SB542 - Tribal gaming: compact ratification.

Enrolled August 27, 2026 Passed IN Senate August 25, 2026 Passed IN Assembly August 24, 2026 Amended IN Assembly August 17, 2026 Amended IN Assembly September 05, 2025 Amended IN Assembly September 02, 2025 Amended IN Senate May 23, 2025 Amended IN Senate April 28, 2025 Amended IN Senate March 26, 2025 CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE— 2025–2026 REGULAR SESSION Senate Bill No. 542 Introduced by Senator Limón February 20, 2025 An act to add Section 12012.125 to the Government Code, relating to tribal gaming, and declaring the urgency thereof, to take effect immediately. LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST SB 542, Limón. Tribal gaming: compact ratification. 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 those compacts, subject to ratification by the Legislature. Existing law expressly ratifies a number of tribal-state gaming compacts, and amendments to tribal-state gaming compacts, between the State of California and specified Indian tribes. 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. This bill would ratify the 2nd amendment to the tribal-state gaming compact entered into between the State of California and the Santa Ynez Band of Chumash Indians executed on August 4, 2026. The bill would provide that, in deference to tribal sovereignty, certain actions related to this amended compact are not projects for the purposes of CEQA. This bill would declare that it is to take effect immediately as an urgency statute. Digest Key Vote: 2/3 Appropriation: NO Fiscal Committee: YES Local Program: NO Bill Text The people of the State of California do enact as follows: SECTION 1. Section 12012.125 is added to the Government Code, to read: 12012.125. (a) The second amendment to the tribal-state gaming compact between the State of California and the Santa Ynez Band of Chumash Indians, executed on August 4, 2026, entered into in accordance with the federal Indian Gaming Regulatory Act of 1988 (18 U.S.C. Secs. 1166 to 1168, inclusive, and 25 U.S.C. Sec. 2701 et seq.), is hereby ratified. (b) (1) In deference to tribal sovereignty, none of the following shall be deemed a project for purposes of the California Environmental Quality Act (Division 13 (commencing with Section 21000) of the Public Resources Code): (A) The execution of an amendment to a tribal-state gaming compact ratified by this section. (B) The execution of an amended tribal-state gaming compact ratified by this section. (C) The execution of an intergovernmental agreement between a tribe and a county or city government negotiated pursuant to the express authority of, or as expressly referenced in, an amended tribal-state gaming compact ratified by this section. (D) The execution of an intergovernmental agreement between a tribe and the Department of Transportation, or other state agency, negotiated pursuant to the express authority of, or as expressly referenced in, an amended tribal-state gaming compact ratified by this section. (E) The on-reservation impacts of compliance with the terms of an amended tribal-state gaming compact ratified by this section. (2) Except as expressly provided in this section, this subdivision does not exempt a city, county, or city and county, or the Department of Transportation, or any state agency or local jurisdiction, from the requirements of the California Environmental Quality Act. SEC. 2. This act is an urgency statute necessary for the immediate preservation of the public peace, health, or safety within the meaning of Article IV of the California Constitution and shall go into immediate effect. The facts constituting the necessity are: In order to enhance the economic development, stability, and self-sufficiency of the Santa Ynez Band of Chumash Indians, and to protect the interests of this tribe and its members, the surrounding communities, and the California public at the earliest possible time, it is necessary that this act take effect immediately.