Shingle Springs Band of Miwok Indians Land Transfer Act of 2025
- Sponsor
- Sen. Padilla, Alex [D-CA]
- Committees
- Indian Affairs Committee (primary)
- Last action
- Sep 22, 2026
Bottom line
This bill expands the Shingle Springs Band of Miwok Indians' reservation by transferring federal land into trust, with a clear restriction against using the newly acquired land for gaming.
What it actually does
This bill revokes a specific Public Land Order and directs the Secretary of the Interior to place approximately 265 acres of federal land in California into trust for the Shingle Springs Band of Miwok Indians. The land will become part of the Tribe's reservation, but the bill explicitly prohibits its use for any class II or class III gaming activities.
Proponents argue
Supporters argue this bill is a crucial step towards rectifying historical injustices by restoring ancestral lands to the Shingle Springs Band of Miwok Indians, thereby promoting tribal self-determination, cultural preservation, and economic development through land base expansion. They emphasize that the explicit gaming prohibition addresses potential concerns from local communities, making the land transfer more broadly acceptable for other beneficial uses.
Opponents contend
Opponents, if any, might raise concerns about the precedent of transferring federal land into trust, potential impacts on local land use planning, or the process by which specific federal lands are selected for tribal trust acquisition. However, given the bill's specific gaming prohibition, direct opposition is often mitigated, focusing instead on administrative or procedural aspects rather than the core intent of tribal land restoration.
The bill is very short and clearly written, allowing for a quick and comprehensive understanding of its provisions and implications.
Section 2(a)
Revocation of Public Land Order and Jurisdiction Transfer
This section revokes Public Land Order 3309, which previously withdrew specific federal land from public entry, and transfers jurisdiction over this land to the Secretary of the Interior. This administrative action is essential to clear the legal and jurisdictional path for the subsequent transfer of the land into trust for the Shingle Springs Band of Miwok Indians.
Supporters argue
Supporters argue that this provision is a necessary and efficient administrative step to ensure clear title and federal jurisdiction before the land can be formally taken into trust for the Tribe, streamlining the overall land transfer process.
Critics contend
No specific opposition is typically raised against this administrative provision, as it is a technical prerequisite for the bill's main purpose of tribal land restoration.
Tradeoffs
This provision primarily involves administrative cleanup and does not present significant policy tradeoffs on its own, serving as a foundational step for the subsequent land transfer.
Section 2(b)
Trust Transfer of Federal Land to Tribe
This section mandates that the Secretary of the Interior place approximately 265 acres of federal land—specifically 80 acres of Bureau of Land Management (BLM) land and 185 acres of Indian Creek Ranch—into trust for the benefit of the Shingle Springs Band of Miwok Indians. This transfer must occur within 180 days of the bill's enactment and is subject to any valid existing rights on the land, thereby expanding the Tribe's sovereign land base.
Section 2(d) and 2(e)
Reservation Status and Gaming Prohibition
The land taken into trust under this Act is formally declared to be part of the Shingle Springs Band of Miwok Indians' Reservation and will be administered by the Secretary of the Interior in accordance with laws and regulations generally applicable to property held in trust for an Indian Tribe. Crucially, the bill explicitly prohibits the use of this newly acquired trust land for any class II or class III gaming activities, as defined by the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act.