Amended in Assembly March 26, 2015

California Legislature—2015–16 Regular Session

Assembly BillNo. 475


Introduced by Assembly Member Bigelow

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(Principal coauthor: Senator Berryhill)

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February 23, 2015


An actbegin insert to add Section 12012.66 to the Government Code,end insert relating tobegin delete gaming.end deletebegin insert tribal gamingend insertbegin insert.end insert

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL’S DIGEST

AB 475, as amended, Bigelow. Tribalbegin delete gaming.end deletebegin insert gaming: compact ratification.end insert

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 lawbegin insert expresslyend insert ratifies a number of tribal-state gamingbegin delete compactsend deletebegin insert compacts, and amendments to tribal-state gaming compacts,end insert between the State of California and specified Indian tribes.

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This bill would state the intent of the Legislature to enact legislation related to tribal gaming in California.

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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.

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This bill would ratify the tribal-state gaming compact entered into between the State of California and the Jackson Rancheria Band of Miwuk Indians, executed on February 1, 2015. The bill would provide that, in deference to tribal sovereignty, certain actions are not projects for the purposes of CEQA.

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Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: begin deleteno end deletebegin insertyesend insert. State-mandated local program: no.

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

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begin insertSECTION 1.end insert  

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begin insertSection 12012.66 is added to the end insertbegin insertGovernment
2Code
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begin insert12012.66.end insert  

(a) The tribal-state gaming compact entered into
4in accordance with the federal Indian Gaming Regulatory Act of
51988 (18 U.S.C. Secs. 1166 to 1168, inclusive, and 25 U.S.C. Sec.
62701 et seq.) between the State of California and the Jackson
7Rancheria Band of Miwuk Indians, executed on February 1, 2015,
8is hereby ratified.

9(b) (1) In deference to tribal sovereignty, none of the following
10shall be deemed a project for purposes of the California
11Environmental Quality Act (Division 13 (commencing with Section
1221000) of the Public Resources Code):

13(A) The execution of an amendment to the tribal-state gaming
14compact ratified by this section.

15(B) The execution of the tribal-state gaming compact ratified
16by this section.

17(C) The execution of an intergovernmental agreement between
18a tribe and a county or city government negotiated pursuant to
19the express authority of, or as expressly referenced in, the
20tribal-state gaming compact ratified by this section.

21(D) The execution of an intergovernmental agreement between
22a tribe and the Department of Transportation negotiated pursuant
23to the express authority of, or as expressly referenced in, the
24tribal-state gaming compact ratified by this section.

25(E) The on-reservation impacts of compliance with the terms
26of the tribal-state gaming compact ratified by this section.

27(F) The sale of compact assets, as defined in subdivision (a) of
28Section 63048.6, or the creation of the special purpose trust
29established pursuant to Section 63048.65.

P3    1(2) Except as expressly provided herein, this subdivision does
2not exempt a city, county, or city and county, or the Department
3of Transportation, from the requirements of the California
4Environmental Quality Act.

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SECTION 1.  

It is the intent of the Legislature to enact
6legislation related to tribal gaming in California.

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