Gambling-Related Legislation Chaptered in 2021
GAMBLING CONTROL ACT / CARDROOMS
AB 120 (Salas, Chapter45, Statutes of 2021): Gambling Control Act
This bill authorizes the Commission to deny an application or approve an application with conditions, limitations, or restrictions at a Commission meeting provided that any decision is stayed for thirty days to allow an applicant to request an evidentiary hearing on the application.
SB 137 (Committee on Budget and Fiscal Review): State Government
This bill would prohibit the Bureau of Gambling Control (Bureau) from collecting, and a licensee from being required to pay, any annual fees ordinarily due from a state gambling licensee between January 31, 2020, to July 31, 2021, inclusive, and would require the Bureau to refund any annual fees already paid for a state gambling license that were due between January 31, 2020, and the effective date of the bill. The bill would also prohibit the Bureau from collecting, and a licensee from being required to pay, any annual fees ordinarily due from a third-party provider of proposition player services between September 1, 2020, to August 31, 2022, inclusive, and would require the Bureau to refund any annual license fees already paid by a third-party provider of proposition player services that were due between September 1, 2020, and the effective date of the bill. Additionally, the bill would prohibit the Bureau from collecting, and a licensee or Commission-issued work permittee from being required to pay, any renewal application fees or background deposits associated with a renewal application ordinarily due between March 1, 2020, and April 30, 2022, inclusive, and would require the Bureau to refund any renewal application fees or deposits associated with a renewal application already paid by a licensee or Commission-issued work permittee that were due between March 1, 2020, and the effective date of this bill. This legislative language shall become inoperative on July 1, 2022, and, as of January 1, 2023, is repealed
SB 819 (Committee on Governmental Organization): Gambling Control Act
This bill exempts some food service employees from the requirement to apply for and receive a work permit if their work duties are solely to serve or prepare food or beverages and are performed only in areas of the establishment in which gambling is not authorized. Additionally, this bill allows the Commission to extend a work permit or finding of suitability for up to 180 days, under specified conditions. This bill requires further order of the commission to occur at a meeting for any existing emergency order or final disposition of a proceeding, as specified. Finally, this bill requires owners and employees of a third-party provider of proposition player services to wear a badge that clearly identifies them as providing proposition player services at all times while in a gambling establishment for which their third-party proposition players services company has a current contract.
TRIBAL
SB 302 (Dodd, Chapter 290, Statutes of 2021): Tribal gaming: compact ratification
This bill ratifies the tribal-state gaming compacts entered into between the State of California and the Picayune Rancheria of Chukchansi Indians of California. The bill provides that, in deference to tribal sovereignty, certain actions related to these compacts and amended compacts are not projects for purposes of the California Environmental Quality Act.
AB 957 (Salas, Chapter 286, Statutes of 2021): Tribal gaming: compact ratification
This bill ratifies the tribal-state gaming compacts entered into between the State of California and following two Indian tribes: the Santa Rosa Indian Community of the Santa Rosa Rancheria, and the Middletown Rancheria of Pomo Indians of California. The bill provides that, in deference to tribal sovereignty, certain actions related to these compacts and amended compacts are not projects for purposes of the California Environmental Quality Act.