Shingle Springs Band of Miwok Indians Land Transfer Act of 2025
- Bill Number
- H.R. 2302
- Origin Chamber
- House
- Congress
- 119th Congress, Session 1
- Policy Area
- Native Americans
- Status
- Passed House
- Latest Action
- 2026-05-20: Committee on Indian Affairs. Ordered to be reported without amendment favorably.
- Last Updated
- 2026-05-21T10:56:44Z
AI-Generated Summary
Purpose
The Shingle Springs Band of Miwok Indians Land Transfer Act of 2025 aims to transfer specific federal lands in California into trust status for the benefit of the Shingle Springs Band of Miwok Indians (referred to as the Tribe). This process expands the Tribe's reservation by incorporating these lands, while explicitly prohibiting gaming activities on them. The Act fulfills federal obligations to support tribal land rights without altering broader public land management.
Key Provisions
- Revocation and Jurisdiction Transfer: The Act revokes Public Land Order 3309 (issued in 1964), which previously managed certain lands. Jurisdiction over these lands is transferred to the Secretary of the Interior.
- Land Transfer into Trust: Within 180 days of enactment, the Secretary must place approximately 80 acres of Bureau of Land Management (BLM) land and 185 acres known as Indian Creek Ranch into trust for the Tribe, subject to any existing legal rights (e.g., leases or permits).
- Review and Survey Process: Before the transfer deadline, the Secretary must review the lands to determine if a survey is needed. If required, a survey will be conducted, with minor corrections allowed for errors. The final survey will be publicly available at the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) office.
- Reservation Status and Administration: The transferred lands become part of the Tribe's existing reservation and will be managed by the Secretary under standard federal laws for trust lands (properties held by the U.S. government for tribal benefit, shielding them from state taxation and certain regulations).
- Gaming Prohibition: The lands cannot be used for Class II or Class III gaming (types of tribal gambling regulated by the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act of 1988, which includes bingo-style games and casino operations).
- Definitions: Key terms include "Map" (a specific BLM map dated May 2, 2025, depicting the lands), "Reservation" (the Tribe's current lands), "Secretary" (Secretary of the Interior), and "Tribe" (Shingle Springs Band of Miwok Indians, Shingle Springs Rancheria, California).
Significant Changes to Existing Law
- Revocation of 1964 Order: This directly overrides Public Land Order 3309, ending its restrictions on the specified lands and shifting them from federal public domain to tribal trust status. Trust lands are generally exempt from state and local control, marking a shift from BLM oversight to BIA administration.
- Mandatory Timeline: Unlike discretionary land-into-trust processes under the Indian Reorganization Act of 1934 (which allows the Secretary to evaluate tribal applications case-by-case), this Act mandates the transfer within 180 days, streamlining the process for these specific parcels.
- Explicit Gaming Ban: This introduces a new restriction tailored to these lands, preventing their use for gaming despite the Tribe's potential eligibility under broader federal gaming laws.
Potential Impacts
- Government Agencies: The BLM will lose administrative control over the 265 acres, potentially reducing its public land holdings in California. The BIA and Department of the Interior will gain responsibility for managing the lands as trust property, including environmental and cultural protections, which may increase administrative workload but align with federal trust duties to tribes.
- Citizens and Local Communities: Local residents in El Dorado County, California (near the lands), may see changes in land use, such as tribal cultural or residential development, but the gaming ban limits potential economic shifts like casino construction. No direct impacts on international relations are anticipated, as this is a domestic tribal matter.
- Tribe: The transfer expands the reservation by about 265 acres, enhancing tribal sovereignty, cultural preservation, and potential non-gaming economic uses (e.g., housing or agriculture), without the revenue from gambling.
Main Stakeholders Affected
- Shingle Springs Band of Miwok Indians: Primary beneficiary, gaining secure title to ancestral or beneficial lands for reservation expansion.
- Federal Government (Department of the Interior, BLM, BIA): Responsible for execution, revocation, and ongoing administration of the trust lands.
- Local Governments and Residents in California: Indirectly affected through changes in land jurisdiction, which could influence zoning, taxation, or environmental regulations in the Sacramento area.
- Existing Rights Holders: Any current users of the land (e.g., through leases) retain their rights during and after the transfer.
Notable Legal, Constitutional, or Political Implications
- Legal: Reinforces the federal trust doctrine (a legal principle where the U.S. government holds lands for tribes to promote self-determination), but the mandatory transfer and gaming prohibition could face challenges if seen as bypassing standard environmental reviews under laws like the National Environmental Policy Act. The Act ensures compliance with existing rights, minimizing disputes.
- Constitutional: Aligns with Article I, Section 8 of the U.S. Constitution (Congress's authority over federal property and Indian affairs), upholding the government's historical role in tribal land management without infringing on state powers due to trust status.
- Political: As a targeted bill for one tribe, it exemplifies bipartisan support for tribal land restoration (passed by the House in 2025), but the gaming ban may reflect compromises to address local opposition to expanded tribal economic activities. It sets no broad precedent but highlights ongoing debates over land-into-trust processes in tribal policy.
This summary was generated by AI and may contain inaccuracies. Refer to the official source document for the authoritative text.
Sponsor
Recent Actions
- 2026-05-20: Committee on Indian Affairs. Ordered to be reported without amendment favorably.
- 2025-12-10: Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Indian Affairs.
- 2025-12-09: Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
- 2025-12-09: On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by voice vote. (text: CR H5071)
- 2025-12-09: Passed/agreed to in House: On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by voice vote. (text: CR H5071)
- 2025-12-09: DEBATE - The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on H.R. 2302.
- 2025-12-09: Considered under suspension of the rules. (consideration: CR H5071-5073)
- 2025-12-09: Mr. Westerman moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended.
- 2025-09-15: Placed on the Union Calendar, Calendar No. 242.
- 2025-09-15: Reported (Amended) by the Committee on Natural Resources. H. Rept. 119-286.
- 2025-09-15: Reported (Amended) by the Committee on Natural Resources. H. Rept. 119-286.
- 2025-07-23: Ordered to be Reported (Amended) by Unanimous Consent.
- 2025-07-23: Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held
- 2025-07-23: Subcommittee on Indian and Insular Affairs Discharged
- 2025-04-30: Subcommittee Hearings Held
Bill Versions
- Shingle Springs Band of Miwok Indians Land Transfer Act of 2025 — issued 2025-12-09 — PDF (6 pages)
- Shingle Springs Band of Miwok Indians Land Transfer Act of 2025 — issued 2025-03-24 — PDF (3 pages)
- Shingle Springs Band of Miwok Indians Land Transfer Act of 2025 — issued 2025-12-10 — PDF (4 pages)
- Shingle Springs Band of Miwok Indians Land Transfer Act of 2025 — issued 2025-09-15 — PDF (6 pages)