parcels of land totaling approximately 3.68 acres. This bill would encourage the City of San Diego to transfer to the San Pasqual Band of Mission Indians all of the city's interests in the land the city owns within the San Pasqual Battlefield State Park, and if the city agrees to the transfer, would require the state, at no cost to the tribe, to relinquish or transfer to the San Pasqual Band of Mission Indians all rights and interests that the state has in those lands through lease, permit, or otherwise, and to take any and all other actions necessary to effectuate the city's transfer of the land to the San Pasqual Band of Mission Indians. This bill would make legislative findings and declarations as to the necessity of a special statute for the San Pasqual Band of Mission Indians. This bill would make legislative findings and declarations related to a gift of public funds.

Bill status failed 1 of 4 stages cleared

Introduction

Feb 2025

Committee Review

Floor Vote

Governor

Introduced Feb 20, 2025 Last action Feb 2, 2026

Maddy AI version diff · 2 comparisons

What changed between versions

03/28/25 - Amended Assembly → AB971 · 1 edit

MINOR

No substantive policy changes were made between these two versions of AB 971. The differences are entirely in document formatting and presentation: the bill text moved from a traditional legislative print format (with line numbers, page headers, and footers) to a web-based layout that includes navigation elements such as search bars, links, and metadata fields. All operative provisions, findings, and requirements remain identical.

TECHNICAL

The bill text was reformatted from a print-style document with line numbers and page breaks into a web presentation format that adds website navigation elements (search, links, metadata) around the same legislative content. No changes to any operative language, findings, or requirements were made.

02/20/25 - Introduced → 03/28/25 - Amended Assembly · 7 edits · Mar 28, 2025

MODERATE

AB 971 was transformed from a one-line symbolic statement of legislative intent into an operative bill that actually mandates the transfer of state-owned land to the San Pasqual Band of Mission Indians. The amended version adds detailed historical findings, creates a new Government Code section requiring the Department of General Services to quitclaim approximately 3.68 acres within San Pasqual Battlefield State Park to the tribe at no cost, and includes provisions to facilitate a potential transfer of city-owned land as well.

REQUIREMENT

New Section 14673.14 added to the Government Code requiring the Department of General Services to quitclaim all state interests in three parcels (approximately 3.68 acres) within San Pasqual Battlefield State Park to the San Pasqual Band of Mission Indians at no cost to the tribe.

If the City of San Diego agrees to transfer its interests in park land to the tribe, the state must relinquish or transfer all rights and interests it holds in that city-owned land (through lease, permit, or otherwise) and take all actions necessary to effectuate the transfer.

SCOPE

The bill now encourages the City of San Diego to transfer its interests in land within San Pasqual Battlefield State Park to the tribe, expanding the scope beyond just state-owned property.

DEFINITION

Extensive legislative findings detailing the historical context: the tribe's 1835 civil pueblo designation, the 1870 reservation grant and its 1871 rescission, the 1981 Mission Indian Relief Act's incorrect siting of the reservation in Township 11 instead of Township 12, and the current closure of San Pasqual Battlefield State Park.

TECHNICAL

A special statute finding (Section 3) declaring that a general law cannot apply due to the unique circumstances surrounding the tribe's ancestral lands history.

A public purpose finding (Section 4) addressing the constitutional gift-of-public-funds concern by stating the transfer serves a public purpose of rectifying state wrongs and allowing the tribe to operate a public park.

FISCAL

The fiscal committee answer changed from 'no' to 'yes,' indicating the bill now has fiscal implications due to the mandated property transfer.

Floor votes

How they voted

No floor votes recorded yet.

Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions

Key actions

Committee

Amendments

Feb 2, 2026

Lower · Passed

From committee: Filed with the Chief Clerk pursuant to Joint Rule 56.

lower

May 23, 2025

Lower · Passed

In committee: Held under submission.

lower

May 14, 2025

Committee

In committee: Set, first hearing. Referred to APPR. suspense file.

lower

Apr 30, 2025

Lower · Passed

From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 19. Noes 0.) (April 30). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.

lower

Apr 1, 2025

Committee

Re-referred to Com. on G.O.

lower

Mar 28, 2025

Introduced

From committee chair, with author's amendments: Amend, and re-refer to Com. on G.O. Read second time and amended.

lower

Mar 28, 2025

Committee

Referred to Com. on G.O.

lower

Feb 21, 2025

Lower · Passed

From printer. May be heard in committee March 23.

lower

1 primary · 0 co-sponsors