AB 1658: Tribal gaming: compact amendment ratification.

Existing federal law, the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act of 1988, provides for the negotiation and execution of tribal-state gaming compacts for the purpose of authorizing certain types of gaming on Indian lands within a state. The California Constitution authorizes the Governor to negotiate and conclude those compacts, subject to ratification by the Legislature. Existing law expressly ratifies a number of tribal-state gaming compacts, and amendments to tribal-state gaming compacts, between the State of California and specified Indian tribes.

The California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) requires a lead agency to prepare, or cause to be prepared, and certify the completion of, an environmental impact report on a project, as defined, that it proposes to carry out or approve that may have a significant effect on the environment, as defined, or to adopt a negative declaration if it finds that the project will not have that effect.

This bill would ratify the amendments to the tribal-state gaming compacts entered into between the State of California and the Alturas Indian Rancheria, California, the Augustine Band of Cahuilla Indians, California, the Bear River Band of the Rohnerville Rancheria, California, the Berry Creek Rancheria of Maidu Indians of California, the Big Sandy Rancheria of Western Mono Indians of California, the Bishop Paiute Tribe, the Cachil Dehe Band of Wintun Indians of the Colusa Indian Community of the Colusa Rancheria, California, the Cahto Tribe of the Laytonville Rancheria, the Cahuilla Band of Indians, the Campo Band of Diegueno Mission Indians of the Campo Indian Reservation, California, the Cher-Ae Heights Indian Community of the Trinidad Rancheria, California, the Elem Indian Colony of Pomo Indians of the Sulphur Bank Rancheria, California, the Ewiiaapaayp Band of Kumeyaay Indians, California, the Manchester Band of Pomo Indians of the Manchester Rancheria, California, the Pauma Band of Luiseno Mission Indians of the Pauma & Yuima Reservation, California, the Picayune Rancheria of Chukchansi Indians of California, the Pit River Tribe, California, the Redding Rancheria, California, the Resighini Rancheria, California, the Sherwood Valley Rancheria of Pomo Indians of California, the Soboba Band of Luiseno Indians, California, and the Table Mountain Rancheria to extend the terms of those compacts. The bill would provide that, in deference to tribal sovereignty, certain actions related to those amended compacts are not projects for the purposes of CEQA.

This bill would declare that it is to take effect immediately as an urgency statute.