AB 1389 California Assembly · 2025-2026 Regular Session

Tribal gaming: compact ratification.

Summary

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 second amendment to the tribal-state gaming compact entered into between the State of California and the Yurok Tribe of the Yurok Reservation, California, executed on December 18, 2025, to extend the terms of the tribal-state gaming compact. 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.

Bill status signed all 5 stages cleared

Introduction

Feb 2025

Committee Review

Mar 2026

Assembly Passage

May 2026

Senate Passage

Apr 2026

Signed into Law

May 2026

Introduced Feb 21, 2025 Signed May 26, 2026

Maddy AI version diff · 4 comparisons

What changed between versions

05/26/26 - Chaptered → AB1389 · 1 edit

MINOR

No substantive policy changes were made. The diff reflects a change in document format only: the bill text was converted from a clean chaptered document (as filed with the Secretary of State) to a web page rendering that includes navigation menus, search fields, and other website interface elements. The actual legislative language is identical in both versions.

TECHNICAL

The document format changed from a plain-text chaptered bill to a captured web page layout (leginfo.legislature.ca.gov), adding non-substantive UI elements such as navigation links, search boxes, and sidebar panels. No changes to the bill's operative text, digest, or urgency clause.

02/21/25 - Introduced → 03/24/26 - Amended Senate · 5 edits · Mar 24, 2026

MODERATE

The Senate amendment dramatically expanded AB 1389 from a narrow horse racing bill into a combined measure that also ratifies the second amendment to the tribal-state gaming compact with the Yurok Tribe of the Yurok Reservation (executed December 18, 2025). The new provisions include CEQA exemptions for actions related to the amended compact and declare the bill an urgency statute to take effect immediately. The vote requirement was raised from a simple majority to two-thirds.

Scope change

The bill's scope expanded significantly from a single-topic horse racing measure (exempting New York Stakes races from the 75 imported race daily cap) to a dual-purpose bill that also ratifies a tribal gaming compact amendment with the Yurok Tribe and provides CEQA exemptions related to that compact. The urgency declaration further changes the effective date from the standard July 1 to immediate effect upon passage.

SCOPE

Added Section 12012.121 to the Government Code ratifying the second amendment to the tribal-state gaming compact between California and the Yurok Tribe of the Yurok Reservation, executed December 18, 2025, for the purpose of extending the terms of the existing compact.

REQUIREMENT

Added CEQA exemption provisions stating that execution of amendments to the ratified compact, intergovernmental agreements between the tribe and local or state governments, and on-reservation impacts of compliance are not 'projects' under CEQA, in deference to tribal sovereignty. Local and state agencies remain subject to CEQA except as expressly provided.

TIMELINE

Added an urgency statute declaration (Section 2) requiring the bill to take effect immediately, citing the need to enhance economic development, stability, and self-sufficiency of the Yurok Tribe at the earliest possible time.

ENFORCEMENT

The required vote threshold changed from a simple majority to two-thirds (majority 2/3), making passage more difficult.

FISCAL

Fiscal committee review changed from 'no' to 'yes', indicating the amended bill now has fiscal implications requiring committee analysis.

Floor votes · Senate Apr 13, 2026 · Assembly Apr 10, 2025

How they voted

36–0

Passed · 4 other

Total votes 40

Apr 13, 2026

D Democratic30

28 Yea 2

93% Yea

R Republican10

8 Yea 2

80% Yea

Vote distribution

All Yea All Nay Mixed No data

Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions

Key actions

Committee

Amendments

May 26, 2026

Signed into law

Approved by the Governor.

legislature

May 7, 2026

Lower · Passed

Urgency clause adopted. Senate amendments concurred in. To Engrossing and Enrolling. (Ayes 69. Noes 0. Page 4956.).

lower

Apr 13, 2026

Senate · Passed

Senate Vote: pass (36-0-4)

senate

Apr 13, 2026

Introduced

In Assembly. Concurrence in Senate amendments pending.

lower

Apr 13, 2026

Upper · Passed

Read third time. Urgency clause adopted. Passed. Ordered to the Assembly. (Ayes 36. Noes 0. Page 3836.).

upper

Mar 25, 2026

Committee

Re-referred to Com. on APPR. pursuant to Joint Rule 10.5.

upper

Mar 24, 2026

Upper · Passed

Read third time and amended. Ordered to second reading.

upper

Jul 8, 2025

Upper · Passed

From committee: Do pass. To Consent Calendar. (Ayes 15. Noes 0.) (July 8).

upper

May 7, 2025

Committee

Referred to Com. on G.O.

upper

Apr 10, 2025

Lower · Passed

Read third time. Passed. Ordered to the Senate. (Ayes 67. Noes 0. Page 1120.)

lower

Apr 3, 2025

Lower · Passed

From committee: Do pass. To Consent Calendar. (Ayes 21. Noes 0.) (April 2).

lower

Mar 13, 2025

Committee

Referred to Com. on G.O.

lower

Feb 22, 2025

Lower · Passed

From printer. May be heard in committee March 24.

lower

Feb 21, 2025

Introduced

Introduced. To print.

lower

1 primary · 0 co-sponsors