Assembly Standing Committee on Governmental Organization

I want to thank everybody who showed up and once again apologize for being a couple of minutes late there. The Assembly Governmental Organization Committee is now called to order. My name is Assembly Member Miguel Santiago, chair of the Geo Committee, and I'd like to take this opportunity to welcome everybody to today's informational hearing. Again, I want to remind everybody there is no vote here today. It is just an informational hearing. A couple of housekeeping things. The call number for the public is 877-692-8957.

The call in number for the public will be 877-692-8957 and the access code is 18 50110 0. That is 1850 110 0. This number can also be found on the Committee's website and is displayed on your screens. For those calling in, please mute yourself while you're in the queue to eliminate any background noise. You will be placed in the queue until your opportunity to provide public comment. When it is your opportunity to provide public comment, press one, then zero. Unmute yourself in order to speak.

Please be brief and concise to your comments and position on the compact before you. The Tribal State gaming compacts before us today were executed on June 30 between Governor Newsom on behalf of the State of California and Redding Rancheria, California. Today we'll hear from the principal architects of the compact, the Governor's office and the Chair of the Tribe. The compact authorizes the Tribe to operate a maximum of 1200 slot machines.

The Tribe will be authorized to operate no more than two gaming facilities and engage class three gaming on eligible land held in trust for the Tribe by the federal government that is located within the boundaries of Redding Rancheria or on lands identified as Strawberry Fields as described in the compact. It should be noted that gaming can only take place at the Strawberry Fields parcel if the land is taken into trust for gaming purposes after meeting the requirements of the well defined federal legal process.

The compact also states if the Tribe starts gaming on Strawberry Fields, it must stop gaming on its current casino site. Under the compact, the Tribe has agreed to pay the state its prorata share of cost that the State incurs for the performance of its duties under the compact. The compact requires the Tribe to pay 0.1% net win to neighboring jurisdictions to mitigate impacts of those entities resulting from operation of the gaming facility.

I'm pleased to see the compact mirrors many of the recent compacts that have come before the Committee in the area of meaningful consumer and employee protections. Licensing, regulatory oversight and labor provisions allow workers to unionize under specific conditions. Once effective, the larger compact will be in full force and effect for 25 years following the effective date. I just want to remind all interested parties that there is no formal vote will be taken today.

Today's hearing is for the Committee to be briefed on the contents of the compact as they will not be amended by the Legislature and again would repeat that there is no formal vote here today. AB 854 will be by Assembly Member Ramos who sits on the committee. It is the ratification Bill for the compact before us today. At some point this Bill will be taken up by consideration by the entire body in the Assembly floor.

I'd like to thank our witnesses in advance for taking the time out of the busy schedules to be with us. And I'm going to set a couple of different rules here just to make it as fair as possible to everyone. So we are going through the normal process of having the governor's office present, pardon my throat there, the chairman present on behalf of the compacts, and then we'll proceed if there's any tribal chairs here, I will allow them to come up to present in support.

Those are in support, can present first and I'll allow two minutes at the microphone that is set there. If there's any tribal chairs here in opposition, I will allow them also to present in two minutes. I'll just urge that we're respectful and then we'll move forward and I'll say the same thing, I'll echo the same comments there. Any General public comments I'll allow to come up in support first and then an opposition, I'll ask the name, state your name, organization and position only.

And then I will allot a little bit more time than we normally had. Usually for General comments I say state your name, position and organization only. I recommend 30 seconds. But if you need me to use a minute then you can to allow enough time to make your point. Again, I'm encouraged by the turnout but I'll mostly ask for a respectful presentation as we move forward on these compacts. So without further ado, let's begin the hearing.

I'd ask the bills author, Assembly Member Ramos, if he has any opening comments. I recognize that the vice chair is here and other Members. I always allot the vice chair any comments he'd like to make. But Mr. Ramos, it is your compact. You're welcome to make any opening statements if you wish to.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Today AB 845 is a collaboration between two sovereign nations state of California and Redding Rancheria tribal government. Our role in the Legislature is to move forward what's been agreed to by the two sovereign bodies moving forward. The Legislature is not in a position to make amendments or to move things around in the compact itself. The compact itself does talk about a procedure that still needs to happen further down a federalization process that's within that.

But also just want to make sure that when we're talking about these compacts that our mind doesn't automatically go straight to gaming in the casinos, that it's more of historical value of California Indian people atrocities inflicted upon them. Certainly what this compact represents to the people in Reading Rancheria and the State of California is economic growth. This compact in front of us has been negotiated by the two sovereign bodies.

And I would urge those to listen to the comments both pro and con on this issue as it will be coming to the floor to take a vote on the Assembly. I just want to thank my colleagues for keeping an open mind and looking at this more than just a gaming compact, looking at it more as a California Indian people here in the state of California. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you. I always allow the vice Chair to make any comments he wishes to if he decides to.

Yeah. The only comments I'll make is that I'm still learning about this compact process. But as was just mentioned, and this being an information only hearing, I think it's important still that we listen. And we listen to both sides of this very delicate determination because we're dealing with something way more than gambling. We're dealing with some things that are very, very sacred and very important to culture.

And so I think it's important that we give all Members an opportunity to express their perspective because I think something that's lacking in government is trust. And I think this is the only way you build it is when you genuinely listen to people. And so I'm excited to have a chance to listen. I have a General idea what I'm going to hear, but I really don't know. And so I'm looking forward to the communication that's about ready to take place.

I just want to echo the sentiment of my colleagues and thank you very much for your participation. I want to go ahead and begin and ask the governor's office to come up to present at desk. Yes, please.

Good afternoon, Mr. Chairman. Committee Members. My name is Nathan Voegeli. I'm the senior advisor for tribal negotiations for the governor's office. I'd like to start by thanking Redding Rancheria tribal chairperson Potter and his team that worked hard to negotiate this new compact, which is also expected to settle ongoing litigation between the state and the tribe.

I'm going to give a brief background on the tribal state compacting process and the existing litigation with the tribe before highlighting a few of the specific terms that Chairman Yu touched on as well. For Reading Rancheria's Compact, the Federal Indian Gaming Regulatory Act, or IGRA, authorizes a tribe to offer slot machines and other class three games that are permitted in the state if the tribe has negotiated a class three gaming compact. IGRA broadly limits compacts to subjects directly related to the operation of gaming activities.

