20250SB__086496CHP INTRODUCED 2025-03-20 AMENDED_ASSEMBLY 2025-09-03 PASSED_ASSEMBLY 2025-09-09 PASSED_SENATE 2025-09-11 ENROLLED 2025-09-16 CHAPTERED 2025-10-01 APPROVED 2025-10-01 FILED 2025-10-01 2025 SB CHP CHP 0 Introduced by Senator Padilla (Coauthors: Senators Archuleta, Ashby, Hurtado, Ochoa Bogh, Richardson, and Wahab) LEAD_AUTHOR SENATE Padilla COAUTHOR SENATE Archuleta COAUTHOR SENATE Ashby COAUTHOR SENATE Hurtado COAUTHOR SENATE Ochoa Bogh COAUTHOR SENATE Richardson COAUTHOR SENATE Wahab

An act to add

Section 12012.120 to the Government Code, relating to tribal gaming, and declaring the urgency thereof, to take effect immediately. tribal gaming, and declaring the urgency thereof, to take effect immediately Tribal gaming: compact 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 tribal-state gaming compact entered into between the State of California and the Cher-Ae Heights Indian Community of the Trinidad Rancheria, the first amendment to the compact between the State of California and the Pinoleville Pomo Nation, California, and the first amendment to the compact between the State of California and the Sycuan Band of the Kumeyaay Nation. The bill would provide that, in deference to tribal sovereignty, certain actions related to these compacts are not projects for the purposes of CEQA.

This bill would declare that it is to take effect immediately as an urgency statute. TWO_THIRDS NO YES NO YES YES NO NO NO NO NO The people of the State of California do enact as follows:

SECTION

Section 12012.120 is added to the Government Code , to read: 12012.120. (

a) The following tribal-state gaming compacts and amended compacts entered into in accordance with the federal Indian Gaming Regulatory Act of 1988 (18 U.S.C. Secs. 1166 to 1168, inclusive, and U.S.C.

Sec. 2701 et seq.), are hereby ratified:

(1) The compact between the State of California and the Cher-Ae Heights Indian Community of the Trinidad Rancheria, executed on July 11, 2025.

(2) The first amendment to the compact between the State of California and the Pinoleville Pomo Nation, California, executed on July 30, 2025.

(3) The first amendment to the compact between the State of California and the Sycuan Band of the Kumeyaay Nation, executed on July 30, 2025. (b)

(1) In deference to tribal sovereignty, none of the following shall be deemed a project for purposes of the California Environmental Quality Act (Division 13 (commencing with

Section 21000) of the Public Resources Code): (

A) The execution of a tribal-state gaming compact ratified by this section. (

B) The execution of an amended tribal-state gaming compact ratified by this section. (

C) The execution of an intergovernmental agreement between a tribe and a county or city government negotiated pursuant to the express authority of, or as expressly referenced in, a tribal-state gaming compact or amended compact ratified by this section. (

D) The execution of an intergovernmental agreement between a tribe and the Department of Transportation, or other state agency, negotiated pursuant to the express authority of, or as expressly referenced in, a tribal-state gaming compact or amended compact ratified by this section. (

E) The on-reservation impacts of compliance with the terms of a tribal-state gaming compact or amended compact ratified by this section.

(2) Except as expressly provided in this section, this subdivision does not exempt a city, county, or city and county, or the Department of Transportation, or any state agency or local jurisdiction, from the requirements of the California Environmental Quality Act.

SEC. 2. This act is an urgency statute necessary for the immediate preservation of the public peace, health, or safety within the meaning of

Article IV of the California Constitution and shall go into immediate effect. The facts constituting the necessity are: In order to enhance the economic development, stability, and self-sufficiency of the Cher-Ae Heights Indian Community of the Trinidad Rancheria, the Pinoleville Pomo Nation, California, and the Sycuan Band of the Kumeyaay Nation, and to protect the interests of those tribes and their members, the surrounding communities, and the California public at the earliest possible time, it is necessary that this act take effect immediately.