GOOD AFTERNOON. WE'LL GO AHEAD
AND GET THE GOVERNMENTAL
ORGANIZATION COMMITTEE CALLED TO
ORDER, AND GOOD AFTERNOON FOR
THE BILL. HEARD TODAY THERE WILL
BE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR TWO
WITNESSES IN SUPPORT AND TWO
WITNESSES IN OPPOSITION TO EACH,
TO PROVIDE A TOTAL OF FOUR
MINUTES OF TESTIMONY. WE ARE WE
DON'T HAVE OBVIOUSLY DON'T HAVE
A QUORUM. SO WE'LL GO AHEAD AND
START START A SUBCOMMITTEE. BUT
SINCE THE AUTHOR IS HERE, I WANT
TO GIVE HIM AN OPPORTUNITY TO GO
AHEAD AND PRESENT HIS BILL, AND
THEN WE'LL, CONTINUE WHEN WE
HAVE A QUORUM. SENATOR BECKER.
YES, PLEASE.
AND SENATOR BECKER IS PRESENTING
SB 537.
GOOD AFTERNOON. A CHAIR AND
MEMBERS, FIRST, I WANT TO THANK
THE COMMITTEE STAFF FOR THEIR
WORK ON THIS. AND FOR YOU
CONVENING A SPECIAL SESSION FOR
US. FOR THIS BILL. AND I WANT TO
THANK MY PRINCIPAL, COAUTHOR,
MAJORITY LEADER LEADER GONZALEZ.
SHE MAY BE JOINING US. JUST GOT
PULLED INTO MEETING, SO WE'RE
GOING TO GO FORWARD. BUT SHE WAS
WITH US EARLIER WHEN WE KIND OF
DID SOME ANNOUNCEMENTS AROUND
THIS. AND, I KNOW SHE'S VERY
EXCITED ABOUT THIS EFFORT. IN
1929, THE PRESIDENT OF THE
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA SIGNED
AN EXECUTIVE ORDER MANDATING THE
FORCIBLE REMOVAL OF MEXICANS AND
MEXICAN AMERICANS FROM THIS
COUNTRY. HE DID IT TO, QUOTE,
SAVE JOB OPPORTUNITIES FOR,
QUOTE, REAL AMERICANS. AND
TODAY, AS WE APPROACH THE 95TH
ANNIVERSARY OF THIS ORDER AND
THE FORCED DEPORTATIONS THAT
FOLLOWED, I FOUND THAT MANY
AMERICANS DIDN'T EVEN KNOW ABOUT
IT. I DID NOT KNOW ABOUT IT. AND
I'M A HISTORY MAJOR. IF IT
WASN'T FOR TOMORROW, WHO WILL BE
TESTIFYING SHORTLY, I MIGHT NOT
HAVE KNOWN ABOUT IT. AND OUR
MISSION HERE WITH THIS IS TO
MAKE SURE THAT WE RECOGNIZE THIS
AND COMMEMORATE IT, AND MAKE
SURE IT NEVER HAPPENS AGAIN. TO
QUOTE GEORGE SANTAYANA, THOSE
WHO CANNOT REMEMBER THE PAST ARE
DOOMED TO REPEAT IT. ACTUALLY,
HE SAYS, CONDEMNED TO REPEAT IT.
WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT MORE
IS DONE TO ENSURE THAT, THAT WE
DO NOT REPEAT THIS EPIC
INJUSTICE AND THAT WE
MEMORIALIZE THIS DARK PART OF
OUR HISTORY IN A MUCH BIGGER AND
MORE APPROPRIATE WAY. MAJORITY
LEADER GONZALEZ AND I SHARE A
PASSION FOR JUSTICE AND KNOW
THAT THIS STORY NEEDS TO BE
TOLD. SB 537 BEGINS THE PROCESS
OF MAKING THIS RIGHT BY
REQUIRING THAT A MEMORIAL BE
PLACED IN THE CITY WHERE ONE OF
THE BIGGEST RAIDS TOOK PLACE,
AND WHERE THE TRAINS LEFT. AND
AS TAMARA WILL TELL US,
SOMETIMES SOME YEARS UP TO
75,000 A YEAR FROM PACKED INTO
TRAINS FROM LOS ANGELES. AND
THAT'S WHERE THE SITE WILL BE.
THIS WILL PROPERLY MEMORIALIZE
THE VICTIMS OF THE MEXICAN
REPATRIATION, AND SERVE AS A
REMINDER THAT CALIFORNIA'S MOST
VULNERABLE POPULATIONS WILL NOT
BE TREATED LIKE THIS AGAIN.
UNDER THIS BILL, A NONPROFIT
WILL BE SET UP TO DESIGN,
CONSTRUCT AND MAINTAIN THE
STATUE. AND WE WERE WITH OUR
MEXICAN CONSUL GENERAL EARLIER
WHO WAS GIVING US IDEAS FOR
SCULPTORS. ALL COSTS WILL BE
BORNE BY THAT NONPROFIT. WITH ME
TODAY, I HAVE TWO WITNESSES,
KEVIN JOHNSON, CHICANO STUDIES
PROFESSOR AND AUTHOR OF MAJOR
LAW REVIEW ARTICLE. THAT IS ONE
OF THE THINGS THAT REALLY HAS
CONSISTENTLY BROUGHT ATTENTION
TO THIS. AND THEN TAMARA
GISIGER, WHO IS THE, WHEN SHE
WAS IN HIGH SCHOOL, JUST
GRADUATED, RAISED AWARENESS OF
THIS. WHICH ORDER DO WE WANT TO
GO IN? OKAY. TAKE YOUR TIME.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU, THANK YOU.
SENATOR, I'M TAMARA GISIGER. I
DID JUST GRADUATE HIGH SCHOOL. I
WROTE A PAPER ON THE MEXICAN
REPATRIATION IN MY JUNIOR YEAR
OF HIGH SCHOOL, AND THAT'S WHEN
I LEARNED THAT 1 MILLION
MEXICANS WERE DEPORTED. AND 60%
OF THEM WERE AMERICAN CITIZENS.
SO PRESIDENT HOOVER INSTALLED
MILITARY TACTICS LIKE FEAR, BUT
ALSO RAIDS IN PARK. AND PUBLIC
BEATINGS AND BURNING OF TOWNS TO
HAVE PEOPLE BE SO SCARED THAT
THEY EITHER SELF DEPORTED OR
THEY WERE ROUNDED UP AND
DEPORTED FORCEFULLY. THIS
PROJECT WOULD MEAN THE WORLD TO
ME BECAUSE AND TO MY COMMUNITY,
I'M SWISS MEXICAN AND NO ONE
KNOWS ABOUT THIS PIECE OF
HISTORY ON THE UNITED STATES,
BUT ALSO IN THE MEXICO SIDE,
IT'S SHAMEFUL. AND, A PART OF
HISTORY THAT HAS A LOT OF TRAUMA
INVOLVED IN IT. AND A STATUE
LIKE THIS CAN BE USED TO HONOR
THE FAMILIES THAT INSTEAD OF
BEING SEEN AS BUFFERS IN THE
UNITED STATES ECONOMY, CAN BE
USED AND BE SEEN AS A VITAL PART
OF THE ECONOMY. BECAUSE WE ARE
IMPORTANT, WE ARE AND SHOULD BE
CARED FOR. WE SHOULD LEARN AND
KNOW ABOUT OUR HERITAGE, OUR
HISTORY, AND OUR IMPORTANCE IN
THIS COUNTRY. AND I FEEL LIKE
THIS MEMORIAL WILL REALLY BE
ABLE TO HONOR THAT. AND I'M VERY
GRATEFUL TO BE HERE TODAY AND TO
BE AND TO HAVE THE CHANCE TO
EDUCATE PEOPLE AND TO EDUCATE
THE WORLD ON IT, BOTH IN THE
UNITED STATES AND IN MEXICO, SO
THAT THIS DARK PIECE OF HISTORY
WILL NOT REPEAT AGAIN, AS IT DID
IN THE 60S WITH THE ACT. WHERE
ANOTHER MILLION MEXICANS WERE
DEPORTED. YOU KNOW, THIS IS
WHERE THE CYCLE CAN END. THANK
YOU. FOR OPPORTUNITY TO BE HERE.
I'M KEVIN JOHNSON AND I'M DEAN
OF THE UC DAVIS SCHOOL OF LAW.
AND IN MY SPARE TIME, I SPENT MY
PROFESSIONAL CAREER LOOKING AT
IMMIGRATION AND CIVIL RIGHTS
ISSUES. I'M ALSO A NATIVE OF LOS
ANGELES AND KNOW VERY WELL THE
IMPACTS OF THE REPATRIATION. BUT
AS YOU'VE HEARD DURING THE GREAT
DEPRESSION, STATE, LOCAL AND
FEDERAL GOVERNMENT GOVERNMENTS
COOPERATED IN WHAT CAME TO BE
KNOWN AS THE MEXICAN
REPATRIATION. ABOUT 1 MILLION
PEOPLE, INCLUDING MANY U.S.
