An act to add Section 12012.120 to the Government Code, relating to tribal gaming, and declaring the urgency thereof, to take effect immediately.
Summary
SB 864 ratifies three tribal-state gaming agreements: a new compact between California and the Cher-Ae Heights Indian Community of the Trinidad Rancheria, and first amendments to compacts with the Pinoleville Pomo Nation and the Sycuan Band of the Kumeyaay Nation. The bill confirms these agreements under the federal Indian Gaming Regulatory Act and makes them part of California law by adding Section 12012.120 to the Government Code.
The bill also specifies that certain actions tied to these compacts are not “projects” under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA). That includes execution of the compact or amendments, related intergovernmental agreements with local governments or state agencies, and the on-reservation impacts of complying with the compact terms. The measure is declared an urgency statute, so it took effect immediately upon enactment.
Impact
SB 864 directly amends the Government Code to add a new section ratifying specified tribal gaming compacts and compact amendments. It also narrows CEQA’s application for the listed compact-related actions, while preserving CEQA requirements for cities, counties, state agencies, and local jurisdictions except where the bill expressly provides otherwise. The practical effect is to speed implementation of the agreements and reduce environmental review litigation risk for the ratified tribal gaming arrangements and associated agreements.
Sentiment
The bill appears to have had broad bipartisan support and little visible opposition. Its votes were unanimous or near-unanimous at each stage, including committee and floor votes, and it advanced through the consent calendar process. The urgency clause and the stated goals of supporting tribal economic development, stability, and self-sufficiency suggest the measure was viewed favorably as a routine compact-ratification bill.
Contention
There is little evidence of substantive contention in the available record, and no committee transcript excerpts were provided. The main policy issue embedded in the bill is the CEQA exemption for compact-related actions, which could be of concern to environmental or local-government stakeholders in other contexts. However, the bill’s text limits the exemption to specified tribal compact activities and expressly states that other CEQA obligations remain in place for local and state agencies outside those enumerated actions.
An act to amend Sections 5361, 5971, 5975, 5976.5, 5977, 5977.1, 5977.3, 5977.4, 5978.1, 5979, 5982, 5983, and 5985 of, and to add Section 5988 to, the Welfare and Institutions Code, relating to mental health.
An act relating to the payment of claims against the state, making an appropriation therefor, and declaring the urgency thereof, to take effect immediately.