The Sherwood Valley Rancheria of Pomo Indians (Sherwood Valley) has declared its opposition to Assembly Bill 831 (AB 381), making this the third Tribe to do so publicly.
AB 381 has faced setbacks from parties in the state that disagree with the measures in the legislation, which seek to outlaw sweepstakes and social games if it were to pass.
Third Tribe voices opposition to AB 381
We reported that both the Kletsel Dehe Wintun Nation and the Big Lagoon Rancheria were in opposition to Bill 831.
They joined the chorus of criticism spearheaded by the Social Gaming Leadership Alliance (SGLA), making it clear that their position was that the potential change to social games and sweepstakes would have a detrimental impact on the tribes.
“On behalf of the Sherwood Valley Band of Pomo Indians, we respectfully oppose AB 831. This bill lacks the alleged unanimous support among California tribes, has advanced without meaningful consultation of broader tribal interests, and threatens our inherent right to create legitimate revenue streams to support our people.” – Buffey W. Bourassa, Sherwood Valley Band of Pomo Indians Secretary
“The addition of Sherwood Valley Rancheria of Pomo Indians to the growing opposition underscores what we’ve said from the beginning: AB831 is a rushed, flawed bill that lacks broad tribal consensus,” said Jeff Duncan, Executive Director of SGLA in a press release seen by ReadWrite.
Further to this discord, the SGLA has conducted research that highlighted the possible loss of earnings across the state. The data produced by the body indicated that California’s economy would incur a loss of $1 billion per year.
Letters to Chair Caballero
Tribal Chairperson of Big Lagoon Rancheria, Virgil Moorehead, took steps to contact Chair Caballero, the leader of the bill’s progression, penning a letter that outlined the Tribe’s stance.
“AB 831 was advanced in the Senate without the meaningful, government-to-government consultation that is owed to all California tribes under both federal and state policy commitments,” wrote Moorehead.
Sherwood Valley, a key member of the California Nations Indian Gaming Association (CNIGA), added its voice to the conversation. Buffey W. Bourassa, Secretary of the Tribe wrote his own letter to Chair Caballero and the committee presiding over the bill.
Bourassa said they (Sherwood Valley), “respectfully oppose AB 831. This bill lacks the alleged unanimous support among California tribes, has advanced without meaningful consultation of broader tribal interests, and threatens our inherent right to create legitimate revenue streams to support our people.”
It remains to be seen whether these direct letters to Chair Caballero will cause the representative to pause the progress of AB 831, but they do show that the Tribes are asking for serious consideration of their rights before the bill goes any further.
Bourassa concluded his letter saying, “We urge the Committee to reject AB 831 and instead support policy solutions that empower all tribes to diversify economically, address systemic challenges, and chart a path toward sustainable self-governance and prosperity.”
Featured image: Sherwood Valley Rancheria of Pomo Indians