CITIZENS, WERE WERE. IT'S NOT
FAIR TO CALL IT A REPATRIATION,
REALLY, BECAUSE MANY WERE U.S.
CITIZENS BY BIRTH AND WEREN'T
BEING REPATRIATED AT ALL. BUT
WHAT OCCURRED IN LARGE PARTS OF
THE SOUTHWEST WAS WHAT I WOULD
BE CALLED IN MODERN TERMS, AN
ETHNIC CLEANSING, AN EFFORT TO
REMOVE A LARGE GROUP OF PEOPLE
WHO WERE UNWANTED FROM THE
NATION AND, IN EFFECT, DEPORTED
TO A PLACE MANY DID NOT KNOW.
MEXICO, BUT THIS PROJECT WAS
ORGANIZED, WAS DESIGNED IN PART
NOT JUST TO DEPORT PEOPLE,
THROUGH ARRESTS AND
APPREHENSIONS IN PUBLIC PLACES
WHERE LATINO WORKING PEOPLE
CONGREGATED, SUCH AS LA PLACITA
PARK NEAR OLVERA STREET. BUT THE
BASIC IDEA WAS TO TERRORIZE THE
MEXICAN COMMUNITY SO THAT MANY
SELF DEPORTED, AS WE CALL IT
TODAY, MANY DECIDED TO RETURN TO,
TO OR GO TO MEXICO, TO AVOID
BEING FORCIBLY DEPORTED. NOW,
ONE OF THOSE PEOPLE WHO WHO WAS
SUBJECT TO A SELF-DEPORTATION
WAS THE LATE JUSTICE CRUZ
REYNOSO FAMILY. CRUZ. JUSTICE
REYNOSO, WAS BORN IN THE UNITED
STATES, BORN IN BAHIA, BUT HIS
PARENTS WERE MEXICAN IMMIGRANTS.
AND ONE DAY, DURING THIS
REPATRIATION CAMPAIGN, CRUZ'S
FATHER CAME HOME AND SAID, A
FAMILY. WE'RE WE'RE GOING TO GO
TO WE'RE GOING TO GO TO MEXICO
BEFORE THEY FORCE US TO GO TO
MEXICO. AND CRUZ'S RESPONSE WAS,
WHERE IS MEXICO? I'VE NEVER BEEN
THERE. AND THAT GIVES YOU AN
IDEA OF THE FORCE OF THIS
CAMPAIGN AND ITS IMPACTS ON
PEOPLE. AND IT'S INCREDIBLE
IMPACT ON LATINOS IDENTITY IN
LOS ANGELES, WHERE FOR
GENERATIONS, PEOPLE WOULD DENY
BEING MEXICAN AND SAY THEY WERE
SPANISH BECAUSE THEY FEARED THAT
IF THEY ADMITTED BEING MEXICAN,
THEY MIGHT BE SUBJECT TO
DEPORTATION. HOW DO I KNOW THAT?
BECAUSE I HAD A MEXICAN-AMERICAN
MOM WHO TOOK HER SONS TO MEXICO
EVERY SUMMER TO VISIT FAMILY,
BUT SAID THAT WE WERE SPANISH
WHILE WE WERE GROWING UP AND
DIDN'T TEACH US SPANISH BECAUSE
OF THE PUNISHMENT THAT WAS METED
OUT TO STUDENTS WHO SPOKE
SPANISH IN THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
SO IT'S HARD FOR ME TO REALLY
DESCRIBE THE IMPACTS OF THE
REPATRIATION. WELL BEYOND JUST
THE FORCIBLE REMOVAL OF PEOPLE,
PEOPLE FROM THE COUNTRY. NOW
THERE'S MANY OTHER THINGS I
COULD TALK ABOUT WITH RESPECT TO
THE REPATRIATION. ONE OF THEM IS
IMPORTANT TO ME. I'M A LAW
PROFESSOR. I WENT TO LAW SCHOOL
AND I TRY TO THINK THAT I'M
COMMITTED TO THE RULE OF LAW.
THE REPATRIATION WAS LAWLESS.
THERE WAS NO HEARINGS. THERE'S
NO DUE PROCESS. THERE'S NO
DEPORTATION PROCEEDINGS. PEOPLE
WERE PUT ON BUSSES, PUT IN CARS,
PUT ON TRAINS. THEY WERE
ARRESTED. POLICE ASSISTED IN ALL
OF THIS AND PEOPLE, SUFFERED
BECAUSE OF THE DEPRIVATIONS OF
THE LAW. I THINK THAT THIS BILL,
WHICH BEGINS, HELPING US BETTER
UNDERSTAND WHAT HAPPENED IS MUCH
NEEDED AND LAUDABLE AND I FULLY
SUPPORT IT. THANK YOU, ARE THERE
ANY OTHER COMMENTS AND SUPPORT
MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC? ALCALA.
AND I'M CITY COUNCIL MEMBER IN
WEST SACRAMENTO. I'M ALSO THE
PRESIDENT FOR THE NATIONAL
COALITION OF HISPANIC
ORGANIZATIONS. AND I'M HERE ON
BEHALF OF DOLORES HUERTA
FOUNDATION. AND IT'S TRUE, THESE
1930S MASS DEPORTATIONS OF
MEXICAN FAMILIES, THEY WERE
BASICALLY SCAPEGOATS FOR FAILING
ECONOMY DURING THE 1930S. AND
MANY OF THE DEPORTED, AS STATED,
WERE U.S. CITIZENS. THEY LOST
THEIR HOMES, THEIR BUSINESSES,
FAMILIAL TIES. I WORK IN AN
IMMIGRATION LAW FIRM, AND I CAN
TELL YOU IT'S STILL GOING ON
TODAY. THE PERSON WHO GAVE ME A
RIDE HERE, HER HUSBAND, WAS
ACTUALLY FORCED TO SIGN, A
VOLUNTARY DEPARTURE. SO THE
QUOTE FROM SANTAYANA WAS ALSO
QUOTED BY WINSTON CHURCHILL.
THOSE WHO FAIL TO LEARN FROM
HISTORY ARE DOOMED TO REPEAT IT.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU. ANY OTHERS
IN SUPPORT? A NAME ORGANIZATION,
PLEASE. HELLO, KAI COOPER, ON
BEHALF OF CAL VANS AND STRONG
SUPPORT. THANK YOU, SENATOR, FOR
BRINGING THIS TO OUR ATTENTION
AND CHAIR AND MEMBERS FOR YOUR
TIME TODAY. THANK YOU. CHLOE
STACK ON, BE HERE ON BEHALF OF
THE CALIFORNIA IMMIGRANT POLICY
CENTER IN SUPPORT. THANK YOU.
YES, MY NAME IS MARCO LIZARRAGA
AND I'M THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
OF LA COOPERATIVA CAMPESINA. AND
WE SERVE OVER 55,000 FARM
WORKERS THROUGHOUT THE STATE OF
CALIFORNIA. WITH MY MEMBERS. AND
I'M ONE OF THOSE, CHICANOS THAT
WAS VERY CONSCIOUS OF THIS. WE
WERE IN THE MOVEMENT AND THIS
WAS A LARGE PART OF THE
CONSCIOUSNESS THAT WE DEVELOPED
IN THE LATE 60S IN THE CHICANO
MOVEMENT. SO IT'S ABOUT TIME
THAT WE MEMORIAL AND COMMEMORATE
THIS INJUSTICE TO OUR PEOPLE.
AND I'M GLAD TO BE HERE IN
SUPPORT OF IT. THANK YOU. THANK
YOU, BEFORE WE CONTINUE, I WOULD
LIKE TO ESTABLISH QUORUM,
SECRETARY, CAN YOU PLEASE CALL
THE ROLL? FOR THE QUORUM, RUBIO.
HERE. RUBIO. HERE. LACKEY ADDIS.
ADDIS HERE. BAINES ASSEMBLY
MEMBER. BRYANT IS ABSENT TODAY.
ASSEMBLY MEMBER CERVANTES IS
ABSENT TODAY. DAVIES. DAVIES.
HERE DIXON. DIXON. HERE GABRIEL.
GABRIEL. HERE. GIBSON HANEY.
JONES. SAWYER LOW. MACKINNON
MACKINNON. HERE. PACHECO
PACHECO. HERE. PAPIN PATTERSON.
PATTERSON HERE. RAMOS. RAMOS.
HERE. SORIA SORIA. HERE. TO
HEAR. VALENCIA VALENCIA.
PRESENT. WALLACE. WALLACE HERE.
WE HAVE A QUORUM. THANK YOU, WE
HAVE A QUORUM, AND THEN. SO
WE'LL BRING UP ANYBODY IN
OPPOSITION OF THE BILL. OKAY.
WE'LL BRING IT UP TO THE
COMMITTEE. ANY QUESTIONS OR
COMMENTS FROM THE COMMITTEE?
