Bill > SB49

This bill ratifies two amendments and a new gaming compact between the State of California and the Big Sandy Rancheria of Western Mono Indians, which were executed in December 2024 and February 2025. The amendments extend the terms of an existing tribal-state gaming compact originally signed in 1999. Importantly, the bill provides that certain actions related to these compacts, such as their execution, amendments, and intergovernmental agreements, are not considered "projects" under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), in recognition of tribal sovereignty. These actions include agreements between the tribe and local governments, the Department of Transportation, or other state agencies that are referenced in the compact. The bill is classified as an urgency statute, meaning it will take effect immediately, with the stated purpose of enhancing the economic development, stability, and self-sufficiency of the Big Sandy Rancheria. The ratification is based on the federal Indian Gaming Regulatory Act of 1988, which provides a framework for tribal-state gaming compacts on Indian lands.

https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billStatusClient.xhtml?bill_id=202520260SB49