SACRAMENTO,
Calif., Oct 21, 2008 /PRNewswire via COMTEX/
-- 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
http://www.caltba.org