ASSEMBLY MEMBER SORIA. THANK YOU.
CHAIRWOMAN, SENATOR BECKER, I
JUST WANT TO THANK YOU FOR
BRINGING THIS PIECE OF
LEGISLATION FORWARD. I WILL SAY,
AS A DAUGHTER OF IMMIGRANT,
MEXICAN IMMIGRANTS IN THIS
COUNTRY AND LEARNING ABOUT THIS
HISTORY, WHEN I WAS A CHICANO,
STUDIES STUDENT AT UC BERKELEY,
I WAS REALLY SURPRISED BECAUSE I
DIDN'T KNOW. AND SO THAT MOMENT
WHEN I WAS AT BERKELEY, IT
TAUGHT ME HOW HOW HISTORY IS SO
IMPORTANT AND SO FAST FORWARD. I
REMEMBER BEING HERE IN THIS
BUILDING AS A YOUNG LEGISLATIVE
STAFFER WORKING FOR SENATOR GIL
CEDILLO, AND I, AS A YOUNG
LEGISLATIVE STAFFER, WAS ABLE TO
WORK ON SB 55 ONE, WHICH WOULD
ASK THE STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION
TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY THEY
INCLUDED THIS HISTORY IN OUR
HISTORY BOOKS BECAUSE IT WASN'T
BEING TAUGHT. AND SO THANK YOU
FOR CONTINUING, YOU KNOW, THE
WORK THAT A NUMBER OF FOLKS HAVE
WORKED ON SINCE THE APOLOGY TO
TRY TO GET THIS IN THE HISTORY,
RECTIFYING, YOU KNOW, THE WRONGS
THAT OUR COMMUNITY, OUR MEXICAN,
CITIZEN COMMUNITY, A US CITIZEN
COMMUNITY WAS FACED HERE DURING
THE GREAT DEPRESSION. I ALSO
WANT TO JUST SAY HELLO TO MY
FORMER DEAN OF THE LAW SCHOOL,
KEVIN JOHNSON. IT'S GREAT TO SEE
YOU HERE. I KNOW THAT THIS HAS
BEEN ALSO AN IMPORTANT SPECIAL
ISSUE FOR YOU. I REMEMBER,
JUSTICE REYNOSO IN CLASS TALK
ABOUT HIS STORY ABOUT HOW HIS
FAMILY WAS DEPORTED, DURING THE
GREAT DEPRESSION ERA. SO THANK
YOU SO MUCH FOR WORKING ON THIS
ISSUE, MEMORIALIZING SO THAT OUR
YOUNG GENERATIONS THAT MAY NOT
READ THIS IN THE BOOKS EARLY ON
IN THEIR K THROUGH 12 EDUCATION,
THEY REALIZE, ESPECIALLY THOSE,
YOU KNOW, CHICANOS OUT THERE IN
THE LA AREA CAN SEE ONCE THIS
GETS BUILT, HOW IMPORTANT THIS
HISTORY, BECAUSE WE CANNOT
AFFORD TO REPEAT THIS EVER
AGAIN. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR
YOUR EFFORTS. AND HAPPY AND
HAPPY TO MOVE THE BILL. THANK
YOU. ANY OTHER COMMENTS FROM
COMMITTEE? THANK YOU. AND I
WOULD ALSO LIKE TO MAKE A
COMMENT, THANK YOU FOR BRINGING
THIS FORWARD. I, I DON'T KNOW IF
YOU KNOW, BUT I WAS, FORMERLY
DEPORTED WHEN I WAS A KID AND
UNDOCUMENTED UNTIL I WAS 13. AND
EVEN UNTIL, JUST RECENTLY, I
LEARNED ABOUT THE HISTORY. NOW,
I KNEW THAT A LOT OF THE MEXICAN
COMMUNITIES WERE PREVENTED FROM
SPEAKING SPANISH BECAUSE THEY
DIDN'T WANT TO, LET ON THAT THEY
WERE MEXICAN. AND SO I KNOW
THAT'S A TOUGH HISTORY. AND I
WANT TO THANK YOU FOR BRINGING
IT UP, BUT ALSO REMINDING US
THAT THE WORK IS NOT DONE. IT'S
STILL, IT WAS FUNNY WHEN YOU
SAID WHAT WAS SAID ABOUT THE
MEXICAN COMMUNITY. I KIND OF
CHUCKLED TO MYSELF, BECAUSE IT'S
HAPPENING TODAY, NOT JUST WITH
THE MEXICAN COMMUNITY, BUT OTHER
COMMUNITIES AS WELL, AND WE ARE
GOING TO REPEAT IT IF WE DON'T,
KEEP TALKING ABOUT IT AND
REMINDING FOLKS THAT WE'VE BEEN
THERE BEFORE AND IT DIDN'T WORK
THEN, AND, YOU KNOW, IT WASN'T
GOOD FOR OUR COMMUNITIES THEN
IT'S NOT GOOD NOW. SO I WANT TO
THANK YOU AGAIN. BUT ALSO, ALSO,
EXPRESS THAT THIS IS THE
GREATEST COUNTRY IN THE WORLD
WITH SOMEBODY LIKE ME. CAN BE
SITTING HERE IN FRONT OF YOU,
CHAIRING THIS AMAZING COMMITTEE
AND A MEMBER OF A LEGISLATIVE
BODY THAT I KNOW IN THE PAST
THAT WOULD NOT HAVE HAD SOMEBODY
LIKE ME HERE. SO THANK YOU FOR
THAT. AND I HAVE A MOTION BY
ASSEMBLY MEMBER SORIA, A SECOND
BY, ASSEMBLY MEMBER ARDIS, ANY
OTHER COMMENTS? NO. OKAY. THANK
YOU. AND I WILL GO AHEAD. AND,
CAN WE CALL THE ROLL, PLEASE, OR
CALL FOR THE VOTE AND THE MOTION,
THE MOTION IS DUE. PASS I'M
SORRY. OH, I'M SORRY. YES.
PLEASE. CLOSE. I THOUGHT I
CLOSED FOR YOU, BUT YOU DID.
ACTUALLY, I COULD MAKE THAT THE
CLOSE. I JUST WANT TO THANK YOU,
CHAIR. AND THANK YOU FOR SHARING
YOUR PERSONAL STORY. AND I THINK
PART OF THE REASON THIS ALL
RESONATED SO MUCH FOR ME IS I'M
MY GRANDPARENTS WERE IMMIGRANTS.
AND SO WHEN I STARTED LEARNING
ABOUT THIS HISTORY THROUGH
TAMARA, IT RESONATED WITH ME.
AND I JUST WANT TO THANK AGAIN,
AS YOU SAID, OUR LAW DEAN, WHO'S
BEEN WORKING ON THIS FOR DECADES
AND TALKED ABOUT HOW LAWLESS
THIS WAS, NO DUE PROCESS, AND I
THINK TAMARA, FOR ALL HER WORK
AS SHE IS, THAT NEXT GENERATION
BRINGING THIS TO LIGHT FOR ALL
OF US, I WANT TO THANK THE
ORGANIZATIONS WHO SPOKE, ALSO
ORGANIZATIONS LIKE MALDEF AND
CESAR CHAVEZ FOUNDATION, WHO
HAVE ALSO BEEN IN SUPPORT. AND
AGAIN, THANK, MY COAUTHOR,
MAJORITY LEADER GONZALEZ, WHO
CAN'T BE WITH THIS COMMITTEE BUT
HAS BEEN PART OF THIS PROCESS.
AND AS WE ALL WORK TOGETHER TO
MAKE SURE THIS DOES NEVER HAPPEN
AGAIN, THANK YOU. THANK YOU.
NOW, MADAM SECRETARY, CAN YOU
CALL THE ROLL? SB 537, SENATOR
BECKER, THE MOTION IS DUE. PASS
RUBIO I RUBIO I LACKEY I LACKEY
I ADDIS ADDIS I BAINES BAINES I
DAVIES DAVIES I DIXON DIXON I
GABRIEL GABRIEL I GIBSON GIBSON
I HANEY HANEY I JONES. SAWYER
LOW. MCKENNA. MCKENNA I PACHECO
I PACHECO, I PAPIN. PATTERSON
PATTERSON. I. RAMOS. RAMOS. I
SORIA. SORIA. I. TO I. VALENCIA
VALENCIA. YES. WALLACE. WALLACE
I. THE MEASURE PASSES AND WE'LL
LEAVE THE ROLL OPEN FOR OTHER
MEMBERS TO ADD ON. THANK YOU
VERY MUCH. AND I APPRECIATE THE
ENGAGEMENT FROM YOU. AND I HOPE
TO SEE THE MEASURE ON THE FLOOR
AND HOPEFULLY YOU'LL BE THERE
WHEN WE DO HAVE IT ON OUR FLOOR.
THANK YOU.
ACT.
