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.

BREAKING NEWS

***NIGC Sets Aside Class II Classification, Definition Regulations***
6/5/2008, NIGC Press Release
Oklahoma City, OK June 5, 2008 -National Indian Gaming Commission (NIGC) Chairman Philip N. Hogen announced today that NIGC is putting aside what have become the more controversial portions of the four-part package of Class II gaming regulations proposed October 2007. Speaking at the Oklahoma Sovereignty Symposium in Oklahoma City, Hogen explained that the package was intended to draw a "bright line" between equipment tribes may use for uncompacted "Class II" gaming, such as bingo, and equipment used for "Class III" gaming, such as slot machines, which requires Tribal compacts with States. The NIGC, Hogen said, will now consider only Technical Standards and Minimum Internal Control Standards for Class II gaming and will put aside the controversial proposals that would create a system for game classification as well as modify the definition of "facsimiles of any game of chance."

GROWING METH PROBLEM
 
Colusa Casino-Mid-Valley meth mania
6/4/2008, Appeal Democrat
A probe into alleged methamphetamine sales outside Colusa Casino Resort has led to 12 arrests, county drug authorities said Wednesday. The suspects are residents of Sutter, Colusa, Butte and Yolo counties, according to the Colusa County Narcotics Enforcement Team. The arrests took place between May 29 and Tuesday, the agency said. Nine suspects were arrested on suspicion of selling or conspiring to sell meth, two for investigation of drug possession, and one for violating parole.  
  • Charities ask federal court to stop Brown's e-bingo seizure
    6/3/2008, LegalNewsline.com
    SACRAMENTO, Calif. (Legal Newsline)--Two Sacramento-based charities that rely on video bingo for a large chunk of their funding are asking a federal court to halt California Attorney General Jerry Brown's plans to confiscate those machines.

  • Bingo charities challenge state crackdown
    6/3/2008, Contra Costa Times
    Two charities and a leading maker of electronic bingo games in California have asked a federal judge to halt a state crackdown that would strip dozens of charities of the lucrative machines. Agents with the state Department of Justice last month issued 30-day cease-and-desist letters to 15 bingo halls across the state, including Gilman Street Bingo in North Berkeley, threatening seizure of as many as 400 machines that it found to be illegal. For some the clock tolls Friday.
  • FPPC bars District 5's Oneto from voting on Plymouth casino issues
    6/3/2008, Ledger Dispatch
    District 5 Supervisor Brian Oneto is prohibited from voting on issues related to the Ione Band of Miwoks' efforts to take land into trust for the proposed casino in the Plymouth area, according to a May 22 release sent to the county board of supervisors.

  • The drought is over: EID assures casino water
    6/4/2008, The Telegraph
    Years of resistance are over by El Dorado Irrigation District to supplying water to an American Indian casino near Shingle Springs. District board members May 28 approved the signing of a memorandum of understanding with the Shingle Springs Band of Miwok Indians. EID will sell water to supply Red Hawk Casino, now under construction near Greenstone Road east of Shingle Springs.

    Transportation earmarks linked to Abramoff clients6/4/2008, The Hill - Washington, D.C.
    That lobbyist is Kevin Ring, Doolittle's former legislative director who invoked the Fifth Amendment in Sen. John McCain's (R-Ariz.) Indian Affairs Committee investigation in 2005, according to a lawyer familiar with the investigation. Ring resigned from Greenberg Traurig the same day the FBI raided Doolittle's home in April 2007. Albaugh spent eight years as an aide to Istook, who left Congress to run for governor of Oklahoma in 2006. Istook lost the gubernatorial bid and is now a fellow at the Heritage Foundation. A spokesman for the Foundation said he would pass The Hill's request for comment to Istook, who was involved in a family baptism Tuesday. Istook did not return calls seeking comment.


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    Upcoming Hearings

    Comments Due: Off Reservation  228.04 acre trust acquisition and construction of casino project to be located within the City of Plymouth in Amador County, California.Mail comments to Amy Dutschke, acting Regional Director, Pacific Regional Office, BIA, 2800 Cottage Way, Sacramento, CA. 92825. Written comments will be accepted through July 2, 2008,
     

    Upcoming Conference

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

     
    NCLGS - National Council of Legislators from Gaming States
    Summer Meeting - June 13 -15, 2008 Napa Valley Marriott Hotel and Spa Napa, California. www.nclgs.org  sign up online.
    Presentations will include: bingo and charitable gaming, lottery, off reservation gaming 
     

    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

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    State Legislation to Watch

    AJR 39 -  Assembly Member Huffman

    Reaffirmation of the Winneman Wintu.  

    AB 1924 - Assembly Member Jeffries Changes the amount of charitable BINGO  funds that may be used for overhead and other operational expenses. Bill has been pulled.

    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.

    SB 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. Veto Bait.
    SB 1328 - Sen.  Cedillo - deletes the $250 limitation on bingo game payouts, thereby allows for an award of any denomination. BILL HAS BEEN PULLED
    SB - 1570 - Sen. Vincent - Requires the Governor to use best efforts to ensure 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 -Game of Bingo to be played by machine with electronic cards.  Slot machines?    BILL HAS BEEN PULLED                                                                                             SB 1679 - Sen. Florez - Lottery Reform Bill:  requiresthat 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 - Prohibits the Governor from negotiating or concluding a gaming compact with a tribe that does not have land held in trust on which the gaming is to occur and that is not federally recognized. Bill passes the Senate.
    SCA 20 -Sen.  Vincent - Constitutional Amendment authorizes Roulette and Craps on California Indian lands for compact tribes.

     

    Federal Legislation to Watch 

    H. R. 2963 - Congressman Issa Transfers without regulatory environmental process 1,178 ac. in Riverside and San Diego Counties to the Pechanga Band.  Why?
    H.R. 3490 - Congressman Radanovich
    Declares that specificed federal lands are to be held in trust by the US for the benefit of the Tuolumne Band of Me-Wuik Indians  for non gaming purposes.
    H.R. 5608 Congressman Rahall - mandates that adminstration directly consults with tribes on policies that directly affect their lives.
    H. R. 5680 Congressman Grijalva - A bill to extend leases for Morongo and transfer money to CRIT.
    S. 2676 - Senator Vitter - Common Sense Indian Gambling Reform Act of 2008. To make technical corrections to IGRA. Consultation with local government.
     

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