Stand Up for California! is a statewide organization with a focus on gambling issues including tribal gaming, card clubs, horse racing, charitable gaming and the state lottery.

Compact Amendment Dis-approved
March 18, 2008 , George T. Skibine - Acting Deputy Asst. Secretary
 
Biggest non-tribal casino in Bay Area gets bigger
3/18/2008, Oakland Tribune
WHAT WAS ALREADY the largest non-Indian casino in Northern California in terms of the number of gaming tables has just gotten bigger. Colma's Town Council approved Lucky Chances Casino's request last week to increase the number of gaming tables from 43 to 50. The town's ordinance allows for 60 tables, but casino spokesman Rodney Blonien said that won't happen. "We don't have the room!" Blonien said. "The business is there and strong for 50 tables." Lucky Chance's gaming tables are expected to arrive in a few weeks once the casino satisfies the council's requirement to add more parking, Blonien said.
  • Expectations flying high for new motocross track
    3/21/2008, San Diego Business Journal
    A 240-acre dirt-bike track taking shape at an abandoned sand and gravel quarry on the Pala Indian Reservation could land San Diego County back on the map for lovers of motocross. Southern California has long been a hotbed for the sport, in which riders jump, loop and test themselves and their bikes in search of an adrenaline rush.

  • Casinos' lucky days running out
    3/21/2008, The Times - New Jersey
    A long-held belief in the casino industry is no matter how bad the economy gets, gamblers will somehow come up with the cash and keep making trips to the casinos. For proof, one had to look no further than the aftermath of 9/11, when the casino industry managed to weather a downturn in the economy. But some analysts are now questioning the theory gambling is recession-proof. A report from Moody Research investors can be purchased for $550.00 contact: help@alacrastore.com

  • The (Native) American dream
    3/20/2008, Sacramento Business Journal
    As many Placer County developments grind to a halt, the United Auburn Indian Community is aggressively moving ahead in its plans to add a $1 billion expansion to its wildly successful Thunder Valley Casino. Plans include a 23-story hotel tower with 650 rooms, conference center, parking garage and entertainment area for the casino, with 1,700 positions now the fourth-largest employer in the county. But the tribe hasn't always thrown its weight around in billions. In fact, merely five years ago, one of the county's biggest developers, charitable contributors and landowners was destitute. "It's a completely different world. It's still a fairy tale dream," said Jessica Tavares, tribal chairwoman of the United Auburn Indian Community.

  • Casino threats surround Petaluma
    3/20/2008, Argus Courrier - Editorial
    When 80 percent of Petaluma voters went to the polls in late 2006 and said "no" to a casino in their back yard, they meant no casino.So imagine the community's collective dismay at the Sonoma County Board of Supervisors' unfortunate agreement this week with the Dry Creek Rancheria Band of Pomos stipulating that no casino may be built on the tribe's 277-acre property just south of Petaluma ... for eight years.

  • Tribal Sovereignty Rears Head At Union Hearing
    3/20/2008, The Day - Conn.
    Hartford - The hearing on Wednesday was supposed to be a venue for the attorneys representing Foxwoods Resort Casino and the International Union of Operating Engineers to discuss any issues either party may have about casino employees wanting to form a union. And while the hearing itself was rather quick, it became clear that the attorneys representing the Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation, which owns and operates Foxwoods, were not about to back down from their previous position that as a sovereign nation, tribal labor laws, not federal labor laws, should apply.

  • Proposed casino could strain water supply
    3/20/2008, ABC Channel 7 - San Francisco
    ROHNERT PARK, CA (KGO) -- The Miwok and Pomo Indians, who make up the Graton Rancheria, want to build a casino and resort with 2,000 slot machines and hundreds of hotel rooms on the edge of Rohnert Park. It's not just the size of the project that has many people in the rural community worried. It's where the water will come from for the casino and all of the hotel rooms. "You could not have possibly picked a worse spot in the entire county of Sonoma," says HR Downs, who is with the OWL Foundation, an advocate for water resource protection.