In 2000, California voters approved Proposition One A, which amended the California Constitution to permit tribes to operate slot machines, banking and percentage card games, and lottery games on tribal lands. The Governor is authorized to negotiate tribal state compacts, but they must be ratified by the Legislature. Once ratified, IGRA requires the Secretary of the US. Department of Interior to conduct a 45 day review. During that time, the secretary can approve the compact, disapprove the compact, or not act on it, in which case it is deemed approved.

IGRA requires the state to negotiate in good faith. In 1999, California voters approved Proposition Five, which included a provision allowing a tribe to sue the state if it thinks the state is not negotiating in good faith. If a court finds the state failed to negotiate in good faith, then the tribe is able to proceed through IGRA's remedial process. This process ultimately allows the Secretary of Interior to issue procedures that allow the tribe to conduct gaming without the state's agreement through a compact.

In March 2021, Reading Rancheria sued the state, alleging that the state failed to negotiate in good faith for a new compact to replace the tribe's 1999 compact. Rather than continue with litigation, the tribe and the governor's office negotiated this new compact. The litigation has now stayed to allow the tribe and the to allow the new compact to move through the legislative ratification and federal review process.

If the compact takes effect, it will resolve the litigation and avoid IGRA's remedial process that could result in Interior issuing procedures in lieu of a compact. The Redding Rancheria compact reflects the government to government nature of the tribal state relationship and represents a successful effort between the tribe and the governor's office to negotiate an agreement that meets the needs of both sides despite contentious litigation.

The compact term is for 25 years, and it includes forced majeure language to address reduced operations from pandemics, wildfire fires and other events outside of the tribe's control. The tribe has the right to negotiate an amendment if tribes in California gain the right to operate a new form of class three gaming or lose their exclusive right to operate gaming devices. Redding Rancheria, under its current 1999 compact, operates the Wind River Casino in Redding in Shasta County.

The new compact authorizes the tribe to operate up to 1200 gaming devices at two facilities. The tribe will reimburse the state its prorata share of the state's regulatory costs through payments into the special distribution Fund, but it is not obligated to contribute any funds to the Revenue Sharing Trust Fund. The Redding Rancheria Compact includes a requirement that the tribe set aside and distribute funds to mitigate impacts from the gaming facility on local governments.

The tribe agreed to annually distribute 1% of its net win to neighboring jurisdictions for this purpose and the governor's office agreed that the tribe could credit large onetime payments against future obligations for up to five years. If the tribe later seeks to operate more than 1200 devices, it may request negotiations subject to agreement on payments into the Revenue Sharing Trust Fund and distributions to mitigate impacts on local governments. Redding Rancheria's compact includes a provision addressing lands the tribe owns that are known as Strawberry Fields.

Under IGRA, a tribe is generally prohibited from conducting gaming on lands taken into trust after 1988. Two exceptions to this prohibition are relevant here and are known as the restored lands exception and a two part determination. The Secretary of the Interior is solely responsible for determining which, if any, exception applies. Under the restored lands exception, a tribe may gain on lands taken into trust after 1988 for a tribe that has regained federal recognition

Under the two part determination exception, a tribe may game on the land if the Governor concurs in a decision by the Secretary of Interior that gaming on the site would be in the best interest of the tribe and not detrimental to the surrounding community. The restored lands exception is a determination made solely by the Secretary of the Interior with no role for the Governor. In contrast, a two part determination requires the Governor concur in the secretary's decision.

In 2003, Redding Rancheria requested the US. Department of Interior take Strawberry Fields into trust. That request was denied by Interior in 2010. The tribe appealed that decision to the 9th Circuit, and the tribe and Interior later signed an MoU agreeing that Strawberry Fields would qualify for the restored lands exception under IGRA if the tribe permanently closed its Wind River Casino before it started gaming at Strawberry Fields.

In 2020, interior notified the tribe that it was withdrawing its participation in the MoU and noted that the tribe could still pursue gaming at Strawberry Fields through a two part determination. As it stands, it's not clear whether Interior will treat the tribe's request for Strawberry Fields to be taken into trust as restored lands or through the two part determination process. This is reflected in the compact, which does not support one approach or the other.

Instead, the compact would allow the tribe to game its Strawberry Fields only after the land is taken into trust for gaming and only if it has closed its Wind River Casino. If the land is taken into trust for gaming through the restored lands exception, then the decision is solely in the discretion of the Secretary of the Interior. If it is through the two part determination process, then the Governor retains full discretion whether to concur or not with Interior's decision.

In that case, the Governor would seek to ensure that his decision whether to concur or not would be fully informed and account for the views of local government, tribal officials and the public. Consistent with other compacts, Redding Rancheria's compact includes standard controls for fair play, honesty and the integrity of gaming operations. These include facility and employee licensing, gaming device testing and inspections, and tribal gaming regulations with internal control standards.

The tribe agreed to comply with state alcohol laws and will prohibit minors under 21 from gaming or being in areas where alcohol may be consumed. The tribe also committed to providing a non smoking area and state of the art ventilation. The compact includes standards for patron disputes, torts and employment discrimination comparable to other recently ratified compacts.

The tribe will ensure employment discrimination standards extend to all classes protected in California and maintain a general liability insurance policy of at least $10 million to address tort claims of patrons and others lawfully on the gaming facility premises. Additionally, the tribe commits to ensuring minimum wage rates at least as stringent as California's and to maintaining and complying with the Tribal Labor Relations Ordinance, or TLRO.

The TLRO functions as the mechanism for a bilateral contract between the tribe and a labor organization with corresponding commitments by each. The TLRO establishes a binding arbitration process to address collective bargaining and other labor disputes. Finally, the compact encourages good faith negotiations to resolve disagreements through an informal meet and confer dispute resolution process. If that proves unsuccessful, either party may seek resolution in court.

In conclusion, the compact negotiated by the governor's office and the tribe will bring an end to contentious litigation, ensure the tribe and its Members are the primary beneficiaries of its gaming, help protect patrons and employees at the casino, and mitigate impacts to local communities. I'll be happy to answer any questions Members may have.

Thank you very much for your presentation. Are there any questions from the Members here today?

I have a question.

Yes, Mr. Lackey? Yeah. If you could just help us understand the inclusion of the Strawberry Fields in this compact and what I mean by that. Can you contextualize the decision with the land and trust issue and why some stakeholders consider this to be premature?

I'll let the stakeholders give their views on that. I'll explain the background to the Strawberry Fields, though. Strawberry Fields is a piece of property that the tribe currently owns and has had a pending land and detrust application. The tribe and the governor's office negotiated to include as a potential option gaming on Strawberry Fields if that land is taken into trust. As I mentioned, there's two potential routes that seem likely here either a restored lands exception or a two part determination process.

