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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. | |
Critics: Not in our town 8/22/2008, The Valley Chronicle
More opposition to expansion of the Soboba Indian Reservation to accommodate a new casino has arisen. A consortium of residents of three neighborhoods adjacent to the reservation has written to Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger urging him to find the Soboba Band of Luiseņo Indians in violation of its gambling agreement with the state. The letter also asks that, if allegations in the letter are found valid by a state investigation, that the state invoke a clause of the gaming compact between the state and tribe to shut down the Soboba casino. Calling themselves Save Our Communities, residents of the Soboba Springs Mobile Home Park and two other neighborhoods adjacent to the reservation cite recent gunbattles between sheriff's deputies and Soboba members and other criminal activity on the reservation as reasons to find a threat to both law enforcement officers and gamblers exists on the reservation.
San Manuel hotel near opening8/22/2008, San Bernardino Sun HIGHLAND - Construction of the San Manuel Village at Highland Avenue and Highway 330 is wrapping up, with the Hampton Inn and Suites set to open Sept. 10. The four-story, 62,300- square-foot, 110-room hotel and plaza will be a gateway to mountain resorts, aiming to lure throngs of travelers headed to the mountains or those in town on business, said Peter Watts, executive director of planning and development for the San Manuel Band of Mission Indians. Room rates will range from $129 a night to $269 a night for larger suites, said Catrinea Houston, director of sales for Hampton Inn and Suites. | |
SDG&E substation bid angers Jamul residents8/24/2008, San Deigo Union Tribune Are you aware in 2006 that the owners of Simpson's nursery sold SDG&E 3.75 acres on the corner of Proctor Valley Road and Maxfield Road for $1 million? Why? To build a substation in the middle of downtown Jamul. SDG&E wants to install new steel utility poles as replacements for the existing wood utility poles along state Route 94 from Rancho San Diego to Jamul, or bring them up their easement near Steele Canyon High School and through Proctor Valley to the Simpson Nursery Substation.
Editorial: B-I-N-G-O V-E-T-O8/24/2008, The Sacramento Bee Every session of the Legislature offers several examples of some big interest groups ganging up to kick the stuffing out of a smaller interest group. In this session, the premier example centers on the seemingly innocuous game of bingo. The big guys in this instance are the state's Indian tribes and the Catholic Church. They have joined forces to push through a bill that would outlaw electronic bingo machines, and in the process cripple fundraising efforts for an untold number of small charities across California. This lets the tribes and the church hold onto their share of the gambling business. For the tribes, it's their legal monopoly on slot machines; for the church, it's the caller-and-dauber bingo games that are a staple of parish fundraising.
Bingo deal rolling8/23/2008, San Diego Union Tribune -Web Blog SACRAMENTO - A measure that would outlaw bingo machines while authorizing churches, charities and other nonprofits to offer simulcasts of conventional, paper versions of the game looks to be unstoppable after it cleared an Assembly committee Friday with a unanimous vote. The show of support from Democrats and Republicans on the Govermental Organization Committee came after a noisy, two-hour hearing punctuated by protests from a group of charities that warned they will lose millions from bingo machines they have come to depend on. The legislation, SB 1369 by Sen. Gil Cedillo, D-Los Angeles, was quickly set for another committee hearing a couple hours later as backers push to get it approved before lawmakers adjourn for the year.
GAMING: Improving the odds8/23/2008, New York Times
Every gambler gets cold cards now and then. After years of raking in ever-increasing winnings, tribal casinos in California barely managed revenue growth last year and lost some jobs, an industry report said last week. But like confident gamers, they're looking ahead to the next deal. Several gaming resorts in North County plan expansions. That process should pay off for tribes in the long run, a regional economist said. "They've probably got a lot more upside to go," said Marney Cox, chief economist for the San Diego Regional Association of Governments, whose members typically negotiate for a slice of the profits before approving casinos
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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
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
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