Ruffey Rancheria Restoration Act of 2017

To restore Federal recognition to the Ruffey Rancheria of California, and for other purposes. 1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Ruffey Rancheria Restoration Act of 2018 2. Restoration of Federal recognition, rights, and privileges (a) Federal recognition Federal recognition is hereby restored to the Tribe. Except as otherwise provided in this Act, all laws and regulations of general application to Indians and nations, tribes, or bands of Indians that are not inconsistent with any specific provision of this Act shall be applicable to the Tribe and its members. (b) Restoration of rights and privileges Except as provided in subsection (d), all rights and privileges of the Tribe and its members under any Federal treaty, Executive order, agreement, or statute, or under any other authority which were diminished or lost under the Act of August 18, 1958 ( Public Law 85–671 (c) Federal services and benefits (1) In general Without regard to the existence of a reservation, the Tribe and its members shall be eligible, on and after the date of the enactment of this Act, for all Federal services and benefits furnished to federally recognized Indian Tribes or their members. For the purposes of Federal services and benefits available to members of federally recognized Indian tribes residing on a reservation, members of the Tribe residing in the Tribe’s service area shall be deemed to be residing on a reservation. (2) Relation to other laws The eligibility on the part of the Tribe and its members for, or receipt of, services and benefits under paragraph (1) shall not be considered as income, resources, or otherwise when determining the eligibility for or computation of any payment or other benefit to such tribe, individual, or household under— (A) any financial aid program of the United States, including grants and contracts subject to the Indian Self-Determination Act; or (B) any other benefit to which such tribe, household, or individual would otherwise be entitled under any Federal or federally assisted program. (d) Hunting, fishing, trapping, gathering, and water rights Nothing in this Act shall expand, reduce, or affect in any manner any hunting, fishing, trapping, gathering, or water rights of the Tribe and its members, provided, that any such rights shall not extend into the Territory or State of Oregon. (e) Certain rights not altered Except as specifically provided in this Act, nothing in this Act shall alter any property right or obligation, any contractual right or obligation, or any obligation for taxes levied. (f) Rights of the Quartz Valley Indian Reservation Nothing in this Act shall be construed as infringing upon or diminishing the territorial rights or sovereignty of the Quartz Valley Indian Reservation. 3. Transfer of land to be held in trust (a) Lands to be taken in trust Upon application by the Tribe, the Secretary shall have the authority under this section to accept into trust for the benefit of the Tribe real property located in Siskiyou County, California, after the property is conveyed or otherwise transferred to the Secretary and if, at the time of such conveyance or transfer, there are no adverse legal claims to such property, including outstanding liens, mortgages, or taxes. (b) Former trust lands of the ruffey rancheria Subject to the conditions specified in this section, real property eligible for trust status under this section shall include Indian owned fee land in Siskiyou County, California, that is held by persons listed as distributees or dependent members in the distribution plan approved by the Bureau of Indian Affairs and published in the Federal Register on April 11, 1961, or such distributees’ or dependent members’ Indian heirs or successors in interest, provided, that such lands shall not include any lands located within the boundaries of the State of Oregon. (c) Lands to be part of the reservation Any real property taken into trust for the benefit of the Tribe pursuant to this Act shall be part of the Tribe’s reservation. (d) Lands to be nontaxable Any real property taken into trust for the benefit of the Tribe pursuant to this section shall be exempt from all local, State, and Federal taxation as of the date that such land is transferred to the Secretary. 4. Membership rolls (a) Compilation of tribal membership roll Not later than 1 year after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall, after consultation with the Tribe, compile a membership roll of the Tribe. (b) Criteria for enrollments (1) Preconstitution roll Until a tribal constitution is adopted pursuant to section 6, an individual shall be placed on the Ruffey Rancheria membership roll if the individual is living, is not an enrolled member of another federally recognized Indian tribe, and if— (A) such individual’s name was listed on the Ruffey Rancheria distribution list compiled by the Bureau of Indian Affairs and approved by the Secretary and published in the Federal Register on April 11, 1961, under Public Law 85–671 (B) such individual was not listed on, but met the requirements that had to be met to be listed on the Ruffey Rancheria distribution list; or (C) the