Interior will be the one that would decide which process it goes through, whether it's restored lands or a two part determination process. If it's restored lands, the governor's office has no role. If it's a two part determination process, then the Governor, under the compact, makes no commitment to any decision, maintains full discretion to evaluate and decide whether to concur or not in the secretary's decision on that issue.

So from the state's perspective, what we've tried to do is acknowledge the reality that there is a pending land into trust application for Strawberry Fields and would allow the tribe to game on that parcel if it is ultimately taken into trust, but at the same time not taking a position on which route it should go or making any commitment. As far as the governor's discretion to address a two part, should that come to him.

Thank you for your question. Any additional questions from committee Members? I'm not seeing any, so I want to thank you for your presentation. Thank you. And then I'll be calling up Chairman Potter, please.

Good afternoon. My name is Jack Potter, Jr. I am the chairman of the sovereign nation. Redding Rancheria of Wintu Indians. I was sitting here and a memory came to my mind. It's very fitting that we're here before you today with compact talks. Ah, 172 years ago on this very day, my people signed Treaty H. 172 years ago on August 16. I am a direct descendant of one of those treaty signers.

And through that, that is one of the things that we had to prove for this land that we were descendants of the historical people in order to move forward with that acquisition. And so I was sitting there like, why is this date important in my mind? But it was usually back home, ourself, along with the Wintu Tribe and the other Wintu groups.

We would be marching across Sundial Bridge, reenacting that treaty signing and going across to the promised land after we got a slice of watermelon from the non Native role players that would be standing in as those treaty negotiators. So I'm here today instead of being there reenacting. But it's kind of fitting that we're kind of talking about a modern day treaty. But good afternoon, chairman and Members of this esteemed committee.

My name is Jack Potter, Jr. And I am the chairman for the Redding Rancheria Tribal Council. Thank you for scheduling this informational hearing on the Tribal State Gaming compact between the State of California and the Redding Rancheria. I appear here today to represent my Tribal Council and my people. The Redding Rancheria is made up of the nine bands of Wintu people: Nomti-pom, Elpom, Dawnom, Dawpom, Wenemem, Nomsu, Norelmaq, ?’abal-pom, and Elpom.

23 years ago, the Redding Rancheria and the State of California came to a historic compact agreement that created a shared regulatory scheme for gaming within our historic lands. That compact agreement has provided mutually beneficial for our tribe and the State of California. It has allowed the Redding Rancheria people and our surrounding communities to grow, thrive and prosper as that historic compact agreement reaches its expiration.

I stand before you today to ask that you renew your trust in our tribe and the promise that Indian gaming offers my people and all Californians who earn a livable wage at our gaming enterprise when River Casino has been in operation since 1993. At its inception, our tribe committed to using gaming revenues to provide essential governmental services to our people and prosperity to our entire community. We have done just that. From 2019 through 2021, the Redding Rancheria's gaming operation has injected $349,000,000 into the local economy.

Because of our shared success, the Reading Rancheria has been able to open multiple health facilities to serve all Native Americans in our area, as well as other underserved nonnative Members of our community. We recently provided grants to over 50 local Nonindian owned businesses to help them recover from the pandemic. Gaming has allowed us to not only provide higher education to our Members, but also Fund a scholarship program open to all Native Americans within our service area.

Gaming has also allowed us to give generously to our local primary, middle and high schools through the gaming permitted under the historic Compact Agreement. It is safe to say that our tribe has improved the lives of tens of thousands of Californians. We have operated for 23 years, always paying wages above industry standards and offering a generous benefit package that includes health insurance, 401K benefits, sick and vacation leave, as well as many paid holidays.

In 23 years, we have never had a labor issue and so we readily embrace, including the Tribal Labor Relation Ordinance within the new compact, and welcome unite here to continue to collaborate with us for the benefit of our most valued asset: our employees. The area presently known as Shasta County has always been our home since time immemorial. We are the stewards of our land. Our Wintu ancestors lived, hunted and fished on the very lands upon which we intend to game, known as the Strawberry Fields.

Just as that land provided the means of survival for our ancestors, with this new compact, it will provide a means of survival for future generations of our people. Just as our ancestors invited neighboring tribes and settlers to share in the bounty of the land, we too shall make sure our community is included in the successes this land will bring. This is why Shasta County expressly supports our plans to relocate our gaming facility to the Strawberry Fields.

We recently agreed to terms with Shasta County on a 30 year local agreement to address law enforcement and fire services. Our people have been the stewards of this land and our tribe takes that role seriously. The Redding Rancheria Cultural Department is the best and carries out its duties to protect Native cultural resources with unmatched knowledge, training and professionalism.

If any cultural resources are found during the development of our lands, we will protect them in the way of our people and in the manner that we always have. And of course, in compliance with applicable federal law. Let us continue our journey together as partners, friends and sovereigns. I ask that you support AB 854 and the ratification of the compact negotiated between the Redding Rancheria and the Governor's office.

Before I got here today, I went to a very sacred place that I have ties to. I fasted and I prayed because coming to these hearings has affected me spiritually. And I went back to a massacre site where I'm a direct descendant, the natural bridge over in ... Wintu country. And I connected with the spirits of all of my people that are not able to sit here in this modern atmosphere and speak of what has happened to them.

And I connected with my great great great grandmother Mary Crockett's spirit. She was one of a couple babies that survived and there was some caucasian people that came along after the massacre and seeing all the smoke from the gunfire billowing up under this place. If you've never been there, it's very sacred. You feel it, what happened there, and it hurt.

But I had to go get her strength to be able to talk about the things that people are saying that my tribe is going to be doing, burying on burial grounds, building on a massacre site and stuff. I know where the massacres happened in my land, as does Chairman Rickard. He used to come to my grandmother's house and talk with her because they were the elders.

But when I reconnected with my great great grandmother's spirit up at that place, I heard this message that I have a purpose in life, that I must represent my people and move forward. Times are different now, but to know that I'm a descendant of that little gurgling baby and had those people not rolled her mother over and found her still nursing on her, I would not be here. I would not be here to talk. I would not be here to speak for my people.

Who knew back then that our world would change so drastically. And it hurts to hear other tribes talk and say things that we are going to disrespect and dishonor our ancestors. I will die one day. I don't know if it's today or tomorrow or in the future, but I want to be accepted in the land of my ancestors, and I must honor that and represent my people the best way I can. And I will never build on a massacre site. So I thank you.

