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.

  • Public Comment on North Fork Casino - Dora E. Jones
    March 12, 2008, Bureau of Indian Affairs, Pacific Regional Office, Ms. Jones comment lists 14 State Legislators both Democrat and Republican leadership in opposition to the North Fork Off Reservation Casino.  Assembly Member DeLeono's letter is quoted, "I write to express my objections to a proposed move by the North Fork Rancheria from their current and historical Rancheria in the Sierra Foothills nearly 50 miles away from the Highway 99 coorridor.  This proposed move will create a significant precedent for tribal gaming statewise.  Specifically, I am concerned that catapulting this Rancheria from the foothills down to Highway 99 would trigger a statewide land rush to our urban corridors that will play out for years to come and have massive consequences for the entire state."

  • Letter Opposing Off Reservation Casino of North Fork
    March 6, 2008, California State Senator Dean Florez,  Senator Flores writes, "More importantly, I believe the proposed location makes a mockery of the long-held understanding that Indian gaming was to remain on "Indian lands" as implied in Proposition 1A."
  • Problems found in software of slots
    4/11/2008, San Diego Union Tribune
    SACRAMENTO - California's first inspection of slot machines at Indian casinos has found widespread software lapses that could be short-changing tribes, the state and millions of gamblers, the state's gambling commission warns in a new report. State inspectors approved just 60 percent of the slots that were examined last year at seven casinos, which included some of the most successful and sophisticated in the nation. But tribal representatives and commission staff members disagreed sharply about the severity of the software shortcomings flagged in nearly 500 machines examined at the casinos, including those operated by the Pala, Pauma and Viejas tribes of San Diego County.

  • El Dorado House mixed up in tribal-sovereignty suit
    4/11/2008, The Loomis News
    Tribal sovereignty and alleged shoddy construction at an El Dorado Hills house make strange bedfellows in a legal case that could reach the U.S. Supreme Court. When Rita Carns hired J & L Construction to build at 216 Knapp Ct., the firm was in no way connected to a Humboldt County American Indian band living on the Blue Lake Rancheria. But it is now, and her attorneys argue the tribe is liable for damage from water intrusion to Carns' house.

  • Legislation would allow bigger bingo games, bigger prizes
    4/11/2008, Press Democrat
    Opposition also has come from the gambling watchdog group Stand Up For California. Its director, Cheryl Schmit, last week wrote Cedillo that allowing salaried employees for bingo games could result in "the skimming or laundering of money."

  • High-stakes bingo draws fire, ire
    4/10/2008, Press Democrat
    Church bingo nights potentially could offer high-stakes prizes under legislation that is drawing fire from Indian gaming groups and those concerned about the state's expanding gambling practices. The Catholic Church and other charities are backing the legislation that would allow players in multiple locations to join the same bingo game through an audio or video link. Larger numbers of players would make for larger prizes, up to 37 percent of a game's gross receipts. California now limits prizes to $250 per game.

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    Upcoming Hearings

    Public Comment Deadline: Off Reservation Proposal -of the Enterpise Rancheria proposed fee to trust land acquisition 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:  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

    International Masters of Gaming Law Conference, May 21-23, 2008. Villagio Inn & Spa, Napa Valley, California. Register online: www.imglconference.com/conference.htm
     

    North American Regulators Association

    June 10-13, 2008  Register on Line:  www.nagra.org
     

    22nd National Conference on Problem Gambling

    , June 26-28, 2008,     Long Beach, California.  Register online:         www.ncpgambling.org/conference
     
    INDIAN COUNTRY'S WINNING HAND, October 16-17, 2008, Radisson Fort McDowell Resort & Casino Scottsdale/Fountian Hills, Arizona. Register online: www.law.asu.edu/ilp
     
     

    LINKS and Legislation

    archive

    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 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.