Assembly Bill No. 277

CHAPTER 51

An act to add Section 12012.59 to the Government Code, relating to tribal gaming.

[Approved by Governor July 3, 2013. Filed with Secretary of State July 3, 2013.]

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL’S DIGEST

AB 277, Hall. 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 compacts, subject to ratification by the Legislature. Existing law expressly ratifies a number of tribal-state gaming compacts, and amendments of 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 North Fork Rancheria Band of Mono Indians, executed on August 31, 2012. The bill would also ratify the tribal-gaming compact entered into between the State of California and the Wiyot Tribe, executed on March 20, 2013. The bill would provide that, in deference to tribal sovereignty, certain actions are not projects for purposes of CEQA.

The people of the State of California do enact as follows:

SECTION 1.  

Section 12012.59 is added to the Government Code, to read:

12012.59.  

(a) (1) The tribal-state gaming compact entered into in accordance with the federal Indian Gaming Regulatory Act of 1988 (18 U.S.C. Secs. 1166 to 1168, inclusive, and 25 U.S.C. Sec. 2701 et seq.) between the State of California and the North Fork Rancheria Band of Mono Indians, executed on August 31, 2012, is hereby ratified.

(2) The tribal-state gaming compact entered into in accordance with the federal Indian Gaming Regulatory Act of 1988 (18 U.S.C. Secs. 1166 to 1168, inclusive, and 25 U.S.C. Sec. 2701 et seq.) between the State of California and the Wiyot Tribe, executed on March 20, 2013, is hereby ratified.

(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 an amendment to the tribal-state gaming compacts ratified by this section.

(B) The execution of the tribal-state gaming compacts 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, the tribal-state gaming compacts ratified by this section.

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

(E) The on-reservation impacts of compliance with the terms of the tribal-state gaming compacts ratified by this section.

(F) The sale of compact assets, as defined in subdivision (a) of Section 63048.6, or the creation of the special purpose trust established pursuant to Section 63048.65.

(2) Except as expressly provided herein, this subdivision does not exempt a city, county, or city and county, or the Department of Transportation, from the requirements of the California Environmental Quality Act.



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