Senate committee hears presentation on Big Sandy Rancheria compact, no action taken

The California State Senate Committee on Governmental Organization on Tuesday held an informational hearing on extensions to the Big Sandy Rancheria gaming compact and on SB 49, a bill to ratify a new 25‑year compact between the state and Big Sandy Rancheria and the Western Mono Indians of California. Committee members took testimony but did not vote or take formal action.

Matthew Lee, senior advisor for tribal negotiations in the Office of Governor Gavin Newsom, told the committee that the compact now before the Legislature is “materially identical” to one the Legislature ratified last fall but that the U.S. Department of the Interior disapproved the earlier ratification. Lee said Interior’s written position explained the disapproval and indicated the compact would likely be approved if two items already found elsewhere in state law were placed “in the four corners of the compact.” Those items, Lee said, are the promise of gaming exclusivity to tribal governments under the…