Hello, committee Members. Thank you for allowing me to talk with you briefly today. I'm Miranda Edwards. I'm a tribal council Member for the Redding Rancheria. I'm here today as a product of the 1999 compact with the state of California. My tribe's gaming has given me the opportunity to graduate from Stanford University and later obtain my master's degree and write my thesis about colonial gender roles and the impact on violence against indigenous women in the US.

Countless other tribal Members from my generation have had the opportunity to further their education and provide better lives for their families because of our tribe's compact. My great grandmother worked alongside other tribal elders on the 1999 compact to provide a better life for the next three generations to follow them. I'm humbled to play even a small part amongst the many people in my tribe working to provide for my great grandchildren and the generations to come so that they may keep our culture and our history alive.

In addition, this compact does not just benefit our tribal Members. After having a compact with the state of California for over 20 years, we've proven that we are more than good neighbors. We prioritize investing in the surrounding community that is Shasta County that is home to our tribal Members and employees. We work hard every day to provide for this rural community and make it the best that we can for everyone that lives there. It's disheartening to hear from those that choose not to see that, but it will not stop our work. Thank you so much for your time and consideration today.

Thank you very much for your presentations. We now go to committee Members if there's any questions or comments. Yes, please. Mr. Patterson.

Just a quick personal experience with Wind River. Recently, my daughter, son in law and our two grandchildren relocated from Fresno to Coos Bay, where my son in law is now one of the Executive chefs at the abandoned golf location. We had a chance to go up there and to visit with them. Coming back, we decided that we would cut that journey between Coos Bay and Fresno in half. We did it at Redding and we stayed at Wind River. We had a very special time.

It was enjoyable to learn some of the history that is there, but also we were treated wonderfully. We had wonderful food, and Sharon and I had a remarkable recollection of Wind River. And so I just wanted to let you know that this one passing by couple seeking a place halfway between Coos Bay and Fresno found a special place for us, and we were grateful for it. And I'm sure we're going to be back because we intend to visit our grandbabies again. Thank you.

Thank you. I will relay that to our employees. It is our employees that make us shine. It's not the Tribal council or myself. It is the employees. They are the heart of our tribe.

You need to understand as well you know this, and you've just mentioned it, but that was part of the experience that we had there. And it was as if everyone wanted to go out of their way to be kind and to help us out and all of that. I know that organizations like to memorialize and memorandums to staff and all of that, and sometimes that feels like it's being done because they're commanded to. We had a sense that they were doing it because they wanted to. Pass that along to them.

Thank you.

Thank you. Any other committee Members with any comments or questions? Yes, Ms. Dahle.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. And thank you, Chairman Potter, for being here today. And to everyone here from Shasta County, thank you for coming. I do value the rancheria and the great deal of support that you provide to the groups and individuals in Shasta County and then the neighboring communities as well, as you mentioned, medical clinics, which is very vital for our rural communities. And I want to thank you for those partnerships. As we know today, there's no vote. This is just for an informational hearing.

And I think the governor's office has done a good job today of showing us the two options that may or may not. There's still some things to be clarified as we move forward and I think that's really important for my constituents that have reached out. I've received, as you can imagine, thousands of emails and support or opposition. And so in my position to be able to balance hearing from my constituents, but my role here today is for informational and not as a vote.

So I just want to be clear for the public. I think there's always a little confusion around. I just my question to you as you move forward, specifically for the strawberry fields, what's Rancheria's plans to work with the community to mitigate those still in opposition? Do you have plans specific?

Yes. We're looking at doing workshops and different things and even with our neighboring tribes, the non recognized Wintu tribe, their elder council has always approached us and asked for letters of support for their federal recognition. They are our people, we are the same people. And the federal government has done what they have done, acknowledged some and not recognized some and they're going through the process. But our tribe has always done resolutions in support of their federal recognition.

And I have a meeting coming up with their elder council to try to work through their disagreements. We provide burial services and all those things we budget because they don't get the opportunity of getting that federal funding. And so we as the tribe still continue to provide those services because they are our people. We share ancestors in common and stuff.

And as for our sister tribe down the road, in a couple of weeks, about two weeks from now, I believe, is that correct, Chairman Alejandra, that we have a meeting coming up? We've reached out because I don't like to have issues with my people. There's a handful of us left. We've all are descendants of the genocide. We are all descendants of the massacres and things. And some tribes had five people left and we're all slowly rebuilding our nation. Some are ahead, some are a little behind.

When the Wintu tribe gets their federal recognition, they will be rebuilding their nation. And I know my people will give advice. We've done it. When we got restored, we've reached out to the federally recognized tribes around us and how do you form a constitution? How do you do this? What do you got to do? And got the ins and outs. And we will continue to be leaders in our area and do that.

And so we will look forward to working with the community to try to address everyone's concerns. We were able to do it with the county because originally the county didn't understand the project as well and we met with them and continued to meet and got their support and they finally signed off. And so we will do that with the people, with the natives and the non natives because I was raised Oilbus. He is our creator. That's the name in that area in Wintu language.

And he passed down roles that said you have to provide, you have to take care of these things. And just because things have changed and it's just not Wintu people in that area anymore. All the people are Wintu in my eyes. That's why we give and provide these things because it's our role. When I pass away, I want to be accepted on that side. I truly do. I miss my people.

And we will do what we need to do to get to where we need to get to. And I think that's what's unique about native people. We're able to move forward and have open arms with everybody even though we have that past. But we can't live in the past because if we do, it'll darken our spirit and we can't go through life with dark spirits. We have to be brighter and live a better life and make the next generation.

And not just our next generation, but everybody's know we've got to make Redding better. We've got to make Shasta County better. I have childhood memories of when you could leave your door unlocked and you can't do that no more. But we'll get it back to what it needs to be.

Well, thank you for your commitment to continue to work with the surrounding communities. And again, thank you so much for being here today.

Thank you.

You're welcome.

Are there any additional committee Members who'd like to make any comments or questions? I don't see any, so I'm going to thank you very much for your presentations. I'm going to go ahead, as I stated earlier, go to public comment and if there are any chair, women or chairmen who are in support of the compact, there's a microphone right on my left hand side, your right hand side. As I stated before, we'll allot two minutes if needed and please introduce yourself.

Good afternoon, Chairman Santiago, Members of the committee. I'm Sara Dutschke, I'm the chairperson for the Ione Band of Miwok Indians, located just about 35 miles from where we're sitting today. Thank you for this hearing. I'm just going to keep it very brief. On behalf of the Ione Band and the California Tribal Business Alliance, I'm here to express support for Redding Rancheria's Compact and urge all of you to support the legislation ratifying that compact. Thank you.

