Shingle Springs Band of Miwok Indians Land Transfer Act of 2025
Impact
The passage of HB2302 is expected to bolster the rights of the Shingle Springs Band of Miwok Indians by integrating this land into their reservation and allowing the tribe to manage it according to federal laws governing properties held in trust. This will likely provide enhanced opportunities for the tribe to utilize the land for cultural, residential, and potentially economic activities, although such economic activities will be limited by the prohibition on gaming in the trust lands stipulated by the bill.
Summary
House Bill 2302, known as the Shingle Springs Band of Miwok Indians Land Transfer Act of 2025, aims to transfer federal land in California into trust for the Shingle Springs Band of Miwok Indians. This bill revokes a previous public land order and facilitates the transfer of approximately 204 acres of land into trust status for the tribe within a period of 180 days post-enactment. The land involved in this transfer includes areas depicted as BLM Land and Indian Creek Ranch, which are significant to the tribe's interests and development plans.
Contention
Despite its strengths, the bill could face potential contention, particularly from those concerned about the implications of transferring federal land into trust. Specifically, the gaming prohibition contained within HB2302 might spark debates about economic opportunities available to the tribe. Critics may argue that without the ability to conduct class II or class III gaming, the economic viability of the land may be compromised. The balance between preserving indigenous land rights and ensuring sustainable economic development remains a point of discussion in the legislative environment surrounding this bill.
Pala Band of Mission Indians Land Transfer Act of 2023 This bill directs the Department of the Interior to take approximately 721.12 acres of land in San Diego County, California, into trust for the benefit of the Pala Band of Mission Indians, if the tribe transfers title to that land to the United States. The land is made part of the Pala Indian Reservation. The bill generally prohibits gaming on any of the land taken into trust.