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.

Citizens groups want Gov. Schwarzenegger to look into Soboba casino dispute8/15/2008, The Press-Enterprise
A couple of citizens groups asked Gov. Schwarzenegger on Friday to investigate whether the Soboba Band of Luiseņo Indians is in violation of its state gambling agreement. The organizations said recent criminal activity on the reservation has placed gamblers, law enforcement and the community in danger. The groups said that activity puts the tribe in violation of its state gambling agreement -- known as a compact. Stand Up for California!, a statewide gambling watchdog group, and a San Jacinto-area citizens group called Save Our Communities sent the letter in response to a series of recent violent events involving tribal members, including two police shootings that left three tribal members dead. "Whether or not the recent gun battles have taken place in the casino itself does not dismiss the responsibility of the state to act to protect the public," they wrote.
 
Citizens cite Soboba breach of compact8/15/2008, Inland News Today SAN JACINTO--The citizens group 'Stand Up for California' has joined in a call for the closure of the Soboba Casino because of recent violence on the Indian Reservation. Riverside County Sheriff Stan Sniff initially asked for the casino's closure saying his deputies could not guarantee the public's safety. A pair of shootouts near the casino between deputies and three tribal members last spring proved fatal to all three. The citizens group pointed out in a letter to Governor Schwarzenegger that the tribe may have breached its gaming compact by not ensuring the safety of the public. 
 
Public Law 280 crux of debate
8/15/2008, The Valley Chronicle
Disagreement over the implications of Public Law 280 on the Soboba Indian Reservation can be solved easily, a UCLA law professor told a gathering of tribes at the Soboba Country Club clubhouse last week. Retrocession is the answer, Carole Goldberg told the audience, an end to Public Law 280, which she and other speakers said has not only provided little protection for reservations in the Western states in which it applies, but has been the vehicle for police abuse of power. 
 
Court sides with Colusa gaming tribe
8/15/2008, Appeal-Democrat
A federal appeals court has allowed the tribe that owns the Colusa Casino Resort to continue its battle with California for more slot machines. The 9th Circuit's three-judge panel in Pasadena ruled last week the Cachil Dehe Band of Wintun Indians does not need backing from other Native American tribes to press its demand for hundreds of new slot-machine licenses. The tribe operates 864 slots at its casino and hotel north of Colusa. The case will return to U.S. District Court in Sacramento. George Forman, a San Francisco lawyer for the Cachil Dehe, said the court could rehear the case within three months.  

 
For Immediate Release: The Pala Raceway, a 240 acre ORV circuit of 12 sand tracks soon to be located in the pristine Pala/Pauma river valley in northern San Diego County is just below Mt. Palomar and a few feet from the San Luis Rey River, the largest underground river in Southern California. It will also be directly located over the underground Magee creek which was altered years ago by a mining operation. This racetrack could have huge impacts on the San Luis Rey river watershed and water and air quality for many in the closed valley of Pauma. Other Indian reservations will be effected as will migrant workers in the groves and fields throughout the valley. The Pauma Valley County Club, which has many elderly members, will also be directly effected from the particulate matter. There is discussiuon within the tribe (band) currently. A letter was sent by the Pala/Pauma Research Committee on August 8th to zip code 92059 explaining health and other hazards from ORV activity. It included a particulate mask and ear plugs with an addendum of documentation as to it's information. Sources now say that the Pala Raceway will not start in early November, 2008, but will possibly start in June of 2010! We must always believe in the power of the pen..., or direct conversation. Tom BondChair, ORV SubcommitteeSanta Margarita GroupSan Gorgonio ChapterSierra Club
date: 8/15/2008 760-742-2421




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LINKS and Legislation

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State Legislation to Watch

 
NOTE: There will be significant activity in the next two weeks.  This section will be updated. 

AJR 39 -  Assembly Member Huffman

Reaffirmation of the Winneman Wintu.  Enrolled

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