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.

Governor's Ltr of Opposition to Scotts Valley Off Rez Casino
May 13, 2005, Peter Siggins- Legal Affairs Secretary

 
  • Casino decision coming soon
    4/3/2008, PRESS DEMOCRAT
    A Lake County tribe's controversial proposal to build a casino in the East Bay is getting closer to a decision. The U.S. Bureau of Indian Affairs announced that it could rule as soon as April 29 on the application by the Scotts Valley Band of Pomo to have 30 acres near Richmond made into a reservation. The Lakeport-based tribe wants to build a 225,000-square-foot casino complex and a five-story parking garage. Although the property is more than 100 miles from its base, the 191-member tribe contends the site should be designated "restored" Indian land as part of its traditional territory.

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  • Judge backs broad Indian preference at DOI
    4/4/2008, Indianz.com
    The Interior Department is breaking the law by restricting its Indian preference policy to the Bureau of Indian Affairs, a federal judge ruled on Monday. In a significant decision, Chief Judge Thomas F. Hogan in Washington, D.C., opened up Indian preference to "all" positions at Interior that "directly and primarily" relate to Indian programs. Currently, the policy is limited to the BIA and other posts that were transferred out of the BIA to other agencies. However, Hogan determined that the Indian Reorganization Act favors a much broader policy. Since the law doesn't define the meaning of the term "Indian Office," judicial principles require him to construe the preference as favorable as possible to American Indians and Alaska Natives, he said.

  • Celebrate and protect Indian gaming
    4/4/2008, Indian Country Today
    Arguably, the most significant economic development in Indian country since the start of the self-determination era has been the assertion by tribal governments of their rights to operate gaming enterprises.'' So begins the chapter on Indian gaming within ''The State of the Native Nations,'' the remarkably comprehensive summary produced by The Harvard Project on American Indian Economic Development (Oxford University Press, 2008). The 1987 affirmation of the Commerce Clause, Article 1, Section 8 of the U.S. Constitution, by the U.S. Supreme Court in California v. Cabazon Band of Mission Indians paved the way for the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act of 1988. Although controversial in its scope - the law divided regulation of different classes of gaming among tribal, federal and state agencies - IGRA nonetheless reinvigorated tribal economies entangled in constraints of the self-determination era.

  • Agua Caliente gives Rancho Mirage funds to help ease traffic
    4/4/2008, The Desert Sun
    RANCHO MIRAGE - The Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians on Thursday presented the city with a $420,230 check as a one-time fee to help traffic around its new, $300 million hotel casino resort that opens in two weeks. The check was given as part of a Memorandum of Understanding the two governments forged last March. The contract, spelling out more than $5 million in tribal impact fees, cleared long-simmering impasses over the hotel at the Interstate 10 gateway to Rancho Mirage. Mayor Dana Hobart said the agreements signaled a new era and set the benchmark for what was expected to become an enduring partnership with the city. The check presentation demonstrates the commitment of the tribe and the city to work together to resolve traffic situations springing from the Agua Caliente Casino Resort Spa, Hobart said.

  • Controller presses lottery chief for plan to repay party costs
    4/4/2008, Sacramento Bee
    State Controller John Chiang turned up the heat Thursday on California Lottery Director Joan Borucki, demanding to know how she plans to repay $46,336 used for an employee party. Borucki had said lottery officials were awaiting a legal opinion on the legitimacy of the spending, but Chiang said in a letter to Borucki that he has learned that no legal opinion was requested. "This is contrary to the lottery response to our draft audit report," Chiang wrote.

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    Upcoming Hearings

    Public Comment deadline: Expansion of facility - Draft Environmental Impact Report presented by United Auburn Indian Community. C/O: AES 1801 7th St., Suite 100, Sacramento, CA. 95811.  Written comments will be accepted through April 10, 2008.

    Public Comment deadline: Off Reservation Proposal - Manzanita Band in the City of Calexico.  Mail comments to Amy Dutschke, acting Regional Director, Pacific Regional Office, BIA, 2800 Cottage Way, Sacramento, CA. 92825. Written comments will be accepted through April 7, 2008.

    Public Scoping Hearing: Off Reservation Proposal - April 9, 2008, 6 p.m., Elks Lodge in Marysville, 920 D. Street.  The hearing is for public input related to the enterpise Rancheria proposed fee to trust land acquistion of 40 acres and the subsequent development of an off reservation casino resort complex in Yuba County. Mail comments to Amy Dutschke, acting Regional Director, Pacific Regional Office, BIA, 2800 Cottage Way, Sacramento, CA. 92825. Written comments will be accepted through May 5, 2008.
     
    Public Comment Deadline:  Off Reservation Proposal,
    Comments on the Final EIS for the Scotts Valley Casino in the City of Richmond. Mail comments to Amy Dutschke, acting Regional Director, Pacific Regional Office, BIA, 2800 Cottage Way, Sacramento, CA. 92825. Written comments will be accepted through April 28, 2008.
     

    Upcoming Conference

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

    LINKS and Legislation

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    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 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 

    H.R. 5608 Congressman Rahall - mandates that adminstration directly consults with tribes on policies that directly affect their lives.
     
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    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
     
    Notice of Approval of Class III Tribal Gaming Ordinances
    3/30/2008, Federal Register 3-17-2008 NIGC
    SUMMARY: The purpose of this notice is to inform the public of class III gaming ordinances approved by the Chairman of the National Indian Gaming Commission. EFFECTIVE DATE: This notice is effective upon date of publication in the Federal Register.