Update on Senate Bill 1695 – Qualified Land Before Negotiations With Governor

Senate Bill 1695, which would prohibit tribes seeking compacts with the state until they have qualified land to build casinos on, has cleared the Senate Governmental Organization Committee on a 9-1 vote.

The bill, authored by Sen. Dean Florez, is written in broad language but is basically an attempt by Florez to halt negotiations between the governor and North Fork Mono Tribe, which is seeking to build a casino on a site 40 miles from their traditional home. They are awaiting Federal approval for putting that land into trust.

See post: http://rml-sulumhasscientia.blogspot.com/2008/04/sb1695-could-set-major-precedent.html

"It is a message bill for the governor no doubt," said Florez, D-Shafter. "I think he's sending us compacts that he has no business negotiating."

The Governor's Office said they had no position on the legislation.

The bill is supported by several California cardrooms, which face increasing competition from tribal casinos. No one spoke in opposition to the bill.

Florez originally wrote the bill to limit gaming to areas where tribes have "historically maintained" reservations. Florez said he changed the bill because he did not want to open a debate on what is and what is not historical Indian land.
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My opinion is that it really does not make sense for the Governor to negotiate compacts then send them to the State Legislature if the tribe involved doesn’t even have the land to build the casino on.

If the Fed’s ultimately shoot down the tribes request to put the land into trust then all that work is moot and costs you and me and the state money.

Money no one can afford to waste these days.

I hope it passes.

Source:
http://www.fresnobee.com/263/story/529881.html