April 28, 2026
Mr. Padilla (for himself and Mr. Schiff) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Indian Affairs
To amend the Pechanga Band of Luiseño Mission Indians Water Rights Settlement Act to make technical corrections, and for other purposes.
Section 1. Short title
This Act may be cited as the Pechanga Band of Indians Water Rights Settlement Technical Amendments Act
.
Sec. 2. Pechanga Band of Indians water rights settlement technical amendments
(a) Definition of Reservation
Section 3403(33) of the Pechanga Band of Luiseño Mission Indians Water Rights Settlement Act (Public Law 114–322; 130 Stat. 1757) is amended—
(1)
in subparagraph (A), by striking means the land
and all that follows through the period at the end of the subparagraph and inserting the following:
means—
(i)
land set aside for the Band by the Executive order dated June 27, 1882;
(ii)
land set aside for the Band by the Executive order dated January 9, 1907; and
(iii)
land added to the reservation of the Band on any of the following dates:
(I)
August 29, 1893.
(II)
March 11, 1907.
(III)
February 21, 1931.
(IV)
May 25, 1931.
(V)
August 12, 1971.
(VI)
August 8, 1988.
(VII)
November 1, 1988.
(VIII)
October 10, 2008.;
(2)
by redesignating subparagraph (B) as subparagraph (C); and
(3)
by inserting after subparagraph (A) the following:
(B) Inclusions
The term Reservation includes—
(i)
any contiguous land held in trust by the United States for the Band on the enforceability date; and
(ii)
any contiguous land—
(I)
located within the Santa Margarita River Watershed; and
(II)
placed into trust by the United States for the Band after the enforceability date.
(b) Additional uses of Pechanga Water Quality account
Section 3409(h)(4) of the Pechanga Band of Luiseño Mission Indians Water Rights Settlement Act (Public Law 114–322; 130 Stat. 1769) is amended by striking groundwater desalination activities within the Wolf Valley Basin
and inserting activities to address water quality issues within the Wolf Valley Basin
.
(c) Effect of section
(1) Definition of Pechanga Settlement Agreement
In this subsection, the term Pechanga Settlement Agreement has the meaning given that term in section 3403 of the Pechanga Band of Luiseño Mission Indians Water Rights Settlement Act (Public Law 114–322; 130 Stat. 1755).
(2) Pechanga Settlement Agreement
(A) Finding
Congress finds that the parties to the Pechanga Settlement Agreement have agreed to amend the Pechanga Settlement Agreement (and any exhibit to the Pechanga Settlement Agreement) as necessary to conform the Pechanga Settlement Agreement (and the exhibits to the Pechanga Settlement Agreement) in accordance with the amendments made by this section.
(B) Authorization
The Secretary of the Interior shall promptly execute the amendments to the Pechanga Settlement Agreement (or any exhibit to the Pechanga Settlement Agreement) described in subparagraph (A).
(3) Enforceability date
Nothing in this section (or an amendment made by this section) affects—
(A)
the status of satisfaction of any condition precedent described in section 3407(e) of the Pechanga Band of Luiseño Mission Indians Water Rights Settlement Act (Public Law 114–322; 130 Stat. 1765); or
(B)
the validity of the finding published by the Secretary of the Interior pursuant to that section on October 1, 2020, in the notice entitled Statement of Findings: Pechanga Band of Luiseño Mission Indians Water Rights Settlement Act
(85 Fed. Reg. 61966) that those conditions precedent were fully satisfied.
(4) Existing water rights
Nothing in this section alters, or requires the alteration of, any water right in existence on the date of enactment of this Act.