Border Lines

When it’s not about gaming, the votes get interesting

SACRAMENTO, Calif., Oct. 21 /PRNewswire/ — The California Tribal Business Alliance released its second “Legislative Scorecard on Tribal Issues” today showing a mixed record among legislators during the 2007-2008 session on issues that do not relate to gaming or tribal casinos.

The CTBA tracked five bills dealing with California Native American curriculum, joint powers agreements between tribes and local governments, economic development assistance to non-gaming tribes, and protection of cultural resources.

Three senators and seven Assembly members — all Republicans — opposed all of the bills; 12 senators and 41 Assembly members had perfect scores. The Alliance singled out Senator Abel Maldonado, the only Republican in either house with a perfect score. Of the three tracked bills that reached the governor’s desk, all were vetoed.

“While there was plenty of media coverage of legislation related to tribal gaming in the 2007-2008 legislative session, scant attention was paid to the five bills that CTBA tracked,” said CTBA Executive Director Alison Harvey.

“The bills we tracked were largely under the radar, but they reflect significant issues to tribes — such as respect for tribal governments and understanding of the continued significance of cultural preservation to Indian people of California,” said David Quintana, the Alliance’s political director. “The governor’s vetoes continue his pattern of opposing bills sought by tribal governments that do not provide funds to the state from tribal gaming enterprises.”

The five bills are:

SB 826 (Padilla) — Provided for the University of California to award competitive grants or contracts for the development of instructional resources on California Native American history, culture, and tribal sovereignty for use in kindergarten through twelfth grade. (Vetoed)

AB 2034 (Nunez) — Encourages the State Board of Education to adopt instructional materials emphasizing California Native Americans, including sovereignty and tribal governments and their relationship with California state government. (Vetoed)

AB 1032 (Wolk) — Implements the Administration’s agreement with the Karuk Tribe to settle the tribe’s lawsuit against the Department of Fish and Game over damage to the endangered Coho salmon population in the tribe’s ancestral rivers — the Klamath, the Scott, and the Salmon — from instream suction gold dredge mining. (Vetoed)

AB 847 (Berg) — Authorizes the Yurok Indian Tribe to enter into a joint powers agreement with relevant state and federal public agencies to preserve and restore fisheries in the Klamath River Basin. (Passed Assembly; not voted on in Senate)

SB 1200 (Ducheny) — Boosts the opportunities for non-gaming California Indian tribes to establish a firm economic base by creating a revolving loan fund to finance non-gaming enterprises and by providing expert business advice. (Passed Senate; not voted on in Assembly)

The Alliance’s 2005-2006 “Legislative Scorecard on Tribal Issues” revealed that 33 members of the Assembly had perfect scores; 11 members of the Senate had a perfect score.

Both full vote charts may be accessed on the CTBA web site — http://www.caltba.org/ under Resources and Documents, Press Releases and Statements.

Members of the Alliance are the Lytton Band of Pomo Indians, the Pala Band of Mission Indians, the Paskenta Band of Nomlaki Indians, the Pauma Band of Luiseno Mission Indians, the United Auburn Indian Community and the Viejas Band of Kumeyaay Indians. CTBA has taken leadership roles in addressing problem gambling; protecting Native American cultural resources; and a number of legislative and regulatory issues on the federal, state and local level.

Source: California Tribal Business Alliance

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