ACTUALLY, SERGEANTS, CAN YOU DO
ME A FAVOR AND CALL, ASSEMBLY
MEMBER LOPEZ AND ASSEMBLY MEMBER
PAPINEAU'S OFFICE? THEY'RE THE
ONLY TWO THAT ARE MISSING, AND
WE NEED TO CONTINUE WITH THEIR
INFORMATIONAL HEARING. THANK YOU.
I CAN READ THAT ONE. MAYBE RUN
DOWN TO PUT MY COFFEE DOWN. I'M
DOWN HERE TO MAKE SURE I VOTE ON
YOUR BEHALF. THANK YOU. YOU'RE
WELCOME. THANK YOU. YOU'RE
WELCOME. YEAH. I'M THIS IS MY
MOM. OH, WONDERFUL. I CAN SEE IT
NOW. I THOUGHT YOU GUYS ARE
SISTERS. OH, BEAUTIFUL. THANK
YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR
LEADERSHIP. THANK YOU SO MUCH.
YOU'RE WELCOME.
THANK YOU. BLAKESPEAR. SO.
I GOT ONE.
MORE.
RIGHT HERE.
SO. WE WAITED ABOUT FIVE
MINUTES. WE'LL GO AHEAD AND
CLOSE. WE HAVE INFORMATIONAL
HEARING AFTER THIS, SO WE ALL
HAVE TO ADJOURN THIS MEETING
BEFORE WE GET STARTED. SO WE
WILL ADJOURN AT 1:55 P.M. SO
THAT WE CAN GET STARTED ON OUR
INFORMATION OR HEARING. THANK
YOU. OKAY. GOOD AFTERNOON AGAIN.
THE ASSEMBLY GOVERNMENTAL
ORGANIZATION COMMITTEE IS CALLED
TO ORDER. I'M ASSEMBLY MEMBER
BLANCA RUBIO, CHAIR OF THE
ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON
GOVERNMENTAL ORGANIZATIONS. AND
I WOULD LIKE TO TAKE THIS
OPPORTUNITY TO WELCOME YOU TO
TODAY'S INFORMATIONAL HEARING.
THE FOUR TRIBES TRIBAL STATE
GAMING COMPACTS BEFORE US TODAY
WERE EXECUTED RECENTLY BETWEEN
GOVERNOR NEWSOM ON BEHALF OF THE
STATE OF CALIFORNIA AND THE BIG
SANDY RANCHERIA OF MONO INDIANS
OF CALIFORNIA, THE CAMPO BAND OF
DIEGUENO MISSION INDIANS OF THE
CAMPO INDIAN RESERVATION, THE LA
POSTA BAND OF DIEGUENO DIEGUENO
MISSION INDIANS OF LA POSTA,
INDIAN RESERVATION, AND THE TULE
RIVER INDIAN TRIBE OF
CALIFORNIA. TODAY WE WILL HEAR
FROM THE PRINCIPAL ARCHITECTS OF
THE COMPACTS, THE GOVERNOR'S
OFFICE AND THE TRIBE THEMSELVES.
THESE NEGOTIATED COMPACTS ARE
THE CULMINATING CULMINATION OF A
LENGTHY NEGOTIATION PROCESS,
COMPROMISES AND CAREFUL
CONSIDERATION OF REQUIREMENTS
UNDER THE INDIAN GAMING
REGULATORY ACT. EACH COMPACT
REFLECTS THE GOVERNOR'S AND
TRIBE'S MUTUAL COMMITMENT TO A
RESPECTFUL GOVERNMENT, TO
GOVERNMENT RELATIONSHIP,
PROMOTING TRIBAL ECONOMIC
DEVELOPMENT AND
SELF-SUFFICIENCY, AND A STRONG
TRIBAL GOVERNMENT. EACH COMPACT
AUTHORIZES A TRIBE TO OPERATE A
MAXIMUM NUMBER OF GAMING DEVICES
AT A DESIGNATED NUMBER OF GAMING
FACILITIES LOCATED ON THE
ELIGIBLE INDIAN LANDS HELD IN
TRUST FOR THE TRIBE AND LOCATED
WITHIN THE BOUNDARIES OF THE
TRIBE'S RESERVATION. I AM
PLEASED TO SEE THAT THESE
COMPACTS MIRROR MANY OF THE
RECENT COMPACTS THAT HAVE COME
BEFORE THIS COMMITTEE IN THE
AREA OF REGULATORY OVERSIGHT,
PATRON PROTECTIONS, LABOR AND
HEALTH AND SAFETY STANDARDS. I
JUST WANT TO REMIND ALL OF ALL
OF THE INTERESTED PARTIES THAT
NO FORMAL VOTE WILL BE TAKEN
TODAY. TODAY'S HEARING IS FOR
THIS COMMITTEE TO BE BRIEFED ON
THE CONTENTS OF EACH COMPACT, AS
THEY CANNOT BE AMENDED BY THE
LEGISLATURE. SB 931, AB 2032 AND
AB 3276 ARE THE RATIFICATION
BILLS FOR THESE FOUR TRIBAL
STATE COMPACTS AT THE SAME AT
THE SAME POINT, THESE
RATIFICATION BILLS WILL BE
TAKING UP FOR CONSIDERATION BY
THE ENTIRE BODY ON THE ASSEMBLY
FLOOR. I WOULD LIKE TO THANK OUR
WITNESSES IN ADVANCE FOR TAKING
THE TIME OUT OF THEIR BUSY
SCHEDULES TO BE WITH US TODAY.
WE WILL FIRST BE BRIEFED ON THE
BIG SANDY RANCHERIA OF WESTERN
MONO INDIANS OF CALIFORNIA
COMPACT, AS WE WILL HEAR THE
COMPACTS IN ALPHABETICAL ORDER
AS LISTED ON THE AGENDA. AND I
WOULD LIKE TO WELCOME MATTHEW
LEE TO THIS, HIS FIRST GEO
COMMITTEE PRESENTATION ON TRIBAL
STATE GAMING COMPACTS, AND
CONGRATULATE HIM ON HIS
APPOINTMENT AS SENIOR ADVISOR
FOR TRIBAL NEGOTIATIONS FOR THE
FOR GOVERNOR NEWSOM. MR. LEE, IF
YOU'RE WELCOME TO COME UP AND
PLEASE BEGIN, WE WILL HAVE BIG
SANDY. ON WEBEX CAMPO BAND ON
WEBEX. WE WILL HAVE VICE
CHAIRMAN JAMES HILL IN PERSON
FOR LA POSTA AND, VICE CHAIR
SHANE NIETO FOR TWO RIVER IN
PERSON. THANK YOU. OH, YES. AND
I'M, ASSEMBLY MEMBER PATTERSON
IS CARRYING THE RATIFICATION
BILL FOR THE BIG SANDY RANCHERIA
OF WESTERN MONO INDIANS OF
CALIFORNIA. THANK YOU, MR.
PATTERSON. YES. ANY OPENING
COMMENTS BEFORE WE BEGIN? OR WE
CAN WAIT TILL AFTER. YEAH, JUST
JUST GLAD TO BE ABLE TO CARRY
THIS, WE HAVE SOME WONDERFUL
TRIBAL FOLKS IN THE DISTRICT
THAT I REPRESENT, AND I'M
LOOKING FORWARD TO HEARING. AND
WE'RE PLEASED WITH THE RESULTS
OF THE COMPACT. THANK YOU, THANK
YOU. YOU MAY BEGIN. THANK YOU
VERY MUCH, MADAM CHAIR.
HONORABLE MEMBERS, REALLY
APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY TO
COME BEFORE THIS COMMITTEE TODAY.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THAT.
AND OF COURSE, I ALSO WANT TO
EXTEND A WARM WELCOME TO THE
REPRESENTATIVES OF TRIBAL
GOVERNMENTS WHO I KNOW ARE
WATCHING TODAY, AND ALSO TO
OTHER MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC WITH
THOSE OTHER MEMBERS OF THE
PUBLIC IN MIND. WITH THIS
COMMITTEE'S INDULGENCE, I
THOUGHT IT MIGHT BE HELPFUL TO
DO JUST A LITTLE BIT OF
PRELIMINARY TABLE SETTING TO
SORT OF LAY OUT THE LANDSCAPE
THAT, COVERS EACH OF THESE
COMPACTS. I KNOW I'M NOT TELLING
THIS COMMITTEE ANYTHING IT
DOESN'T ALREADY KNOW, BUT JUST
WANTED TO HELP SET THE TABLE A
BIT FOR FOLKS PLAYING ALONG AT
HOME, THE STATES AND TRIBES ARE
BOTH SOVEREIGN GOVERNMENTS.
