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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. | |
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Q&A: Tribal lawyer says there's a united front on California gambling8/11/2008, Sacramento Bee
Howard Dickstein is a tribal lawyer who fought major casino expansions that voters approved for four Southern California tribes. He is sounding an alarm over prospects of an initiative to overturn a state Supreme Court ruling by restoring state lottery Keno games. The Bee talked with him about gambling in California. Gov. Schwarzenegger's office is now adamant it doesn't support overturning the ban on Keno games for the lottery despite the fact the suggestion was made in a draft of the governor's lottery plan. Do you take him at his word, and does a revamped lottery pose concerns for Indian casinos?
Inland casinos send more than $65 million to state8/10/2008, The Press-Enterprise
Three Inland tribes have paid more than $65 million to California as part of their agreements to share slot machine money with the state. The payments reflect a portion of the tribes' slot-machine net revenue for the first few months under their new tribal-state gambling agreements. Each tribe previously was capped at 2,000 slot machines and needed state approval to add more. Gov. Schwarzenegger and the Legislature approved deals with the tribes allowing them to add a combined total of 14,000 slot machines to their casinos this year. In exchange, the tribes promised to share a portion of their profits with the state. Voters approved the deals in February. | |
Actions on Indian gambling termed dishonest 8/10/2008, Tulsa World, Ok WASHINGTON - Just weeks after dropping a controversial Indian gambling proposal, a key federal agency is being accused of using a dishonest backdoor approach that could cost Oklahoma and its tribes $1 billion and thousands of jobs. Moreover, the new effort to address what constitutes a Class II game was triggered by a small Alaska tribe whose leader claims not to know who is paying for its request to the National Indian Gaming Commission. That mysterious factor, the commission's linking the Metlakatla Indian Community's rejected request for authorization of "one-touch" electronic bingo machines to its move to set aside the proposed regulations, and the speed with which the tribe's request was handled have led to the allegations.
Sheriff's officials won't attend Soboba forum on law enforcement 8/9/2008, San Diego Union Tribune SAN JACINTO - Days before a public forum organized by the Soboba Band of Luiseno Indians to discuss a federal law that gives local authorities the power to enforce laws on reservations, sheriff's officials have reiterated their intention not to attend. The meeting, set for Monday at the Soboba Springs golf club, is intended to clarify Public Law 280, passed in 1953 by the federal government.
Appeals court sides with Rincon tribe8/9/2008, San Diego Union Tribune FEDERAL COURT - A federal appeals court agreed with the Rincon Indian band yesterday that a lawsuit against the state over the number of slot machines allotted to the tribe was incorrectly tossed out. The tribe and state officials disagree over how many machines are allowed under compacts negotiated in 1999 with then-Gov. Gray Davis. Those compacts with about 60 tribes said no tribe could have more than 2,000 slot machines and also said there would be a statewide limit on the total number.
Santa Anita could be sold to reduce Magna's debts
8/8/2008, Courier Journal
The founder and chairman of Magna Entertainment Corp., a racetrack operator and business partner of Churchill Downs Inc., suggested this week that major assets such as California's Santa Anita Park -- the home of the Breeders' Cup World Championships for the next two years -- might be sold in an effort to reduce the company's debt. How serious that possibility is, though, wasn't clear when Frank Stronach addressed investors this week in a conference call to discuss Magna's second-quarter results, which saw a loss of $21.25 million compared with a $23.44 million loss during the same period last year.
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HELP
Compulsive Gambling Institute
1-800-GAMBLER 24 Hour Problem Gambling Help Line - Tom Tucker, Chief Executive Officer
Upcoming 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
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. Second Reading
AB 1924 - Assembly Member Jeffries Changes the amount of charitable BINGO funds that may be used for overhead and other operational expenses. Chaptered in Statute
AB 2026 - Assembly Member Levine -
The California Gambling Control in conjunction with the Department of Justice, shall authorize and report its findings to the legislature by June 30, 2009, regarding authorizing interstate Internet Poker. Appropriations Suspense File
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. New amendments -headed in a good direction! 8-7-08
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. In Assembly G.O. held at desk.
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. Failed passage-reconsideration granted.
SB 1328 - Sen. Cedillo - deletes the $250 limitation on bingo game payouts, thereby allows for an award of any denomination. In Senate G. O. Referred to Appropriations
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. In Appropriations Suspense File SB 1626 - Sen. Steinberg -Game of Bingo to be played with electornic cards. -First Hearing
Cancelled. 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. Rereferred to Senate G. O. - Second Hearing.
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. Last Activity March 13, 2008
SCA 25 - Sen. Florez -Will allow the legislature, to adjust annually the percentages for prizes, public education, lottery expenses and problem gambling awareness and treatment programs. Introduced 6-6-08, first reading - referred to Sentate G. O.
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.
S. 3320 - Tribal Law and Order Act
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