Thank you very much for your comments. As I stated earlier, any chairwomen or men who are in opposition, I just direct them to the same microphone if that's okay with you. Oh, support. I apologize. How about I do this? I give it a little bit more time for support because I'm starting to run over this a little quicker and skip through people.

My name is Antoinette Del Rio. I am representing the Tribal Council from California Valley Miwok Tribe. We do support Chairman Potter and the Redding Rancheria Compact. As stated, everything that he's done, he also helps his family over the river in Calaveras. Counties with numerous advice, and it is not just the surrounding communities for him, it's like he said, all of us, we are all together on this. So I am in support, and so is my tribe. Thank you.

Appreciate that. And then we'll have ample amount of time for support and opposition, but I wanted to be courteous to any chairwomen or men who are here today. So if there's any in opposition, if you could come up to the microphone, I ran through a little bit quickly last time, so I don't want to do that again. Any chair, women or men? I was told there was going to be some, so I'm going to hold off until okay, there you go. And then I said it earlier, so two minutes is probably where we should thank you.

Thank you, chairman, committee Members. My name is Andrew Alejandre. I'm the tribal chairman of the Paskenta Band of Nomlaki Indians. I am here on behalf of my people, and I'm here on behalf of all the ancestors that lay in Strawberry Fields. The land we know as Strawberry Fields is the home to many tribes, including the Nomlaki people, a place of gathering, fishing, trade and ceremony.

Once home to six village sites that located closely together along the riverside, village sites that have been mapped out by Wintu elders in the 1840s and well documented when it comes to the location. We know for a fact that if this project moves forward, it will disturb village sites. Every spring for decades, our people hold ceremonies.

And it was right around that time, on April of 1846, John C. Fremont, during his expedition to explore trade routes from Sacramento to Oregon, was alerted by settlers in the now known as Redding Area that more than a thousand Indians were preparing for war. But what he really saw was us preparing for ceremony. Fremont proceeded north with the militia of 50 to 70 armed men on horseback.

After about four days of travel, his men found this large gathering place where our people were fishing and in ceremony, and proceeded to murder approximately a thousand plus men, women, children, elders in one of the largest massacres of Native people in U. S. History. This event took place before the Gold Rush, before California was a state or even A U.S. Territory. So I can understand why some would get confused on where and when this battle took place.

But once the Sacramento River Massacre occurred, that triggered decades of state sponsored violence against Native people all over the state. This event started an era of genocide, creating countless stories of what happened to California's first people. There is a site adjacent to the south of the proposed casino development that has been documented by archaeologists, the Heritage Commission, BLM, the local tribal monitors. This has been identified as mass burial of over 100 people from what was most likely a single killing event.

This site dates to the 1840s and shows a mortality rate of six times higher than anywhere else in the region. These remains showed evidence of extreme violence, such as blunt force trauma to the skulls, and this is just the beginning. If Strawberry Fields were to be developed, we will encounter these burials over and over and over again. With these undisputed facts, we are in the process of filing for both state and federal registration for Strawberry Fields to be a registered sacred site with the Heritage Commission.

Paskenta fully supports Redding's efforts to renew their compact, but there is no need to include Strawberry Fields for Redding's gaming activities to be extended at their current property. There is an easy language solution that many other compacts have used to address this situation without specifying sacred lands as approved for gaming activity. We have Kane Smith here to provide details, but it is not endorsing a casino to be built on top of men, women, children and elders. The spirit of these ancestors, let them rest. Thank you.

I'm going to make a quick exception to what I had said earlier. Said that I was going to only allow chair of women and men only because you referred to your colleague. I'm sorry, not colleague. You referred to this gentleman. I will allow that.

All right, thank you very much. My name is Kane Smith. I'm Counsel for the Paskenta Band of Nomlaki Indians. And I just want to help, I think you understand, as Chairman Alejandro said, there's a very simple solution that can resolve all the controversy here. This compact need not and should not specifically reference the Strawberry Field site. It need not because there's very simple language in the many precedents of prior compacts that will allow Redding Rancheria to pursue whatever gaming it wishes to pursue, but it does not have to specifically reference Strawberry Fields.

And the reason it should not is because currently, as written, section 4.2 B of the proposed compact really condones class three gaming at Strawberry Fields. And if you couple that with Appendix B, which explicitly states that Strawberry Fields is gaming eligible, you have essentially short circuited what the Governor's office appropriately describes as this two part determination. That two part determination is a federal process.

It's critical essential element of that is that there has to be a finding of no significant impact to the surrounding community. Now, by referencing Strawberry Fields in this compact, there's a prejudgment essentially taking place, especially when you combine it with Appendix B. Please read appendix B carefully. And 4.2 B. Together, they suggest that Strawberry Fields is gaming eligible. And the only way that Strawberry Fields can be gaming eligible is if the Governor makes a determination that there's no significant impact to the surrounding community.

So you're essentially short circuiting that process by implication, if not explicitly by the terms of this compact. And there's a very, very simple and first of all, it would not be prejudicial to Redding Rancheria and there's established precedent to just amend, remove and replace the language with a very simple provision. And it would be as follows.

Section 4.2 B could simply read, "Once the Secretary of Interior takes land at the Trust for the Tribe for gaming and class three gaming may lawfully be conducted thereon." That's language that's across numerous of your compacts, it's open ended for Redding Rancheria to pursue what it wants, and it will not prejudge or interfere with a very specific federal process.

Thank you. Sorry, my mic was off. Thank you. Now I'm going to go ahead and as I said, to go to support and opposition, how about we go to, like I mentioned earlier, support 30 seconds the minute. It's unusual that I do that. Oh, yes. And I apologize.

Thank you for taking the time to listen to what I have to say. I think what you will hear will be something that you will want to really consider. And as Jack said, Mr. Potter, chairman Potter. I'm Chairman Rickard. I grew up with his family. His grandmother and my dad were best friends. I spent many hours at his grandmother's house. His father now. He's. I guess you're Jack Jr. And Jack. Regular Jack Potter. His father and I started kindergarten together and went all through high school together and we were best friends. I love all of them. I love spending the time with his grandmother. My name is Gary Rickard and I am the chairman of the Northern Wintu Tribe.

And you'll have to excuse me. At times I'm pushing right up to the 80 year old mark. I am bad heart, sugar, diabetes, failing kidneys. And so how much longer I will be able to bring messages to bodies like this, who knows? As Jack said, it could be tomorrow. As chairman of the nine bands of the Northern Wintu, these bands make up the historic and indigenous peoples of the northern Tahema, Shasti, Shasta and Trinity Counties. Our tribe has 546 certified Members.