NEITHER A STATE NOR A TRIBE HAS
ANY INHERENT POWER. AS A GENERAL
MATTER TO DIRECTLY REGULATE EACH
OTHER AND HOW THEY DO RELATE TO
EACH OTHER, YOU KNOW, IN THAT
RESPECTFUL GOVERNMENT, TO
GOVERNMENT RELATIONSHIP THAT WE
STRIVE SO HARD TO MAINTAIN, IS
OFTEN SHAPED IN RELEVANT PART
BY, YOU KNOW, THE FEDERAL LAWS
THAT REGULATE US BOTH, THE
RELEVANT FEDERAL LAW HERE IS A
STATUTE CALLED THE INDIAN GAMING
REGULATORY ACT, AND IT SETS UP A
FRAMEWORK FOR STATES AND TRIBES
TO ENTER INTO COMPACTS LIKE THE
COMPACTS THAT WE HAVE HERE TODAY,
TO ALLOW TRIBAL GOVERNMENTS TO
CONDUCT GAMING ACTIVITIES, THAT
IS, TO OPERATE CASINOS ON TRIBAL
LAND WITHIN, YOU KNOW,
REGULATORY PARAMETERS NEGOTIATED
BY THE STATE AND THE GOALS, THE
GOALS OF IGRA OR IGRA ARE,
BROADLY SPEAKING, TWOFOLD. YOU
KNOW, ON ONE HAND, OF COURSE, WE
WANT TO PROMOTE TRIBAL
SELF-GOVERNMENT,
SELF-DETERMINATION, ECONOMIC
DEVELOPMENT, SELF-SUFFICIENCY.
AND ON THE OTHER HAND, THE
STATUTE RECOGNIZES THAT THERE
ARE POTENTIAL EXTERNALITIES TO,
YOU KNOW, ANY KIND OF GAMING
ACTIVITY THAT SHOULD BE
REGULATED, REGULATED AND
MANAGED, TO MAKE SURE THAT
RELEVANT STATE INTERESTS ARE
PROTECTED IN TERMS OF WHAT THAT
LOOKS LIKE CONCRETELY, YOU KNOW,
ALWAYS START WITH WHAT IS THE
SIZE OF THE GAMING OPERATION,
HOW MANY GAMES, HOW MANY
FACILITIES, AND SO ON. SORT OF
ZOOMING OUT CAN ASK, WHAT ARE
ITS IMPACTS TO THE PEOPLE WHO
WORK THERE TO, YOU KNOW, TO
WORKERS, WHAT ARE ITS IMPACTS TO
PATRONS? WHAT ARE ITS IMPACTS TO
LOCAL COMMUNITIES? HOW DO WE
MANAGE AND PROTECT ALL OF THOSE,
ALSO, OF COURSE, WANT TO MAKE
SURE THAT THE STATE, WHICH HAS A
REGULATORY ROLE HERE, HAS ITS
REGULATORY COSTS COVERED. ONE OF
THE PROMISES THAT WAS MADE TO
THE VOTERS WHO, APPROVED THIS
FRAMEWORK AS A MATTER OF STATE
LAW, WAS THAT THERE WOULD BE NO
IMPACT TO THE GENERAL FUND. AND
OTHER, PARTIES WHO HAVE A, WHO
HAVE AN INTEREST IN THIS, WHO
HAVE A SEAT AT THE TABLE,
INCLUDE, YOU KNOW, OTHER TRIBES,
NOT, YOU KNOW, SEPARATE FROM
THAT PARTICULAR GAMING TRIBE,
PART OF THE GOAL OF THIS FEDERAL
STATUTE IS TO PROMOTE ECONOMIC
DEVELOPMENT AND SELF-SUFFICIENCY
FOR TRIBAL GOVERNMENTS WRIT
LARGE, NOT JUST, YOU KNOW, A
PARTICULAR TRIBE HERE, A
PARTICULAR TRIBE THERE. SO WITH
THAT IN MIND, I'D LIKE TO
BRIEFLY WALK THROUGH THE BIG
SANDY COMPACT AND EXPLAIN HOW WE
HAVE WORKED HARD AND WORKED WITH
OUR PARTNERS. THE TRIBE, TO
ACHIEVE EACH OF THOSE GOALS,
FIRST, JUST TO START WITH THE
BASIC FOOTPRINT OF THE GAMING
OPERATION, THIS IS UP TO 3000
GAMING DEVICES. YOU KNOW, SLOT
SLOT MACHINES AND SO ON AT UP TO
TWO DIFFERENT FACILITIES, IN
TERMS OF PROTECTING MEMBERS OF
THE PUBLIC, THERE ARE TORT LAW
PROTECTIONS, TORT PROCEDURE
PROTECTIONS IN THE COMPACT. AND
THERE IS A TORT, IN PARTICULAR,
THERE IS A TORT AND GENERAL
LIABILITY INSURANCE REQUIREMENT
OF $10 MILLION TO PROTECT
PATRONS TO PROTECT WORKERS.
THERE IS A SEPARATE EMPLOYMENT
PRACTICES, LIABILITY POLICY OF
$3 MILLION. MORE TO THE POINT,
THERE ARE ALSO STATE LAW
PROTECTIONS IN TERMS OF STATE
MINIMUM WAGE AND SO ON. THERE IS
ALSO AND THIS PART I THINK IS
VERY IMPORTANT, THERE IS WHAT WE
CALL A TRIBAL LABOR RELATIONS
ORDINANCE. WE FIGHT HARD FOR
THIS IN EVERY ONE OF OUR
COMPACTS, THIS IS, A TRIBAL LAW
THAT THE TRIBE AGREES TO ADOPT
TO PROVIDE A FRAMEWORK FOR THE
ORGANIZATION AND REPRESENTATION
OF WORKERS AT THE GAMING
FACILITY THROUGH A LABOR UNION.
OF COURSE, THERE'S NO BETTER WAY
TO PROTECT WORKERS THAN THROUGH
STRONG, STRONG LABOR UNIONS. AND
WE STRIVE TO MAKE SURE OUR
COMPACTS REFLECT THAT, SO THAT'S
THE SORT OF FOOTPRINT OF THE
OPERATION. PATRONS, WORKERS
ZOOMING OUT TO LOCAL
COMMUNITIES. THE TRIBE HAS
AGREED TO A LOCAL IMPACT,
MITIGATION FUND OF 1% OF NET
WHEN IF THEY OPERATE MORE THAN
350 DEVICES. THAT'S A NUMBER
THAT WILL COME UP A FEW TIMES
TODAY. AND I'M HAPPY TO UNPACK
THAT FURTHER, IN TERMS OF,
CONTRIBUTING TO THE DEVELOPMENT
OF OTHER TRIBES SUPPORTING OTHER
TRIBES, THERE IS, A FUND THAT
THE STATE ADMINISTERS FOR THE
BENEFIT OF OTHER TRIBES CALLED
THE REVENUE SHARING TRUST FUND.
THE BASIC CONTOURS OF THE
REVENUE SHARING TRUST FUND IS
THAT TRIBES ARE ELIGIBLE TO
RECEIVE MONEY FROM IT WHEN THEY
ARE WHAT WE CALL EITHER A
NON-GAMING OR A LIMITED GAMING
TRIBE, WHICH MEANS THEY OPERATE
LESS THAN 350 DEVICES. IF YOU IF
YOU OPERATE MORE THAN 1200
DEVICES, YOU ACTUALLY PAY INTO
THAT FUND. THAT'S THE CASE HERE,
IF THE TRIBE OPERATES MORE THAN
1200 DEVICES, IT AGREES TO A
SLIDING SCALE CONTRIBUTION
FORMULA THAT IS VERY MUCH IN THE
BALLPARK OF THE RSEF
CONTRIBUTIONS THAT WE SEE IN
OTHER COMPACTS, THERE ARE
LIKEWISE PROVISIONS FOR THE
STATE TO RECOVER ITS REGULATORY
COSTS THROUGH CONTRIBUTIONS TO
SOMETHING CALLED THE SPECIAL
DISTRIBUTION FUND, HAPPY TO
UNPACK ANY OF THAT FURTHER.
HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS,
BUT WANTED TO SORT OF HIT THE
HIGHLIGHTS IN TERMS OF HOW WE
PROTECT EACH OF THOSE INTERESTS.
I MENTIONED. THANK YOU VERY
MUCH. I REALLY APPRECIATE THAT,
ANY QUESTIONS BEFORE WE
CONTINUE? NO OKAY. THANK YOU.
THANK YOU. SO THAT I WOULD LIKE
TO BRING, OR PUT UP ON, WEBEX.
