AB 1935: Gaming: Indian Gaming Special Distribution Fund.

Existing law establishes the Indian Gaming Special Distribution Fund for the receipt and deposit of moneys received by the state from Indian tribes pursuant to the terms of tribal-state gaming compacts, to be available for appropriation by the Legislature for programs designed to address gambling addiction, for support of state and local government agencies impacted by tribal gaming, for regulatory costs incurred by the state in connection with the implementation and administration of tribal gaming, and for payment of shortfalls in the Indian Gaming Revenue Sharing Trust Fund.

Existing law requires the Department of Finance, in consultation with the California Gambling Control Commission, to annually determine if total revenues estimated for the Indian Gaming Special Distribution Fund are anticipated to exceed estimated expenditures, transfers, reasonable reserves, or other adjustments from the fund for the current fiscal year. If so, the commission, upon approval by the department, is required to apply the excess funds to reduce, eliminate, satisfy, or partially satisfy, on a proportionate basis, the pro rata share payments required to be made to the fund by limited gaming tribes.

This bill would, for the 2-year period from July 1, 2023, through June 30, 2025, suspend the payment or collection of any quarterly payments required to be made by any gaming tribe to the fund pursuant to a tribal gaming compact, and would additionally require the commission, at the discretion of the Legislature, to refund any quarterly payment due during that time period that was already made.

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