AB 1527: Tribal gaming: compact ratification.

Official summary

Legislative Counsel’s Digest (official, as of the latest version). Written by nonpartisan legislative staff; reproduced verbatim.

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 amendment to the tribal-state gaming compact entered into between the State of California and the Picayune Rancheria of Chukchansi Indians of California. 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.

Sponsors

Sponsors by party (alphabetical): Democratic 2

“Support” is shown only as formal sponsorship recorded by the legislature. Roll-call votes are available on the official bill page.

Recent official actions

1. October 1, 2025Chaptered by Secretary of State - Chapter 202, Statutes of 2025.
2. October 1, 2025Approved by the Governor.
3. September 23, 2025Enrolled and presented to the Governor at 4 p.m.
4. September 11, 2025Urgency clause adopted. Senate amendments concurred in. To Engrossing and Enrolling. (Ayes 79. Noes 0. Page 3332.).
5. September 10, 2025In Assembly. Concurrence in Senate amendments pending.
6. September 10, 2025Read third time. Urgency clause adopted. Passed. Ordered to the Assembly. (Ayes 40. Noes 0. Page 2795.).
7. August 27, 2025Read second time. Ordered to third reading.
8. August 26, 2025Ordered to second reading.
9. August 26, 2025Withdrawn from committee.
10. June 23, 2025From committee chair, with author's amendments: Amend, and re-refer to committee. Read second time, amended, and re-referred to Com. on G.O.
11. May 14, 2025Referred to Com. on G.O.
12. May 1, 2025In Senate. Read first time. To Com. on RLS. for assignment.