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    Upcoming Hearing

    Public Scoping Hearing:Off Reservation Proposal - Manzanita Band in the City of Calexico.  March 27,  BOS Chambers Imperical County, 940 W. Main St., El Centro. 6pm to 9pm. Or mail comments to Amy Dutschke, acting Regional Director, Pacific Regional Office, BIA, 2800 Cottage Way, Sacramento, CA. 92825

    Upcoming Conference

    North American Regulators Association June 10-13, 2008   www.nagra.org  Register on Line.

    LINKS and Legislation

     

    Stand Up For California - Library

    Stand Up For California - Helpful Links

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    State Legislation to Watch

    AJR 39 -  Assembly Member Huffman

    Reaffirmation of the Winneman Wintu.

    AB 1314 -Assembly Member Strikland

    BINGOAn Act to amend section 326.5 of the California Penal Code.

    AB 1328 - Assembly Member Cedillo

     Internet BINGO

    AB 1924 - Assembly Member Jeffries

    Changes the amount of charitable BINGO  funds that may be used for overhead and other operational expenses.

    AB 2026 - Assembly Member  Levine -

    The California Gambling Control in conjunction with the Department of Justice, shall perform a study and report its findings to the legislature by June 30, 2009, regarding authorizing interstate Internet Poker.

    AB 62 - Sen. Florez - Permits the transfer of funds from the General Fund to the Revenue Sharing Trust Fund for eligible recipient tribes should there be insufficient funds in the Special Distribution Fund.

    SB 331 -Sen.  Romero - Imposes a state mandated local program to address tresspassers on tribal lands

    SB 996 Sen. Florez - This bill would require each tribal state gaming compact entered into between the State of California and a federally recognized Indian Tribe to be ratified by the Legislature in Separate Statute. 

     SB 1201 - Sen. Battin Increases the aggregate limit of gaming devices licenses available for issuance under the 1999 compacts to 122,000 slot machines without tribal state compact renegotiations.
    SB 1328 - Sen.  Cedillo - deletes the $250 limitation on bingo game payouts, thereby allows for an award of any denomination. (currently limit $250.00 per pot)
    SB - 1570 - Sen. Vincent - Requires the Governor to use best efforts to enusre that satellite wagering on horese racing is one of the forms of gaming offered at any gambling facility authorized under a compact.  
    SB 1626 - Sen. Steinberg - Regulates the game of BINGO.
    SB 1679 - Sen. Florez - Lottery Reform Bill:  requires that not less than 87% of revenues be used for prizes and to benefit education, 13% for lottery expenses. Total revenue to education will be decided by the Commission but not less than 1,200,000,000. Requires 1 million to be committed to the Office of Problem and Pathological gambling. Defines, expands and loosens restrictions of lottery game themes.

    SB 1695 - Sen. Florez - This bill limits the locations of tribal casinos.  Does it limit the political power of local elected?

    SCA 20 -Sen.  Vincent - Constitutional Amendment authorizes Roulette and Craps on California Indian lands for compact tribes.

     

    Federal Legislation to Watch 

    Last sessions legislation rumored to have legs.

    H. R. 3709To authorize inter-tribal transfers of authority in leases between the Ewiiaapaayp Band of Kumeyaay and the Viejas Band of Kumeyaay, and for other purposes. (Introduced in House October 1, 2007)

    S. 1347 - Sentaor Feinstein: A bill to amend the Omnibus Indian Advancement Act to modify the

    date as of which certain tribal land of the Lytton Rancheria of California is deemed to be held in trust and to provide for the conduct of certain activities on the land.  Passed the Senate 11-6-07 and sent to the House.

    Rule Making

    http://thomas.loc.gov/

    Guidance on taking off reservation land into trust for gaming purposes
    Jan 3, 2008,     Carl Artman, Asst. Secretary of the Interior, BIA

     
    Proposed Rule - Secretarily Approval of Compacts within 45 Days
    Feb. 11, 2008, Asst. Secretary - Carl Artman - Dept. of the Inter