HR 5935119th CongressIn Committee

Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians Water Rights Settlement Act

Introduced: Nov 7, 2025

Sponsor: Rep. Calvert, Ken [R-CA-41] (R-California)

Civil Rights & JusticeEconomy & TaxesEnvironment & Climate

Standard Summary

Comprehensive overview in 1-2 paragraphs

This Act ratifies a water rights settlement for the Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians, confirming their right to 20,000 acre-feet per year of groundwater, establishing a trust fund for water infrastructure, and preempting state/local taxes with tribal fees.

Key Points

1Confirms the Tribe's priority water rights dating to 1876-1877, superior to other claims in the Indio Subbasin.
2Establishes a $500 million trust fund with specific accounts for water projects, augmentation, management, and operational costs.
3Preempts Riverside County's ad valorem tax on possessory interests, allowing the Tribe to impose its own tax with distribution rules to other public agencies.

Impact Areas

Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla IndiansCoachella Valley Water District (CVWD)Desert Water Agency (DWA)Riverside CountyFederal land management agencies (BLM, Bureau of Indian Affairs)

Generated by legislative-analyzer-v1 on Nov 13, 2025