1998 Indian Gaming Compacts. Referendum Statute.
	Text of Proposition 29

This law proposed by Senate Bill 287 of the 1997-98 Regular Session (Chapter 409, Statutes of 1998) is submitted to the people as a referendum in accordance with the provisions of Section 9 of Article II of the California Constitution.

This proposed law adds sections to the Government Code; therefore, new provisions proposed to be added are printed in italic type to indicate that they are new.

 

PROPOSED LAW

SECTION 1. Section 12012.5 is added to the Government Code, to read:

12012.5. (a) The following tribal-state compacts entered in accordance with the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act of 1988 (18 U.S.C. Sec. 1166 et seq. and 25 U.S.C. Sec. 2701 et seq.) are hereby ratified:

(1) The compact between the State of California and the Barona Band of Mission Indians, executed on August 12, 1998.

(2) The compact between the State of California and the Big Sandy Rancheria of Mono Indians, executed on July 20, 1998.

(3) The compact between the State of California and the Cher-Ae Heights Indian Community of Trinidad Rancheria, executed on July 13, 1998.

(4) The compact between the State of California and the Jackson Rancheria Band of Miwuk Indians, executed on July 13, 1998.

(5) The compact between the State of California and the Mooretown Rancheria of Concow/Maidu Indians, executed on July 13, 1998.

(6) The compact between the State of California and the Pala Band of Mission Indians, as approved by the Secretary of the Interior on April 25, 1998.

(7) The compact between the State of California and the Redding Rancheria, executed on August 11, 1998.

(8) The compact between the State of California and the Rumsey Indian Rancheria of Wintun Indians of California, executed on July 13, 1998.

(9) The compact between the State of California and the Sycuan Band of Mission Indians, executed on August 12, 1998.

(10) The compact between the State of California and the Table Mountain Rancheria, executed on July 13, 1998.

(11) The compact between the State of California and the Viejas Band of Kumeyaay Indians, executed on or about August 17, 1998.

The terms of each compact apply only to the State of California and the tribe that has signed it, and the terms of these compacts do not bind any tribe that is not a signatory to any of the compacts.

(b) Any other compact entered into between the State of California and any other federally recognized Indian tribe which is executed after August 24, 1998, is hereby ratified if (1) the compact is identical in all material respects to any of the compacts ratified pursuant to subdivision (a), and (2) the compact is not rejected by each house of the Legislature, two-thirds of the membership thereof concurring, within 30 days of the date of the submission of the compact to the Legislature by the Governor. However, if the 30-day period ends during a joint recess of the Legislature, the period shall be extended until the fifteenth day following the day on which the Legislature reconvenes. A compact will be deemed to be materially identical to a compact ratified pursuant to subdivision (a) if the Governor certifies that it is materially identical at the time he or she submits it to the Legislature.

(c) The Legislature acknowledges the right of federally recognized tribes to exercise their sovereignty to negotiate and enter into compacts with the state that are materially different from the compacts ratified pursuant to subdivision (a). These compacts shall be ratified upon approval of each house of the Legislature, a majority of the membership thereof concurring.

(d) The Governor is the designated state officer responsible for negotiating and executing, on behalf of the state, tribal-state gaming compacts with federally recognized Indian tribes in the State of California pursuant to the federal Indian Gaming Regulatory Act of 1988 (18 U.S.C. Sec. 1166 et seq. and 25 U.S.C. Sec. 2701 et seq.) for the purpose of authorizing class III gaming, as defined in that act, on Indian lands. Nothing in this section shall be construed to deny the existence of the Governor's authority to have negotiated and executed tribal-state compacts prior to the effective date of this section.

(e) The Governor is authorized to waive the state's immunity to suit in federal court in connection with any compact negotiated with an Indian tribe or any action brought by an Indian tribe under the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act (18 U.S.C. Sec. 1166 et seq. and 25 U.S.C. Sec. 2701 et seq.).

(f) In deference to tribal sovereignty, the execution of, and compliance with the terms of, any compact specified under subdivision (a) or (b) shall not be deemed to constitute a project for purposes of the California Environmental Quality Act (Division 13 (commencing with Section 21000) of the Public Resources Code).

(g) Nothing in this section shall be interpreted to authorize the unilateral imposition of a statewide limit on the number of lottery devices or of any allocation system for lottery devices on any Indian tribe that has not entered into a compact that provides for such a limit or allocation system. Each tribe may negotiate separately with the state over these matters on a government-to-government basis.