Governor Jerry Brown signed legislation this weekend that bans the use of the name "Redskins" by school sports teams in California.

The bill signed by Gov. Jerry Brown Sunday will prevent the state's schools from using the term, which many Native Americans believe to be offensive, beginning in 2017. California is the first state to enact a law prohibiting the use of "Redskins" by athletic teams.

There are only four schools in the state of California that use the name "Redskins" for their sports teams. "A federal panel ruled last year that the team trademark for NFL's Washington Redskins should be canceled, but the team is challenging the decision."

Oneida Indian Nation Representative Ray Halbritter and National Congress of American Indians Executive Director Jackie Pata released a statement about California's new law and pushed for the NFL to require the Washington football team change its name.

"This landmark legislation eliminating the R-word in California schools clearly demonstrates that this issue is not going away, and that opposition to the Washington team on this issue is only intensifying. The NFL should act immediately to press the team to change the name," the statement read.