What This Bill Does
This bill transfers approximately 721.12 acres of land in San Diego County, California into trust with the federal government for the Pala Band of Mission Indians. The transferred land becomes part of the Pala Indian Reservation and will be managed under federal laws that apply to trust land held for Indian tribes.
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Who It Affects
The Pala Band of Mission Indians (a federally recognized tribe)
The Secretary of the Interior (federal official responsible for managing the transfer)
The federal government (which will hold the land in trust)
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Key Provisions
- The Pala Band of Mission Indians must transfer the land's title to the United States within 180 days after the law is enacted, and the Secretary of the Interior must then take that land into trust within 180 days after receiving it (Sec. 2(b)(1))
- The transferred land becomes part of the Pala Indian Reservation and will be managed under the same laws and rules that apply to other trust land the U.S. holds for Indian tribes (Sec. 2(b)(2))
- The tribe cannot conduct gaming activities (casino or gambling operations) on the transferred land, either based on their own authority or under federal law, including the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act (Sec. 2(e))
- This law does not change any of the tribe's existing water rights or affect any roads, pathways or easements (property access rights) that existed before the law passed (Sec. 2(d))
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What Changes
If this becomes law, the Gregory Canyon Property (about 721.12 acres in San Diego County) will shift from private or other ownership into federal trust status for the Pala Band of Mission Indians. The tribe cannot use this land for gambling or casino operations.
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Important Definitions
"Secretary" means the Secretary of the Interior (the federal cabinet official overseeing the Interior Department)
"Tribe" means the Pala Band of Mission Indians
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Effective Date
Not specified in bill text
II
Calendar No. 31
118TH CONGRESS
1ST SESSION
S. 277
[Report No. 118–2]
To take certain land located in San Diego County, California, into trust
for the benefit of the Pala Band of Mission Indians, and for other purposes.
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
FEBRUARY 7, 2023
Mr. PADILLA introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred
to the Committee on Indian Affairs
MARCH 21, 2023
Reported by Mr. SCHATZ, without amendment
A BILL
To take certain land located in San Diego County, California,
into trust for the benefit of the Pala Band of Mission
Indians, and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
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tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
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SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
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This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Pala Band of Mission
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Indians Land Transfer Act of 2023’’.
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•S 277 RS
SEC. 2. TRANSFER OF LAND INTO TRUST FOR THE PALA
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BAND OF MISSION INDIANS.
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(a) DEFINITIONS.—In this section:
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(1) SECRETARY.—The term ‘‘Secretary’’ means
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the Secretary of the Interior.
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(2) TRIBE.—The term ‘‘Tribe’’ means the Pala
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Band of Mission Indians.
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(b) TRANSFER AND ADMINISTRATION.—
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(1) TRANSFER OF LAND INTO TRUST.—If, not
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later than 180 days after the date of enactment of
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this Act, the Tribe transfers title to the land re-
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ferred to in subsection (c) to the United States, the
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Secretary, not later than 180 days after the date of
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that transfer, shall take that land into trust for the
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benefit of the Tribe.
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(2) ADMINISTRATION.—The land taken into
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trust under paragraph (1) shall be part of the Pala
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Indian Reservation and administered in accordance
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with the laws and regulations generally applicable to
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land held in trust by the United States for an Indian
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Tribe.
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(c) LAND DESCRIPTION.—The land referred to in
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subsection (b)(1) is the approximately 721.12 acres of
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land located in San Diego County, California, generally
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depicted as ‘‘Gregory Canyon Property Boundary’’ on the
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•S 277 RS
map entitled ‘‘Pala Gregory Canyon Property Boundary
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and Parcels’’ and dated May 12, 2020.
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(d) RULES OF CONSTRUCTION.—Nothing in this sec-
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tion—
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(1) enlarges, impairs, or otherwise affects any
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right or claim of the Tribe to any land or interest
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in land that is in existence before the date of enact-
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ment of this Act;
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(2) affects any water right of the Tribe in exist-
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ence before the date of enactment of this Act; or
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(3) terminates or limits any access in any way
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to any right-of-way or right-of-use issued, granted,
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or permitted before the date of enactment of this
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Act.
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(e) RESTRICTED USE OF TRANSFERRED LANDS.—
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The Tribe may not conduct, on the land taken into trust
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under subsection (b)(1), gaming activities—
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(1) as a matter of claimed inherent authority;
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or
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(2) under any Federal law, including the Indian
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Gaming Regulatory Act (25 U.S.C. 2701 et seq.)
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and regulations promulgated by the Secretary or the
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National Indian Gaming Commission under that
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Act.
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Calendar No. 31
118TH CONGRESS
1ST SESSION
S. 277
[Report No. 118–2]
A BILL
To take certain land located in San Diego County,
California, into trust for the benefit of the Pala
Band of Mission Indians, and for other purposes.
MARCH 21, 2023
Reported without amendment
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