April 23, 2026
Mr. Issa introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Natural Resources
To take certain land in the State of California into trust for the benefit of the Barona Group of Capitan Grande Band of Mission Indians of the Barona Reservation, California, and for other purposes.
Section 1. Short title
This Act may be cited as the Barona Group of Capitan Grande Band of Mission Indians Land Transfer Act of 2026
.
Sec. 2. Land to be taken into trust for the Barona Group of Capitan Grande Band of Mission Indians
(a) In general
Subject to valid existing rights and the conditions described in subsections (c) and (d)—
(1)
administrative jurisdiction of Parcel 2 and Parcel 3 is transferred to the Secretary; and
(2)
the covered land is taken into trust for the benefit of an Indian Tribe.
(b) Administration
The land taken into trust under subsection (a) shall be—
(1)
part of the reservation of the Tribe; and
(2)
administered in accordance with the laws and regulations generally applicable to property held in trust by the United States for the benefit of an Indian Tribe.
(c) Conditions
The land taken into trust under subsection (a) shall be subject to—
(1)
all valid liens, rights-of-way, reciprocal road rights-of-way agreements, licenses, leases, permits, and easements existing on the date of the enactment of this Act;
(2)
the continuing right of the public to access the land for recreational, scenic, scientific, and conservation uses, to motorized access to roads, and to recreational access to trails, including Bureau of Land Management and Forest Service trails codesignated for public passage, existing on the date of the enactment of this Act, subject to reasonable rules and regulations promulgated by the Tribe in consultation with the Secretary; and
(3)
such rights-of-way as the Secretary, in consultation with the Secretary of Agriculture, considers necessary to provide employees of the Bureau of Land Management and the Forest Service access for emergency purposes, including search and rescue, wildfire suppression, and health and safety evacuation operations.
(d) Gaming prohibited
The land taken into trust under subsection (a) shall not be used for any class II gaming or class III gaming under the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act (as those terms are defined in section 4 of that Act (25 U.S.C. 2703)).
(e) Water rights and agreements
Nothing in this Act shall alter, or require the alteration of, any existing water rights or service agreements.
(f) Definitions
In this Act:
(1) Covered land
The term covered land means all right, title, and interest of the United States in and to Parcel 1, Parcel 2, and Parcel 3.
(2) Parcel 1
The term Parcel 1 means the approximately 160 acres of land administered by the Bureau of Land Management generally depicted as 3310810100
on the map titled BLM Lands into Trust for the Barona Band of Mission Indians
dated July 24, 2025.
(3) Parcel 2
The term Parcel 2 means the approximately 160 acres of land identified on the San Diego County Assessor’s Map as APN 331–081–02, comprised of the Southeast Quarter of Section 8, Township 14 South, Range 2 East, San Bernardino Meridian (as delineated in the Official Survey accepted on February 26, 1944).
(4) Parcel 3
The term Parcel 3 means the approximately 516.21 acres of land identified as APN 331–090–12 on the San Diego County Assessor’s Map, comprised of the following portions of Section 9, Township 14 South, Range 2 East, San Bernardino Meridian (documented in Record of Survey No. 13180, dated May 9, 1991):
(A)
The South Half.
(B)
The Southeast Quarter of the Northwest Quarter.
(C)
The South Half of the Northeast Quarter.
(D)
The Northeast Quarter of the Northeast Quarter.
(5) Secretary
The term Secretary means the Secretary of the Interior.
(6) Tribe
The term Tribe means the Barona Group of Capitan Grande Band of Mission Indians of the Barona Reservation, California.
(7) Secretary
The term Secretary means the Secretary of the Interior.