BILL ANALYSIS                                                                                                                                                                                                    



                                                                SB 357
                                                                Page  1


        SENATE THIRD READING
        SB 357 (Ducheny)
        As Amended  April 1, 2009
        Majority vote 

         SENATE VOTE  :35-0  
         
         GOVERNMENTAL ORGANIZATION 17-0  APPROPRIATIONS      17-0        
         
         ----------------------------------------------------------------- 
        |Ayes:|Coto, Anderson, Chesbro,  |Ayes:|De Leon, Conway, Ammiano, |
        |     |Cook,                     |     |                          |
        |     |De Leon, Evans, Hall,     |     |Charles Calderon, Coto,   |
        |     |Hill, Jeffries, Lieu,     |     |Davis,                    |
        |     |Mendoza, Nestande,        |     |Fuentes, Hall, Harkey,    |
        |     |V. Manuel Perez,          |     |Miller,                   |
        |     |Portantino, Silva,        |     |Nielsen, John A. Perez,   |
        |     |Torrico, Tran             |     |Skinner,                  |
        |     |                          |     |Solorio, Audra            |
        |     |                          |     |Strickland, Torlakson,    |
        |     |                          |     |Hill                      |
        |-----+--------------------------+-----+--------------------------|
        |     |                          |     |                          |
         ----------------------------------------------------------------- 
         SUMMARY  :  Extends the sunset date from January 1, 2010 to January 1,  
        2021, on the law which specifies how the Indian Gaming Special  
        Distribution Fund (SDF) local mitigation grants monies are  
        distributed.
         
         EXISTING LAW  :
         
        1)Creates, in the State Treasury, the SDF for the receipt and  
          deposit of moneys by the state from certain Indian tribes pursuant  
          to the terms of gaming compacts entered into with the state.

        2)Authorizes moneys in the SDF to be used for the following:

           a)   Grants for programs designed to address problem gambling;

           b)   Grants for the support of state and local government  
             agencies impacted by tribal government gaming;

           c)   Compensation for regulatory costs incurred by the California  
             Gambling Control Commission (CGCC) and the California  








                                                                SB 357
                                                                Page  2


             Department of Justice (DOJ) in the implementation and  
             administration of compacts;

           d)   Payment of shortfalls that may occur in the Indian Gaming  
             Revenue Sharing Trust Fund (RSTF).  This shall be the priority  
             use of monies in the SDF;

           e)   Disbursements for the purpose of implementing the terms of  
             tribal labor agreements promulgated in accordance with the  
             terms of the 1999 compacts; and,

           f)   Any other purpose as specified by law.

        3)Provides that the priority for funding from the SDF is in the  
          following descending order:

           a)   To make payments for any shortfalls that may occur in the  
             RSTF;

           b)   Grants for programs designed to address gambling addiction;

           c)   Compensation to the CGCC and DOJ for regulatory functions  
             that directly relates to Indian gaming; and,

           d)   Grants for the support of local government agencies impacted  
             by Indian gaming.

        4)Requires the Department of Finance, in consultation with the CGCC,  
          to calculate the total revenue in the SDF that will be available  
          for the budget year for those local government agencies who were  
          impacted by Indian gaming.  Requires this information to be  
          included in the May Budget revision.

        5)Establishes, until January 1, 2010, the methodology for the  
          allocation of SDF monies to local governments that have Indian  
          gaming in its jurisdiction.  Authorizes eligible local governments  
          to establish Benefit Committees to award SDF monies to fund grant  
          projects pursuant to specified criteria.

        6)Requires each county that administers grants from the SDF to  
          provide an annual report to the chairs of the Joint Legislative  
          Budget Committee, the Assembly and Senate Committees on  
          Governmental Organization, and the CGCC by October 1 of each year  
          detailing the specific projects funded by all projects funded by  








                                                                SB 357
                                                                Page  3


          all grants in its jurisdictions.  Counties that do not provide the  
          annual report to the Legislature and the CGCC are ruled ineligible  
          to receive funding from the SDF for the following year.

        7)Requires the State Auditor to conduct an audit every three years  
          and reports its findings to the Legislature regarding all  
          allocation and use of SDF grant monies.

        8)Authorizes and requires the CGCC to collect and account for all  
          SDF contributions under the tribal gaming compacts [Executive  
          Order D-66-03].
         
         FISCAL EFFECT  :  According to the Assembly Appropriations Committee:

        1)The 2009-10 Budget does not include any funding for local  
          mitigation grants. Continuing the local government grant formula  
          in state law would create significant pressure in 2009-10 and  
          2010-11 on the SDF and in 2011-12 the GF, likely in the range of  
          $30 million per year.

        2)Assuming the $30 million in annual mitigation grants for local  
          governments resume due to the extension of this statute and the  
          SDF continues to be used to fund the $50 million annual RSTF  
          shortfall, estimates suggest that the state will use up all of the  
          SDF surplus in 2010-11 and will have a shortfall of approximately  
          $60 million in 2011-12.  Under the 2007 compact amendments, the  
          state is now obligated to cover the RSTF annual shortfall if the  
          SDF cannot.

         COMMENTS  :  This bill seeks to extend the sunset on the Indian Gaming  
        Special Distribution Fund local government grant statute from  
        January 1, 2010, to January 1, 2021.  This extension ensures that  
        the grant allocation statute will be available for the remaining  
        life of the 1999 compacts.


         Analysis Prepared by  :    Rod Brewer / G. O. / (916) 319-2531 

                                                                  FN: 0002604