It is important to note that the nine bands all spoke the same language. We all spoke Panushan language. And as an education, tribes are designated by their language. The one thing about the Wintu bands is that we had very, very distinct boundaries. In fact, I want to give you a map so that you can pass it on to them. Sorry, Chairman, the sergeants would thank you. I assure you it doesn't have any anthrax or anything like that in it.

That's just a designated person to be able to hand out.

Yeah. So the bands were much like counties are today. We had very distinct boundaries for the bands. These guys make a lot of noise for trying to get a one and a half percent raise. So the land identified in Redding Rancheria's compact, known as the Strawberry Fields, was the and is the ancestral territory of the Denam Band of Wintu. Yes. We all spoke the Panushan language, but keep in mind that we had our distinct territories. Now,

And as been mentioned before, there were six villages along there somewhere in the neighborhood of 160 homes, 700 to 900 permanent residents. And of course, we all know what happened on April 5 when Colonel Fremont came in and annihilated, massacred the whole village areas.

I want you to take a moment to listen to me. Here's what one Member of the army later wrote. Now think about you're living along the river. You're in harmony with nature. Plenty of deer, lots of salmon. So many salmon that we invited people from all over to come, other bands, other tribes to come and reap the bounty of the salmon in the river.

But on a foggy morning, the men charged into the village, taking the Indians by surprise. And then a scene of slaughter, which was unequaled in the west. Men, women and children were shot down like sheep. They never stopped until everyone was done. And when they ran out of bullets, they run around with their rifle butts, smashing the skulls of the babies and the children. How can a human do that? Can you imagine that?

Can you imagine yourself picking up a rifle and smashing a baby's skull in? But that's what happened to my Danam people and the peoples that were there fishing with us on that morning. It's important, I think, that legislatures such as yourselves and even the Governor find out the truth that happened there.

The Danam people deserve that you take the time to study the massacre and learn about the historic, and, true, people that inhabited the strawberry field. It is important to all Wintu people. And in my heart, I find it hard to believe that there are Wintu people that are willing to build a casino on the graveyard and blood soaked dirt of the massacre site when there are dozens of other places along the I5 corridor and the Sacramento River.

It has been claimed that the massacre never happened. Just Google Bend in the River Redding, California. You will find, article after article. There are still people who believe that Auschwitz happened. I fully support Jack and the Redding Rancheria in their quest for building a new casino to improve the lives of their Members. I just can't do it at that spot.

And not only are there numerous articles and documentations of the massacre on that site, it was handed down to me through my ancestors. My father was born in 1900. Now you really see how old I am. My grandmother in 1878 and my great grand grandmother in 1838. This information has been handed down generation by generation. And so the claim that a massacre didn't happen there is wrong. I want to thank you. Make decisions with your heart and your mind, and I thank you for your time.

Thank you. We're going to wrap up main opposition, main support from chairwomen and men, and I'm going to go to a support in the room. As I stated earlier, you would recommend 30 seconds, but because I've allowed others to speak a little bit longer, you could go up to about a minute. Traditionally, it's only name, organization, and position only, and we'll proceed for any support.

Just to be clear, just to remind everyone, I know several people have said it here from the dais, including the vice chair and I. This is only informational. It cannot be amended. The Legislature does not have the authority to amend, change anything on the compact. It is merely to be heard in this committee and does not follow a vote. So the committee does not have the vote, nor does the Legislature have the ability to amend in any way. Keep that in mind during your comments so the support may line up on the same microphone. Thank you. Now, for this, I am going to tap gently when you're hitting your time. All right?

Good afternoon, honorable Chair, Members of the Committee, and the audience. My name is Mark Mazano. I'm the vice mayor for the city of Redding. I appear before you today in complete support of Assembly Bill 854. Thank you.

Thank you. Any additional in support? I encourage you to start lining up, too, if that's okay with everyone. Thank you.

Good afternoon, chairman and Members. Nick Broka here on behalf of the Agua Caliente Band of Cuhuilla Indians, here to just express support for Redding Rancheria and urge the Legislature to ratify the compact at an appropriate time. Thank you.

Thank you. Any additional support comments? I'm going to move on. If you're on the phone listening, we'll get to that in a minute. Any opposition? If you just want to go ahead and line up behind the microphone. And I'll just remind you that I said I was going to tap the mic gently. When you get to that 1 minute name, organization, position, and then brief comments, please.

Hi. My name is Latisha Miller. I'm the Paskenta Band of Nomlaki Indians' Cice Chairwoman, and I am opposing this potential atrocity.

Thank you.

Hi, good afternoon. My name is Rachel Vansickle. I am the Paskenta Band of Nomlaki Indians' Tribal Member at Large, and I am in opposition. Thank you.

Thank you.

Hi, my name is Natasha Magana, and I'm a Paskena Tribal Member, and I am also in opposition.

Thank you.

Keith Ray, Tribal Secretary for the Paskenta Band, and I am in opposition.

Thank you.

Good afternoon, Chairman Santiago, Vice Chairman Lackey, Members of the committee. My name is Steve Williams, and I represent an organization called Shasta County Residents for Responsible Community Development. I am here to say that our organization supports the compact, but with no reference to the strawberry fields. There is widespread community opposition for any development on this land which is currently zoned agricultural. It has salmon. It is a very sensitive land.

For the record, the city of Redding, twice, City Council has sent letters to the Department of Interior unanimously opposing any development on this. Vice Chair Mark Mazana, who just spoke, made the motion and voted in favor of writing a letter of opposition.

Just a gentle reminder.

You've also heard about Shasta County supporting this from Chairman Potter. I strongly disagree. Shasta County Board of Supervisors did vote to a compact with a very strong voice in opposition. And the four Members of the Shasta County Board of Supervisors continue to make national news for their extreme and unusual behavior.

Thank you very much for your comments. Any additional opposition comments? Yes, thank you.

Hi, my name is Matt. I'm with a group called Speak up, Shasta. We represent nearly 7000 community members in Shasta County. In the interest of time, I'm going to try to go through this as quickly as possible. In the past few days, all of you have received coalition letters from our Members outlining numerous concerns, ranging from noise traffic, environmental concerns. The strawberry fields area is a habitat home to salmon, steelhead, bald eagles. As Chairman Potter mentioned, the tribe has not put forth any sort of plan to mitigate these concerns, and we stand opposed to this. Thank you.

Thank you. Any additional opposition comments?