ELIZABETH KIP, CHAIR OF BIG
SANDY RANCHERIA OF WESTERN, MONA
INDIANS OF CALIFORNIA. GOOD
AFTERNOON. CHAIRWOMAN. GOOD
AFTERNOON. I, TRIBAL CHAIRWOMAN
WITH BIG SANDY RANCHERIA WITH
ME. I HAVE MY VICE CHAIRMAN,
JOEL MARTIN. I HAVE SAM ATWELL,
OUR MEMBER AT LARGE. MATTHEW
MUNOZ, TRIBAL COUNCIL SECRETARY,
AS WELL AS OUR TREASURER, LEANNE
ANGUIANO. WE FIND IT VERY
IMPORTANT TO BE ABLE TO
REPRESENT ALL OF US HERE TODAY
TO SHOW THE IMPORTANCE OF HOW
IMPORTANT THE COMPACT IS TO OUR
TRIBE, WE WANT TO THANK YOU FOR
THE OPPORTUNITY TO TESTIFY TODAY
REGARDING OUR COMPACT WITH THE
STATE OF CALIFORNIA AND THE
LEGISLATION WITH AB 2032, WHICH
HAS BEEN INTRODUCED BY
ASSEMBLYMAN JIM PATTERSON TO
RATIFY THIS COMPACT. BIG SANDY
RANCHERIA IS HEADQUARTERED IN
ARBERY, CALIFORNIA. OUR TRUST
LANDS INCLUDE THE BIG SANDY
RANCHERIA AND ADDITIONAL PARCELS,
WHICH IS EAST OF FRESNO. OUR
TRIBE HAS A RICH HISTORY IN
CALIFORNIA AND THE CENTRAL
REGION, TRADITIONALLY INHABITING
THE SIERRA NEVADA AREAS. WE HAVE
A STRONG CULTURAL HERITAGE KNOWN
FOR OUR BASKETRY SKILLS, OUR
HUNTER GATHERING LIFESTYLES.
TODAY, WE ARE COMMITTED TO
PRESERVING OUR LANGUAGE, OUR
CULTURE, THEIR TRADITIONS, WHILE
PURSUING OTHER ECONOMIC
VENTURES, INCLUDING GAMING AND
OTHER INTERTRIBAL COMMERCE. AS
IS WELL KNOWN TO THE COMMITTEE,
THE INDIAN GAMING HAS HAS BEEN
INSTRUMENTAL IN REBUILDING
TRIBAL COMMUNITIES, DELIVERING
JOBS TO CALIFORNIA FAMILIES,
BRINGING ENTERTAINMENT TO OUR
REGIONS, AND PROVIDING AN ANCHOR
FOR OUR LOCAL ECONOMIC ECONOMIES
TO GROW. MORE IMPORTANTLY,
REVENUES FROM OUR TRIBAL GAMING
OPERATIONS BUILD HOMES AND HAVE
DRAMATICALLY IMPROVED OUR HEALTH
CARE, OUR EDUCATION, THE PUBLIC
SAFETY AND SOCIAL PROGRAMS FOR
MANY CALIFORNIANS, THIS COMPACT
SIGNIFIES A PIVOTAL MOMENT FOR
OUR TRIBE AND BRINGS WITH IT THE
PROMISE OF SUBSTANTIAL BENEFITS
TO OUR TRIBAL MEMBERS AND OUR
SURROUNDING COMMUNITY. THE
COMPACT INCLUDES PROVISIONS THAT
DIRECTLY BENEFIT OUR TRIBAL
MEMBERS BY ENSURING THE
SUSTAINABILITY AND GROWTH OF OUR
ECONOMIC VENTURES, OUR TRIBE
ENJOYS STRONG SUPPORT FROM
FRESNO COUNTY AND THE SHERIFF'S
OFFICE. WE HAVE ENGAGED IN
COLLABORATIVE EFFORTS TO ENSURE
COMMUNITY SAFETY AND ADDRESS
SHARED CONCERNS WITH LOCAL
GOVERNMENT LEADERS. FOR THIS
REASON, I WOULD LIKE TO
EMPHASIZE THAT UNDER THIS
COMPACT, WE HAVE ESTABLISHED AN
IMPACT MITIGATION FUND DEDICATED
TO SUPPORTING LOCAL LAW
ENFORCEMENT, EMERGENCY SERVICES
AND NEIGHBORING JURISDICTIONS.
THIS FUND ENSURES THAT THE
NEIGHBORING JURISDICTIONS HAVE
THE NECESSARY TOOLS AND
RESOURCES TO ADDRESS ANY IMPACTS
ARISING FROM OUR GAMING
FACILITY, THE RATIFICATION OF
OUR GAMING COMPACT THROUGH AB
2032 IS VITAL FOR THE CONTINUED
GROWTH AND PROSPERITY OF BIG
SANDY RANCHERIA. THIS COMPACT
NOT ONLY FACILITATES ECONOMIC
DEVELOPMENT, BUT ALSO ENSURES
THAT WE CAN ADDRESS THE NEEDS OF
OUR COMMUNITY AND NEIGHBORING
JURISDICTIONS EFFECTIVELY. THANK
YOU. THANK YOU. ANY COMMENTS OR
QUESTIONS FROM COMMITTEE
MEMBERS? OKAY. THANK YOU SO VERY
MUCH FOR THAT PRESENTATION.
APPRECIATE YOU, WEBBING IN, AND,
SINCE THERE ARE NO QUESTIONS, I
WANT TO THANK YOU AGAIN AND
WE'LL CONTINUE WITH THE NEXT
TRIBE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU.
CHAIRMAN. OH, I'M SORRY, IS
THERE ANY PUBLIC COMMENT? OKAY.
SEEING NONE. THANK YOU AGAIN.
THANK YOU. OKAY. SO NEXT, SEE,
WE HAVE, THE TRIBAL, STATE
GAMING COMPACT BETWEEN THE STATE
OF CALIFORNIA AND THE CAMPO BAND
OF DIEGUENO MISSION INDIANS OF
THE CAMPO INDIAN RESERVATION IN
CALIFORNIA. AND WE'LL HAVE,
CHAIRMAN MARCUS GARO ON WEBEX.
OH, I'M SORRY. MATTHEW. MATTHEW
LEE FIRST AND THEN THE CHAIRMAN.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU VERY MUCH,
JUST TO BRIEFLY SKETCH OUT THE
CONTOURS OF THIS, OF THIS
COMPACT, I THINK, VERY MUCH IN
LINE WITH WITH THE BASIC
FRAMEWORK I SET OUT A MOMENT AGO
WITH THIS PARTICULAR COMPACT
WE'RE TALKING ABOUT UP TO 1200
DEVICES AT UP TO TWO FACILITIES,
BECAUSE OF THAT 1200 DEVICE CAP.
THERE'S NO NEED TO ACCOUNT FOR
CONTRIBUTIONS INTO THAT REVENUE
SHARING TRUST FUND I MENTIONED.
THAT IS OUR SORT OF STANDARD,
CUTOFF FOR CONTRIBUTIONS INTO
THE RCF. THERE IS STILL,
PROVISION FOR PAYMENTS TO THE
STATE'S SPECIAL DISTRIBUTION
FUND TO COVER THE STATE'S
REGULATORY COSTS. NOW IF THE
TRIBE DOES REMAIN, WHAT WE CALL
A LIMITED GAMING TRIBE, THAT'S
BELOW THAT 350 DEVICE CUTOFF
THERE, IS A PROVISION IN THE
COMPACT THAT THOSE PAYMENTS CAN
BE REDUCED OR POTENTIALLY
ELIMINATED AS LONG AS THERE ARE
SUFFICIENT FUNDS IN THE SDF TO
COVER THAT, IF THE TRIBE REMAINS
A LIMITED GAMING TRIBE WITH THAT
VERY SMALL SUB 350 OPERATION, WE
TYPICALLY DON'T SEE A NEED FOR
SPECIFIC LOCAL MITIGATION
MEASURES, BELOW THAT POINT. BUT
IF IT DOES GO ABOVE THAT 350
DEVICE THRESHOLD, THEN IT WILL
CREATE AN IMPACT. MITIGATION
FUND THAT WILL DISTRIBUTE 0.5%
OF NET NGUYEN TO LOCAL
GOVERNMENTS, FIRE, FIRE
PROTECTION DISTRICTS, THINGS
LIKE THAT. SUBSTANTIALLY THE
SAME TRIBAL LABOR RELATIONS
ORDINANCE THAT I MENTIONED A
MOMENT AGO. OTHER WORKER
PROTECTIONS, SIMILAR INSURANCE
COVERAGE IN TERMS OF LIABILITY
TO WORKERS AND ALSO MEMBERS OF
THE PUBLIC HAPPY TO UNPACK ANY,
ANY OF THAT FURTHER. BUT THAT'S
THE BASIC OUTLINE OF, OF THIS
COMPACT. THANK YOU, SO MUCH FOR
THAT INFORMATION, DUE TO A LAST
MINUTE CONFLICT, CHAIRMAN CUETO
WILL NOT BE ABLE TO TESTIFY
TODAY AND WAIVES HIS TIME OR
THEIR TIME TO THE REST OF THE,
COMPACTS THAT WE HAVE IN FRONT
OF US, ANY PUBLIC COMMENT CASE
SEEING NONE. WE'LL GO AHEAD AND
MOVE ON TO THE NEXT, TRIBAL
COMPACT, WHICH IS, THE LA POSTA
BAND OF DIEGUENO MISSION INDIANS
OF THE LA POSTA INDIAN
RESERVATION. MATTHEW. THANK YOU.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH. CHAIR. THIS
COMPACT, I THINK, IS BROADLY
SIMILAR TO THE LAST ONE. MY
UNDERSTANDING IS THAT THE LA
POSTA TRIBE IS NOT AT THIS TIME
CURRENTLY GAMING, BUT WANTS TO
HAVE THIS COMPACT IN PLACE SO
THAT IF IT DOES MAKE BUSINESS
SENSE FOR THE TRIBE TO RETURN TO
GAMING, THAT IT IS ABLE TO DO
THAT. AND OF COURSE, WE AT THE
STATE ARE ALWAYS SUPPORTIVE OF,
YOU KNOW, BRINGING CERTAINTY TO
OUR SHARED GOVERNMENT TO
GOVERNMENT RELATIONSHIP.