individual is a lineal descendant of an individual, living or dead, identified in subparagraph (A) or (B), and has never been an enrolled member of any other Federally recognized Indian tribe. (2) Roll after adoption of constitution After adoption of a tribal constitution under section 6, such tribal constitution shall govern membership in the Tribe. (c) Conclusive proof of ruffey rancheria Indian ancestry For the purpose of subsection (b), the Secretary shall accept any available evidence establishing Ruffey Rancheria Indian ancestry. The Secretary shall accept as conclusive evidence of Ruffey Rancheria Indian ancestry information contained in the letter regarding certain lands purchased for the use of Ruffey and other Indians near Etna, California, sent by Charles E. Kelsey, Special Agent for the California Indians, to the Commissioner of Indian Affairs dated June 24, 1913; residence on or adjacent to lands purchased or leased in Siskiyou County, California, by Special Agent Charles E. Kelsey, provided that such lands were occupied by an individual with a bona fide relationship to the Ruffey Rancheria; and in the Ruffey Rancheria distribution list compiled by the Bureau of Indian Affairs and approved by the Secretary and published in the Federal Register on April 11, 1961. 5. Interim government Until a new tribal constitution and bylaws are adopted and become effective under section 6, the governing body of the Tribe shall be an Interim Council. The initial membership of the Interim Council shall consist of the members of the Executive Council of the Tribe on the date of the enactment of this Act, and the Interim Council shall continue to operate in the manner prescribed for the Executive Council under the tribal constitution of the Tribe adopted on December 19, 2014, as amended by Tribal Resolution 18-02, to the extent that such constitution is not contrary to Federal law. Any new members filling vacancies on the Interim Council shall meet the enrollment criteria set forth in section 4(b) and be elected in the same manner as are Executive Council members under the tribal constitution adopted December 19, 2014, as amended by Tribal Resolution 18-02. 6. Tribal constitution (a) Election; time; procedure After the compilation of the tribal membership roll under section 4, upon the written request of the Interim Tribal Council, the Secretary shall conduct, by secret ballot, an election for the purpose of ratifying a final constitution for the Tribe. The election shall be held consistent with sections 16(c)(1) and 16(c)(2)(A) of the Act of June 18, 1934 (commonly known as the Indian Reorganization Act; 25 U.S.C. 5123(c)(1) (b) Election of tribal officials; procedures Not later than 120 days after the Tribe ratifies a final constitution under subsection (a), the Secretary shall conduct an election by secret ballot for the purpose of electing tribal officials as provided in such tribal constitution. Such election shall be conducted consistent with the procedures specified in subsection (a) except to the extent that such procedures conflict with the tribal constitution. 7. Limitations on Indian gaming on acquired lands In addition to any other requirements under applicable Federal law, gaming conducted pursuant to an exception under subsection (b)(1)(B) of section 20 of the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act ( 25 U.S.C. 2719 (1) the Tribe has received a written determination by the Secretary that the land is eligible to be used for gaming under such section; and (2) the land is located in the county of Siskiyou, California, 5 miles or less away from lands within such County taken into trust under section 3 of this Act. 8. Definitions For purposes of this Act: (1) Interim council The term Interim Council (2) Member The term member (3) Reservation The term reservation (4) Secretary The term Secretary (5) Service area The term service area (6) State The term State (7) Tribe The term Tribe December 20, 2018 Reported with an amendment, committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the State of the Union, and ordered to be printed

Summary: Ruffey Rancheria Restoration Act of 2017 This bill restores federal recognition of the Ruffey Rancheria Tribe of California and federal rights and privileges of the Indian tribe and its members. It also makes the tribe and its members residing in the tribe's service area eligible for the federal services and benefits that are furnished to federally recognized Indian tribes and their members residing on a reservation. The Department of the Interior may place up to 441 acres of property located in Siskiyou County, California, into a trust for the benefit of the tribe. The land may be used for gaming under the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act if certain requirements are met. Within a year of the bill's enactment, Interior must compile a membership roll of the tribe. The bill establishes criteria for enrolling members prior to the adoption of a tribal constitution. The bill sets forth a process for establishing an interim governing body until a new tribal constitution and bylaws are adopted, ratifying the constitution, and electing tribal officials.