California Governor Gavin Newsom has signed SB 900, which ratifies tribal state gaming compacts for two tribes and exempts certain projects from environmental review.
The bill, authored by Senator Melissa Hurtato, names the Santa Rosa Rancheria Tachi Yokut Tribe and the Middletown Rancheria Band of Pomo Indians. It also exempts certain projects from review by the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), which typically involves extensive public review and hearings.
The senator released a statement coinciding with the signing: “For decades the Tachi Yokut Tribe has been a valuable partner in the Kings County Community. The tribe provides scholarship assistance, job training and adult education programs, health and welfare assistance and other social services. I am pleased that the Tachi Yokut Tribe will receive the recognition they deserve.”
The Tachi Yokut tribe issued a statement thanking both governor and senator and adding, “We are pleased to continue our role as a positive economic force in the local community while maintaining the important opportunities and resources for our members, many of which are made possible by our gaming enterprise.”
