The California state legislature passed a bill removing Christopher Columbus’ name from the portion of the Interstate 10 freeway that crosses Los Angeles on Wednesday, drawing praise from Los Angeles City Councilman Mitch O’Farrell Thursday.

O’Farrell, the first Native American to serve on the council, said in a statement that he was “pleased and grateful” for the legislation. The measure removes the name “The Christopher Columbus Transcontinental Highway” from a portion of I-10, which begins in Santa Monica and runs east through the city. The legislature named the stretch of the highway in California for Columbus in 1976 to celebrate him as a “distinguished pioneer, revered by millions for his exploits.”