WHENEVER WE CAN, WITH THAT IN
MIND, SAME 1200 DEVICE CAP AS
THE PREVIOUS COMPACT, THAT MEANS
THAT WE DON'T NEED TO
SPECIFICALLY PROVIDE IN THIS
COMPACT FOR PAYMENTS INTO THE
REVENUE SHARING TRUST FUND TO
BENEFIT OTHER TRIBES, THERE IS A
SIMILAR PROVISION FOR THE STATE
TO COVER ITS REGULATORY COSTS
THROUGH THE SPECIAL DISTRIBUTION
FUND. AND AS WITH THE LAST
COMPACT, AS LONG AS THERE IS
SUFFICIENT MONEY, IN THAT FUND
AND THE TRIBE REMAINS SMALL,
THERE ARE PROVISIONS TO REDUCE
THAT, IF THE TRIBE REMAINS A
LIMITED GAMING TRIBE UNDER THAT,
THAT SAME 350 DEVICE CUTOFF, WE
DON'T NEED TO WORRY ABOUT LOCAL
MITIGATION. BUT IF IT GOES ABOVE
THAT CUTOFF, WE HAVE A VERY
SIMILAR, LOCAL IMPACT MITIGATION
PROVISION, 0.5% NET NGUYEN TO
LOCAL GOVERNMENTS, IMPACTED
LOCAL CHARITABLE ORGANIZATIONS,
FIRE PROTECTION, THINGS LIKE
THAT, CONTAINS A TRIBAL LABOR
RELATIONS ORDINANCE, CONTAINS
VERY SIMILAR WORKER PROTECTIONS,
PATRON TORT PROTECTIONS, THINGS
LIKE THAT. THANK YOU. AND TODAY
WE HAVE, VICE CHAIRMAN JAMES
HILL FROM LA POSTA. CAN YOU
PLEASE COME UP?
Dð. MADAM CHAIR. GOOD AFTERNOON,
MADAM CHAIR. THE MEMBERS OF THE
COMMITTEE, JAMES HILL, VICE
CHAIRMAN OF LA POSTA, AND I'M
JUST HERE TO RESERVE THE TRIBE'S
RIGHT TO GAME. I CAME UP HERE TO
OUR FIRST COMPACT, NEGOTIATED,
AT THE CAPITOL BUILDING.
NEGOTIATED? WE WENT THROUGH THIS
PROCESS, AND, JUST WANTED TO
THANK THE STATE, YOU KNOW, FOR
COMING OUT TO THE RESERVATION TO
SEE WHERE WE'RE AT AND LOCATED
AND TO GET AN IDEA OF A BETTER
PERSPECTIVE OF ALL TRIBES ARE
NOT IN REMOTE. I MEAN, A LOT OF
TRIBES ARE IN REMOTE LOCATIONS.
AND, ANYWAYS, I APPRECIATE
EVERYBODY'S TIME HERE TODAY.
THANK YOU. DO WE HAVE ANY PUBLIC
COMMENT? ANY QUESTIONS FROM THE
COMMITTEE? THANK YOU SO VERY
MUCH. REALLY APPRECIATE THAT.
THANKS. OKAY. WE'LL GO AHEAD AND
MOVE ON TO THE OUR OUR LAST
COMPACT IS WITH THE TULE RIVER
INDIAN TRIBE OF CALIFORNIA AND,
ASSEMBLY MEMBER RAMOS IS
CARRYING THE RATIFICATION BILL
FOR THE TULE RIVER INDIAN TRIBE
OF CALIFORNIA COMPACT. AND
BEFORE WE HEAR FROM THE
GOVERNOR'S OFFICE, ASSEMBLY
MEMBER RAMOS, DO YOU HAVE ANY
OPENING COMMENTS? THANK YOU.
MADAM CHAIR. AND, THE PREVIOUS
SPEAKER TO THE DANIEL PEOPLE
DOWN IN SAN DIEGO AREA. THANK
YOU FOR THAT. AND NOW TO TULE
RIVER'S COMPACT, WE'RE RUNNING
THE PRESENTING THE INFORMATIONAL
ON AB 3276, A BILL THAT WOULD
RATIFY THE GAMING COMPACT
ENTERED INTO BETWEEN THE STATE
OF CALIFORNIA AND THE TULE RIVER
INDIAN TRIBE OF CALIFORNIA. TULE
RIVER HAS JUST RECENTLY
CELEBRATED ITS 28TH ANNIVERSARY
IN 2024, AND IS ONE OF THE
LARGEST EMPLOYERS IN THEIR
COUNTY. GAMING COMPACTS CAME AS
A RESULT OF HISTORIC, HARD
FOUGHT STRUGGLE TO RECOGNIZE
TRIBAL SOVEREIGNTY AND FORGE A
PATH FORWARD TO
SELF-SUFFICIENCY. IT IS
MEANINGFUL BECAUSE OF THE PAST
DEALINGS OF THE TRIBES HERE IN
THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA AND THE
GOVERNORS AND LEGISLATURE, WHICH
BEGAN WITH THE STATE'S FIRST
GOVERNOR, BURNETT, CALLING FOR
THE EXTERMINATION OF
CALIFORNIA'S INDIAN PEOPLE AND
FUNDING AND AUTHORIZING IN STATE
BUDGETS. TO THAT END, FOR THOSE
MILITIAS. THEN CAME THE GOLD
RUSH AND THE INJUSTICE,
STARVATION THAT THE POPULATION
OF CALIFORNIA'S FIRST PEOPLE. BY
1860 DWINDLED TO LESS THAN 20%
OF ITS ORIGINAL POPULATION.
THESE ARE NOT JUST COMPACTS.
THESE ARE RECKONINGS OF
INJUSTICES AGAINST CALIFORNIA'S
FIRST PEOPLE. TODAY, YOU WILL
HEAR FROM THE ADMINISTRATION AND
VICE CHAIR NITO ON THE HARD WORK
THAT THESE TWO PARTIES HAVE
ENGAGED IN TO REACH THIS
RENEWAL. THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR.
THANK YOU. ASSEMBLY MEMBER RAMOS
AND MATTHEW LEE AGAIN. THANK YOU.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH. AND THANK
YOU VERY MUCH FOR THOSE WISE
WORDS. TO SET THE TABLE A BIT
FOR THIS SPECIFIC COMPACT, I
JUST WANT TO JUMP BACK TO THAT
FEDERAL STATUTE I MENTIONED
EARLIER, THE INDIAN GAMING
REGULATORY ACT, THE INDIAN
GAMING REGULATORY ACT SETS OUT A
FRAMEWORK FOR THE NEGOTIATIONS
THAT LEAD TO THESE COMPACTS, AND
IT PRESCRIBES A LIST OF SEVEN
TOPICS THAT ARE FAIR GAME FOR
BARGAINING IN THOSE
NEGOTIATIONS. IT'S NOT A FREE
FOR ALL. WE AREN'T ALLOWED TO
ASK FOR JUST ANYTHING. WE WANT,
THE SORT OF PROPER LEGAL
INTERPRETATION OF THE SCOPE OF
THOSE SEVEN TOPICS HAS CHANGED
OVER THE YEARS. AND JUST A
COUPLE OF YEARS AGO, THE FEDERAL
APPELLATE COURT THAT COVERS THE
WEST COAST, THE US COURT OF
APPEALS FOR THE NINTH CIRCUIT,
CLARIFIED THAT SOME OF THE
THINGS THAT WE USED TO BE
BARGAINING FOR, SOME OF THE
THINGS THAT WE USED TO BE,
INCLUDING IN OUR GAMING
COMPACTS, ARE ACTUALLY OUTSIDE
THE SCOPE OF IGRA. WE NO LONGER
BARGAIN FOR THOSE THINGS, BUT
WANT TO REALLY APPRECIATE AND
RESPECT AND EXPRESS GRATITUDE
FOR THE TRIBES PARTNERSHIP IN
DOING WHAT IS LARGELY SOME
TECHNICAL CLEANUP HERE, IT LOOKS
LIKE WE ARE CHANGING MORE THAN
WE ARE, BECAUSE WHAT WE'VE DONE
IS WE'VE AMENDED AND RESTATED
THIS COMPACT. THAT'S THAT'S A
LAWYER'S WAY OF SAYING WE'VE
COPIED AND PASTED THE WHOLE
THING. BUT WE ARE ESSENTIALLY
REDLINING A HANDFUL OF
PROVISIONS THAT AFTER THAT NINTH
CIRCUIT DECISION, I MENTIONED,
IT MADE SENSE TO UPDATE THEM.
