Pala Band of Mission Indians Land Transfer Act of 2023

Subjects: Native Americans, California, Federal-Indian relations, Gambling, Indian claims, Indian lands and resources rights, Land transfers

Summary:  <p><b>Pala Band of Mission Indians Land Transfer Act of </b><strong></strong><b>2023</b></p> <p>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.</p> <p>The bill generally prohibits gaming on any of the land taken into trust.</p>

<html><body><pre>[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 277 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

&lt;DOC&gt;






118th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                 S. 277

  To take certain land located in San Diego County, California, into 
  trust for the benefit of the Pala Band of Mission Indians, and for 
                            other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                            February 7, 2023

  Mr. Padilla introduced the following bill; which was read twice and 
              referred to the Committee on Indian Affairs

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
  To take certain land located in San Diego County, California, into 
  trust for the benefit of the Pala Band of Mission Indians, and for 
                            other purposes.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Pala Band of Mission Indians Land 
Transfer Act of 2023''.

SEC. 2. TRANSFER OF LAND INTO TRUST FOR THE PALA BAND OF MISSION 
              INDIANS.

    (a) Definitions.--In this section:
            (1) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary 
        of the Interior.
            (2) Tribe.--The term ``Tribe'' means the Pala Band of 
        Mission Indians.
    (b) Transfer and Administration.--
            (1) Transfer of land into trust.--If, not later than 180 
        days after the date of enactment of this Act, the Tribe 
        transfers title to the land referred to in subsection (c) to 
        the United States, the Secretary, not later than 180 days after 
        the date of that transfer, shall take that land into trust for 
        the benefit of the Tribe.
            (2) Administration.--The land taken into trust under 
        paragraph (1) shall be part of the Pala Indian Reservation and 
        administered in accordance with the laws and regulations 
        generally applicable to land held in trust by the United States 
        for an Indian Tribe.
    (c) Land Description.--The land referred to in subsection (b)(1) is 
the approximately 721.12 acres of land located in San Diego County, 
California, generally depicted as ``Gregory Canyon Property Boundary'' 
on the map entitled ``Pala Gregory Canyon Property Boundary and 
Parcels'' and dated May 12, 2020.
    (d) Rules of Construction.--Nothing in this section--
            (1) enlarges, impairs, or otherwise affects any right or 
        claim of the Tribe to any land or interest in land that is in 
        existence before the date of enactment of this Act;
            (2) affects any water right of the Tribe in existence 
        before the date of enactment of this Act; or
            (3) terminates or limits any access in any way to any 
        right-of-way or right-of-use issued, granted, or permitted 
        before the date of enactment of this Act.
    (e) Restricted Use of Transferred Lands.--The Tribe may not 
conduct, on the land taken into trust under subsection (b)(1), gaming 
activities--
            (1) as a matter of claimed inherent authority; or
            (2) under any Federal law, including the Indian Gaming 
        Regulatory Act (25 U.S.C. 2701 et seq.) and regulations 
        promulgated by the Secretary or the National Indian Gaming 
        Commission under that Act.
                                 &lt;all&gt;
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