Hi, my name is Jessica Farias, and. I am a Paskenta Member, Tribal Member, and I oppose.

Thank you again, if there's any more opposition, please start lining up now.

My name is Angelia Horn and I'm at Paskenta Band of Nomlaki Indians elder, and I opposed this. When I was just very young, I used to hear my grandpa talk about that thing, and it was then divided, kind of like and then with the weathers and all that kind of stuff, it shifted and everything. But I remember him telling, seeing something about a massacre there. And tribes from everywhere used to come there, all tribes. So to me, it's just not one place.

It's a massacre that happened to all different natives. So one can't put a claim on nothing. All of our people were massacred there, and somebody lost at some point, men, women and children, elders. And as a little girl, I used to hear my grandpa talk about that, but I didn't really understand at that time. So I oppose being something built on my elders, even way back when. It's just not right. It is sacred. It's holy. It's just not right. So I oppose. Thank you.

Thank you.

My name is Lakota Rangel. I'm a Paskenta Band of Nomlaki Member, and I oppose all attempts to erase Native American history and places that people were buried and died and were hurt.

Hi. My name is Alaina Aguilar. I'm a Member of the Paskenta Band of Nomlaki, and I oppose to this.

Thank you.

Thank you. I'm not seeing any additional opposition or support comments, so I'm going to move very quickly now to public comments on the phone. Moderator and again, I'm going to remind those who are on the phone who may have not had the benefit of hearing me last, let me do something second.

There's still people in the crowd, so let me see if there's any what we call in betweeners, which is tweeners. It's been said that I haven't done it in some time, so I will do it. I don't see anybody coming on to do any of those comments, so I'll skip that and move over to the phones. Moderator and again, I'll remind those who are listening on the phone that the committee cannot amend and cannot vote, nor does Legislature have the power to make any amendments whatsoever. Name, organization, and position only.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. And if you wish to speak on this topic, press one, then zero at this time. And we'll go to line number nine. Please go ahead. Okay, just a moment. They've removed themself from queue. We'll go with line number twelve. Please go ahead.

Supervisor Tim Garman, District Two in Shasta County, and the Vice Chairman of the Shasta County Board of Supervisors, that I have in support of this project. And I want to thank every speaker that spoke today and they were very passionate and it's good that we all get to be heard. Thank you.

Thank you.

Line 36, please go ahead.

Jose Moke Simon. Middletown Rancheria Tribal Chairman. I'm here in support today for Redding Rancheria. So that's it.

Thank you.

Line 51, please go ahead.

Good afternoon, may you young. My name is Mark Macarro, Pechanga Band of Luiseno Indians in Southern California and we stand in support of Redding and Redding Anterior in their compact. Thank you very much.

Thank you.

Line number 19, please go ahead.

Hi, good afternoon. My name is Erica Pinto. I'm the Chairwoman of the Jamul Indian Village of California, and I'm here to express my strong support for the Redding Rancheria Compact, AB 54. Tribal State Gaming Compacts are best when they acknowledge and not infringe upon tribal sovereignty. The Jamul Indian Village supports Redding Rancheria right to engage in tribal gaming for the benefit of their tribal community, their citizens, and we've all seen the positive impacts of tribal gaming. Thank you very much.

Thank you.

Line 25, please go ahead.

Hi. This is Robin Lentz. I own two businesses in Reading and in support of Wind River.

We can't hear you. Maybe you can move to another side of the room. Okay. Moderator maybe hold that for a second and we'll go to the next speaker.

Okay, we'll go to line 31. Please go ahead. I'm sorry, they've removed themselves from queue. Line 21, please go ahead.

My name is Kay Hanlon and I represent Churn Creek Bottom Homeowners and Friends Organization. I'm speaking in opposition to the Redding Rancheria Tribal State Compact unless it removes references to the class three gaming on strawberry fields. I believe that trying to convince the people of Sheffield County that this new casino is justified because of past atrocities, culture, and quote unquote, sacredness is a farce. This has everything to do with the money that will line the tribal pockets and not benefit the true citizens of Shasta County.

Thank you. Moderator, next speaker.

Line number nine, please go ahead.

Yeah, this is Buster Attebery. I'm the Karuk Tribal Chairman and I offer support for AB 845 Redding Rancheria compact with the state of California. Thank you.

Thank you.

Line number 28, please go ahead.

Hi, my name is Agnes Gonzalez. I'm the chair lady for the Pit River Nation. I am here to provide the Pit River Tribe support to Redding Rancheria. Fundamentally, tribal sovereignty is non negotiable, but we are in an era where tough decisions have to be made. Tribes, through profits from gaming, now have the ability to fully exercise their inherent sovereignty by addressing the needs of their Members and communities, provide essential services, education, and provide opportunity for our communities.

Tribes are now at a point where we can rebuild our nations from being dismantled and promoting self determination. We can now purchase properties that were taken by force and through policy. Such lands include ancient village sites, living altars, cemeteries, sacred sites, and lands that would otherwise benefit the tribes. Due to gaming, we can now preserve the past, enable our present, and provide opportunities for our future. Gaming has provided opportunities for our people. Some tribal operations have become lucrative. Others have pulled their communities from despair. Pit River Tribe supports the exercise of tribal sovereignty, tribal self termination, and tribal nation rebuilding. We support Redding Rancheria.

Moderator.

Okay, and line 53, please go ahead.

Hello, North Fork Rancheria Mono Indians of California, Tribal Vice Chairwoman and Natori Naylor. Just here to make known our support of Redding Rancheria and their gaming project. Thank you.

Moderator.

Line 14. Yes, line 14, please go ahead.

Good afternoon. My name is Regina Cuellar, and I am the Tribal Chairwoman of the Shingle Springs Band of Miwok Indians, located off of highway 50 east of Sacramento, about 30 miles, and I am calling to show support for the Redding Rancheria Compact. Thank you.

Thank you.

Line 22, please go ahead.

My name is Kim Patton with Media Plus in Redding, and I've seen firsthand the positive impact that Redding Rancheria has had on the community, and I fully support them. Thank you for your time.

Thank you.

Line 54, please go ahead.

My name is Tom Reams, and I'm representing the Churn Creek Bottom Homeowners and Friends organization, speaking in opposition to the Redding Rancheria Tribal State Compact, unless it removes references to class three gaming on Strawberry Fields. ChurnCreek Bottom has a membership of about 200 households, and our mission is to maintain agricultural, zoning and rural lifestyle enjoyed by our residents and surrounding communities as well as preserve it for future generations.

