Tribal Nation Grant Fund.

Plain English Breakdown

The official source material does not specify how remaining funds after equal shares grants are distributed.

Tribal Nation Grant Fund

AB-221 establishes the Tribal Nation Grant Fund to receive money from Indian tribes and distribute it as specific distribution grants for particular projects or equal shares among eligible tribes, with each tribe receiving at least $600,000 or 85% of available funds.

What This Bill Does

• Establishes the Tribal Nation Grant Fund to collect money from Indian tribes based on gaming agreements.
• Allows the fund to give out two types of grants: specific distribution grants for particular projects and equal shares grants equally distributed among all eligible tribes, with each tribe receiving at least $600,000 or 85% of available funds.
• Requires the panel managing the fund to create application forms for both types of grants.
• Removes requirements for tribes to spend grant money within a certain time frame and no longer requires them to return unused portions.

Who It Names or Affects

• Indian tribes that have gaming agreements with the state of California.
• The California Gambling Control Commission, which administers the fund.
• Eligible tribes applying for grants from the Tribal Nation Grant Fund.

Terms To Know

Class III Gaming

A type of gambling regulated by federal and tribal-state agreements.

Tribal-State Gaming Compacts

Agreements between Indian tribes and states to regulate gaming activities on tribal lands.

Limits and Unknowns

• The bill does not specify how the remaining funds after equal shares grants are distributed.
• It is unclear what happens if there are insufficient funds in the Tribal Nation Grant Fund for all eligible tribes to receive $600,000 each.

Official Summary Text

AB 221, Ramos.
Tribal Nation Grant Fund.
Existing law establishes the Tribal Nation Grant Fund, administered by the California Gambling Control Commission, for the receipt and deposit of moneys received by the state from Indian tribes pursuant to the terms of tribal-state gaming compacts. Under existing law, moneys in the Tribal Nation Grant Fund are available, upon appropriation by the Legislature, for the discretionary distribution of funds to nongaming and limited-gaming tribes, as specified. Existing law establishes the Tribal Nation Grant Fund Program and authorizes Tribal Nation Grant Fund Panel to award grants from available moneys within the fund and make other distributions from the fund to eligible tribes, as specified. Existing law requires an eligible tribe requesting a grant to submit an application on a form approved by the panel and provided by the commission. Existing law authorizes the panel to distribute of
the available moneys in the fund to all eligible tribes that submitted a completed grant application, as specified. Existing law authorizes the panel, in its discretion and based upon the purpose or project set forth in the application, to require an eligible tribe to encumber or expend any or all of a grant within a specified period of time, as described. Existing law requires each eligible tribe and each individual applying on behalf of each eligible tribe to agree to return to the fund any amount of a grant not encumbered or expended, as specified.
This bill would additionally establish the fund for the receipt and deposit of moneys received by the state from Indian tribes pursuant to the terms of class III gaming secretarial procedures. The bill would revise the grant distribution provisions described above to authorize the panel to award grants as specific distribution grants to fund a specifically described purpose or project, or as equal shares grants for
distribution to eligible tribes in equal amounts, as specified. The bill would require the panel to develop application forms for the specific distribution grants and the equal shares grants, as described, and would require the equal shares grants application form to include, among other things, a certification from the eligible tribe that the funds will be used for specified purposes. The bill would require the panel to distribute as equal shares grants $600,000 per eligible tribe, or at least 85% of the available moneys in the fund, whichever is greater, as specified. The bill would authorize the panel to distribute as specific distribution grants the remaining available moneys in the fund, as specified. The bill would no longer authorize the panel to require an eligible tribe to encumber or expend any or all of a grant within a specified period of time and would make a related conforming change. The bill would no longer require each eligible tribe and each individual applying on behalf of each eligible
tribe to return to the fund any amount of a grant not encumbered or expended, as specified. The bill would make a related statement of legislative intent.

Current Bill Text

Download Bill PDF