THERE WERE THINGS THAT WERE IN
THERE THAT WE COULD NO LONGER
INCLUDE. AND THERE WERE THINGS
THAT WERE IN THERE THAT WERE
OVERBROAD, IN PARTICULAR ON THE
OVERBROAD THINGS WE HAVE
NARROWED OUR UNDERSTANDING OF
THE UNIVERSE IN WHICH A COMPACTS
TORT LAW PROTECTIONS APPLY. THIS
COMPACT IS IN MANY WAYS A MODEL
FOR COMPACTS THAT HAVE COME
AFTER IT IN TERMS OF HELPING US
FIND A WAY TO MAKE SURE THAT
WE'RE STAYING WITHIN THE BOUNDS
OF FEDERAL LAW, STAYING WITHIN
THE GUARDRAILS THAT THE NINTH
CIRCUIT HAS GIVEN US, BUT ALSO
MAKING SURE THAT PATRONS OF
THESE GAMING FACILITIES ARE
STILL PROTECTED. AND WE REALLY
APPRECIATE THE TRIBE WORKING
WITH US ON THAT. SIMILARLY, THE
NINTH CIRCUIT CLARIFIED, WE USED
TO INCLUDE VERY BROAD
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW, PROVISIONS
IN ALL OF OUR COMPACTS TO
ANALYZE ANY PROJECT UNDER THE
COMPACT. THE NINTH CIRCUIT HAS
CLARIFIED THAT WE CAN'T DO THAT.
THAT'S OVERBROAD. BUT OF COURSE,
WE STILL WANT TO BE MINDFUL OF
THE FACT THAT A GAMING FACILITY,
A GAMING OPERATION CAN CAN STILL
HAVE IMPACTS TO THE SURROUNDING
COMMUNITY THAT SHOULD BE
MITIGATED. AND SO HERE AGAIN, WE
IN SOME WAYS HAVE THE ARCHETYPE
FOR THE KIND OF LOCAL IMPACT
MITIGATION FUND THAT I'VE BEEN
MENTIONING A FEW TIMES TODAY AS
A WAY OF, YOU KNOW, COMPLYING
WITH THE NINTH CIRCUIT'S
DECISION, BUT ALSO RECOGNIZING
AND MITIGATING THOSE LOCAL
IMPACTS. AND WE ARE, WE REALLY
APPRECIATE THE TRIBES
PARTNERSHIP IN WORKING THROUGH
SOME, SOME, SOME VERY TOUGH,
NOVEL LEGAL ISSUES AND BUILDING
A COMPACT THAT, THAT I THINK
WORKS VERY WELL FOR BOTH
PARTIES, EVEN AS THE, AS THE
LEGAL LANDSCAPE HAS, HAS CHANGED
AROUND US. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
AND, WITH US TODAY, WE HAVE VICE
CHAIRMAN SHANE NIETO FROM TULE
RIVER. YES. THANK YOU FOR
ALLOWING ME TO BE HERE TODAY TO
SPEAK FOR MY TRIBE. AND THANK
YOU, SIR RAMOS, FOR EVERYTHING
YOU DO. I ALWAYS APPRECIATE YOU
AND BEING AROUND YOU, SIR, YEAH,
WE DISAGREE TO WHAT HE'S SAYING.
YOU KNOW, WE'VE BEEN GIVEN TO
SURROUNDING COMMUNITIES SINCE WE
OPENED ON THE HILL AND DOING
MORE FOR THEM AS WE MOVE DOWN
INTO PORTERVILLE. SO WE'VE BEEN
GIVEN THE VISALIA, YOU KNOW,
TULARE, ALL THE SURROUNDING
COMMUNITIES, HELPING THEM OUT
WITH WHAT WE GOT WITH OUR GAMING
COMPACT. AND WE ALSO BEEN, YOU
KNOW, ONE OF THE LARGEST, IN
TULARE COUNTY TO, EMPLOY PEOPLE.
SO, YOU KNOW, WITH THIS GAMING
COMPACT, IT'S NOT JUST ABOUT OUR
TRIBE. IT'S ABOUT OUR NEIGHBORS
AND BEING NEIGHBORLY ALSO. SO
YOU KNOW, WE HAVE LIKE, 964
EMPLOYEES AT THE CASINO, YOU
KNOW, AND THEN WE HAVE, PROBABLY
LIKE 500 OTHER JOBS ON THE
RESERVATION. SO OUR JOBS AREN'T
ABOUT PER CAPITA ALL THE TIME.
THEY'RE MOSTLY ABOUT, MAKING
PEOPLE STAND UP AND GO TO WORK.
AND WE TAKE CARE OF OUR, OUR
VETERANS AND OUR ELDERS WITH
WHAT WE DO HAVE MORE THAN
ANYBODY ELSE. AND, AND ALSO SEND
OUR YOUTH TO SCHOOL. SO, YOU
KNOW, WE GOT PROBABLY GOT LIKE
64 KIDS GOING TO COLLEGE THAT
PROBABLY WOULD HAVE NEVER
HAPPENED WITHOUT THIS GAME
UNLESS THEY WERE GETTING THE,
THE GRANTS FROM THE, THE STATE.
YOU KNOW, I MEAN, BUT WITH THIS,
WE, WE, WE, WE GIVE BACK 80% TO
THEM AND MOSTLY MOST OF THE TIME
WHEN THEY'RE BECOMING SOMETHING
ELSE, WE GIVE AS MUCH AS WE CAN,
EVEN MORE PAST THE 80%. SO THIS
THIS IS GOING TO HELP US SUSTAIN
OURSELVES AND TO HELP US, YOU
KNOW, STAND UP FOR OURSELVES
AND, AND KEEP MOVING IN THE
FUTURE TO, TO HELP OUR FUTURE
GENERATIONS, YOU KNOW, AND ALSO
WITH GIVING BACK TO SOME OF YOU
GUYS THAT NEED SOME WHATEVER YOU
HAVE TO DO, YOU MEAN I, I
APPRECIATED BEING HERE FOR THAT,
THAT LAST BILL, YOU KNOW, FOR
YOU, MR. RUBIO AND SORIA, YOU
KNOW, FOR THAT PASSING AND STUFF
LIKE THAT, IS GREAT THINGS AND,
AND THESE COMPACTS FOR OUR
PEOPLE ARE JUST SIMILAR TO THAT,
YOU KNOW. SO I APPRECIATE YOU
GUYS AND WHATEVER YOU CAN DO TO
MAKE THESE COMPACTS KEEP MOVING
BECAUSE IT HELPS US AS PEOPLE,
YOU KNOW, TO BE PEOPLE, YOU KNOW.
SO I THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.
AND IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS
FOR ME, I'M GLAD TO ANSWER ANY
THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH. ANY
PUBLIC COMMENT ON, THIS COMPACT,
ANY COMMENTS, FROM THE
COMMITTEE? NO. THANK YOU SO MUCH,
ASSEMBLY MEMBER GIBSON. THANK
YOU. AND I REALIZE THIS IS AN
INFORMATIONAL HEARING, BUT I
KNOW THAT SOMETHING TANGIBLE IS
GOING TO COME OUT OF THIS
HEARING BY WAY OF POLICY. AND SO
SINCE I'VE BEEN EVEN ELECTED,
I'VE BEEN VERY SUPPORTIVE OF THE
COMPACTS AND CERTAINLY
APPRECIATE THE AUTHORS WHO I'VE
SERVED WITH AND LOOKING FORWARD
TO THESE COMPACTS COMING BEFORE
US AT THE APPROPRIATE TIME. BUT
I ALSO WANT TO THANK, YOU KNOW,
THANK THE LEADERSHIP, BECAUSE I
CERTAINLY BELIEVE THAT THESE
COMPACTS CHANGE PEOPLE'S LIVES
AS WELL AS COMMUNITIES AS WELL.
AND CERTAINLY, I'VE BEEN ALWAYS
SUPPORTIVE AND CONTINUE TO
SUPPORT THESE COMPACTS. SO THANK
YOU VERY MUCH. YEAH. THANK YOU
SIR. THANK YOU. ANY OTHER
COMMENTS? OKAY. THAT CONCLUDES
THE HEARING FOR THE FOUR TRIBES,
MR. LEE, WELCOME AND, LOOK
FORWARD TO WORKING WITH YOU. AND
THANK YOU TO OUR VICE CHAIRMAN
AND THE CHAIRMAN THAT WERE
AVAILABLE FOR US. AND WITH THAT,
I'LL GO AHEAD AND ADJOURN OUR
OUR MEETING. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
THANK YOU.