Our organization has long opposed placing 232 acres of land to Tribal Trust for the purposes of operating a casino. This new casino would result in a loss of fertile agricultural land, harm the rural community's aesthetics, negatively impact groundwater for those living in Churn Creek Bottom, and cause the need for additional law enforcement resources and increased traffic congestion.

Thank you.

We are concerned about having a sewage treatment facility on this parcel for such a large proposed development which could pollute the groundwater and the Sacramento River.

Thank you. Moderator. All right, thank you very much. Appreciate your comments. All right.

Line 55, please go ahead.

Hello. My name is Pete Ramirez. I'm the assistant cultural resource specialist for California Valley Miwok Tribe Sheep Ranch Rancheria, and we are speaking in support of Chairman Potter and Redding Rancheria and their endeavor. We believe that they will not negatively impact any cultural resources due to the history and relationship we have worked with them and seeing that they do protect cultural resources and put culture as a number one towards the tribe and always promoting cultural to neighboring tribes. So as a cultural resource specialist, I'm in support of Redding Rancheria.

Thank you.

Line 31, please go ahead.

Good afternoon. Chris Lindstrom, Executive Officer of the California Tribal Business Alliance. The Member tribes of the alliance support Redding Rancheria and its efforts and hope the Legislature approves the ratification Bill at the appropriate time. Thank you.

Thank you.

In line 57, please go ahead.

Yes. My name is Kevin Crye. I am a Shasta County Supervisor representing District One. I'm calling in not only as my role as a supervisor, but also as a private business owner. I have dealt with the tribe over 20 plus years, working with the youth in our county, and they've been nothing but a huge blessing in addition to our county. And I hope that you support this Bill. Thank you.

Thank you.

And Mr. Chair, we have no one else in queue at this time.

Thank you very much. Mr. Moderator. I want to thank the committee too, for being here today and engaging in this conversation. Been longer than most normal hearings on a compact. And for that, because it was a little bit longer, I want to know if you want to make any closing comments, Mr. Chair. If they be brief, then we'll close out the committee after that.

And just to remind everyone again, and I'll say because it was said a couple of times on the phone, we are not taking any action. We do not have the ability to vote or make amendments or any suggested changes, nor does the Legislature have the ability to do that whatsoever. Just want to make clear that mr.

Chair thank you, Chairperson, and the Members of the committee, thank you for an opportunity to offer a response to the comments made by our old friends from the south, the Nomalaki Band of Paskenta. We understand that Paskenta are concerned about potential financial impact our project could have on the Rolling Hills Casino. They need not worry. Gaming in Indian country can be a tide that raises all of our canoes. We should not battle against one another.

In that spirit, we have reached out to Paskenta on several occasions over the years in an effort to seek ways for the Paskenta and the Redding Rancheria to work together in an effort to make both of our gaming operations successful. In the near future, our tribal council will be meeting with Paskenta's. Tribal Council? At the end of the day, the true value of Indian gaming is that it offers tribal governments a way of improving the lives of all Indian people and making tribes more self sufficient.

We have worked together in the past, and I am confident we will mend our disagreements and find a path, once our compact is approved, where both the Paskenta and the Redding Rancheria can enjoy financial success for the benefit of all people. Our fields tell you, our friends tell you, that the land upon which we intend to game on is sacred because it is a place where in 1846, chaptan John Fremont and his men massacred up to a thousand Win two men, women and children in a horrific display of inhumanity. That is a lie. Many Members of the Reeding Rancheria are direct Wintu, descendants of those who were massacred.

And while the Fremont massacre is a sad part of our tribal history, contrary to what you have been told, the Reeding Rancheria's I5 property is not the location of this massacre. The suggestion that we would abandon our traditional duty to our ancestors and intentionally disturb their resting place is a slander that will not easily be forgotten. This committee need not take my word.

However, the federal government is carrying out its duty under the National Environmental Policy Act, has conducted extensive cultural surveys of the lands at issue here, and has found nothing to support Paskenta's claims. The claims are simply false. Let us be clear. The Paskenta are not here today out of concern for their cultural resources of the Wintu people. They are not here today to express anxiousness about disturbing the resting place of massacred ancestors of the Redding Rancheria. They are not here out of concern for our land.

They are here today because of a mistaken belief that Redding Rancheria gaming on its I5 property will cut into the profits of their gaming facility. I once again ask you that you support this compact negotiated between Redding and the governor's office. And a lot of the statements that Chairman Rickards said and Chairman Alejandro said are based off of my descendant, my ancestor, who I am a descendant from Noril Poodus. Those villages they talk about, yes, they were along there.

He was the oldest known Wintu that survived those massacres. And he documented in the occasional papers of the Reading art and history and he names over 236 villages and yes, south of our Strawberry Fields chairman Alejandro spoke about there is over a hundred burials there. And it wasn't due to a massacre. It was due to the headman of that village. Kumbai Sharil is the village name. And the headman was Satka and he was bad.

And when the people would come to that area and water to get water and stuff, he would kill them in the night because he would wait, the old people said. And it's documented in that book. And so if there was a massacre on this site, would you not think that the descendant from Etnoril Putus, my relative, would have mentioned that the massacre was here? He talks about it down.

And people from that area know Turtle Bay and they know that there is a large fenced off area on the opposite side of the river where Redding in traditional times was reading has grown abundantly. It is a large, large city now and it now goes 55 sq mi. Back in those times, it was just a little small hamlet. And I reassure you, as a Wintu person descendant from the massacres, I will not destroy or bring dishonor to my people. I will do what's right.

And the best people to take care of the land is the descendants of those areas. And yes, Chairman Rickard talked about the nine bands. We too are descendants from those nine bands. And we did have clear defined territories. And Paskenta's territory is south of Cottonwood Creek. They did not go north of Cottonwood Creek. It is within those maps. And like Chairman Rickards said that that area was home to the nine bands of Win, two people. Thank you for your consideration.

Thank you. Before I conclude this informational hearing, we saw a lot of people walk in, just keep you up to date so that we know the committee has no ability to make any amendments, changes or votes to this. It's simply an informational hearing. So I appreciate everyone's participation here because we can't amend and we cannot vote. And it's for informational hearing only. I'm going to go ahead and adjourn the meeting.

Thank you very much for all the committee Members who have been here today, chairman, all the chair women and men who have participated, all the tribal leaders who are here with us today, all the workers and everyone else who is an advocate or otherwise be in person or by phone. So I'm grateful for the participation in the governor's office and our team who surrounds us with that, I will end the meeting. Thank you.