A Southern California American Indian tribe lobbying for more slot machines gave Sen. Sam Aanestad a ticket to see country music star George Strait, but the Grass Valley Republican didn't report the $56.25 gift.

A letter last month from Gary S. Winuk, chief of the California Fair Political Practices Commission's enforcement division, says the Pechanga Band of Luiseno Indians gave Aanestad the ticket, but the senator didn't report the gift on his February 2009 disclosure statements.

Winuck said Aanestad could face fines of up to $5,000 if he doesn't fix the statement.

Aanestad spokesman Bill Bird said Friday that Aanestad's failure to report his attendance at the Jan. 31, 2008, concert at ARCO Arena was an oversight that has since been fixed.

"When we learned of the oversight, he filed an amended report," Bird said Friday.

Bird said it was the first time in 11 years as both a senator or an assemblyman that Aanestad didn't initially report a lobbyist's gift.

The letter to Aanestad - as well as those sent to 37 other California lawmakers, both Republicans and Democrats - was obtained by The Associated Press through the California Public Records Act.

The AP reported Friday that among the unreported gifts by other legislators were meals at Ella's, a high-end restaurant in Sacramento; tickets to Billy Joel, Keith Urban and George Strait concerts; a hard-to-get ticket to the 2008 Holiday Bowl between Oklahoma State and Oregon; a ticket to a taping of ABC's "The George Lopez Show"; and tickets to Sacramento Kings basketball games.

North state assemblymen Jim Nielsen, R-Gerber, and Wesley Chesbro, D-Eureka, weren't among the lawmakers to receive such letters from the FPPC.

Assembly Speaker Karen Bass, the Democratic leader from Los Angeles, was notified that she failed to report meals paid by AT&T and Chevron Corp.

Like Aanestad, Bass also didn't disclose a gift from the Pechanga Band of Luiseno Indians, but her gift was $94.46 for a reception event.

The American Indian tribe operates Pechanga Resort and Casino in Southern California.

Pechanga was among four Southern California tribes that won the right in 2008 to expand Indian gambling by adding 17,000 slot machines.

Bird said that though they're not required to by law, most lobbyists send out letters notifying those given gifts that they're required to notify the FPPC that they received them.

Any gift of more than $10 is reportable, Bird said. Oftentimes, lobbyists send unsolicited gifts to lawmakers. Even then, they still must be reported.

Bird gave the example of a box of oranges being delivered to a lawmaker's office from a citrus growers' association.

Bird said he didn't know if the tribe sent the ticket to Aanestad unsolicited or if Aanested learned about the free tickets and asked for one.

Bird said the Pechanga Tribe didn't send out the courtesy letter afterward notifying the senator that he needed to report the gift.

"Even though it's not required by law, we kind of rely on them," Bird said of such letters.

He added later: "It will be the last time it happens."

Reporter Ryan Sabalow can be reached at 225-8344 or at rsabalow@redding.com.

The Associated Press contributed to this story.