California SB542: Tribal gaming: compact ratification.

What the bill says

An act to add Section 12012.125 to the Government Code, relating to tribal gaming, and declaring the urgency thereof, to take effect immediately. tribal gaming, and declaring the urgency thereof, to take effect immediately Tribal gaming: compact ratification. 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…

From the chaptered text, September 14, 2026:

An act to add Section 12012.125 to the Government Code, relating to tribal gaming, and declaring the urgency thereof, to take effect immediately. tribal gaming, and declaring the urgency thereof, to take effect immediately Tribal gaming: compact ratification. 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 2nd amendment to the tribal-state gaming compact entered into between the State of California and the Santa Ynez Band of Chumash Indians executed on August 4, 2026. The bill would provide that, …

Read the full official text

Sponsors

• Monique Limón (D, SD21) · primary sponsor
• Gail Pellerin (D, AD28)
• Nick Schultz (D, AD44)

Latest actions

1. September 14, 2026: Chaptered by Secretary of State. Chapter 224, Statutes of 2026.
2. September 14, 2026: Approved by the Governor.
3. August 30, 2026: Enrolled and presented to the Governor at 6 p.m.
4. August 25, 2026: Assembly amendments concurred in. (Ayes 40. Noes 0. Page 5792.) Ordered to engrossing and enrolling.
5. August 25, 2026: Assembly amendments concurred in. (Ayes 39. Noes 0.) Ordered to engrossing and enrolling.
6. August 25, 2026: Urgency clause adopted.
7. August 25, 2026: Assembly amendments concurred in. (Ayes 40. Noes 0.) Ordered to engrossing and enrolling.
8. August 24, 2026: Read third time. Urgency clause adopted. Passed. (Ayes 78. Noes 0. Page 6382.) Ordered to the Senate.
9. August 24, 2026: In Senate. Concurrence in Assembly amendments pending.
10. August 24, 2026: Read third time. Urgency clause adopted. Passed. Ordered to the Senate.

Votes

• Unfinished Business SB542 Limón Urgency Clause Concurrence (August 25, 2026): 40 yea, 0 nay, passed
• SB 542 Limón Third Reading Urgency By Hart (August 24, 2026): 78 yea, 0 nay, passed
• Do pass as amended. (August 29, 2025): 11 yea, 4 nay, passed
• Do pass and be re-referred to the Committee on [Appropriations] (July 14, 2025): 5 yea, 2 nay, passed
• Do pass and be re-referred to the Committee on [Emergency Management] (July 7, 2025): 8 yea, 3 nay, passed
• Senate 3rd Reading SB542 Limón (June 3, 2025): 28 yea, 11 nay, passed

Common questions

What is SB542?

SB542 is a bill in the California Legislature (2025-2026 Regular Session): Tribal gaming: compact ratification.

What does SB542 do?

In its own words: An act to add Section 12012.125 to the Government Code, relating to tribal gaming, and declaring the urgency thereof, to take effect immediately. tribal gaming, and declaring the urgency thereof, to take effect immediately Tribal gaming: compact ratification. 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…

What is the status of SB542?

Chaptered as of September 14, 2026. Latest action: Chaptered by Secretary of State. Chapter 224, Statutes of 2026. (September 14, 2026).

Who sponsored SB542?

Monique Limón (D, SD21), with 2 co-sponsors.

Where is the official record for SB542?

On the California Legislature website: https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billNavClient.xhtml?bill_id=202520260SB542