With two weeks left in the legislative session, a California bill providing Indian tribes standing to sue cardrooms over the way they offer banked games such as blackjack is being primed for possible passage.
The Assembly Appropriations Committee advanced the Tribal Nations Access to Justice Act on Thursday with a 14-0 vote.
The late committee action for SB549, which also moved through the Governmental Organization (GO) Committee last month by a 14-1 vote, seems to indicate plans for a floor vote, at least in the Assembly.
Tuari Bigknife, attorney general for the Viejas Band of Kumeyaay Indians, which has led the charge for the bill, hopes for Assembly passage next week.
