The Papan Cardroom Bill

AB 158 (Papan) was sponsored by one group of gambling interests to close the casino of a competitor...Lucky Chances Club.  The legislation had easily passed the Assembly and was flying through the Senate without any negative publicity or effective opposition when we were brought in to help stop the bill.  We helped hold the bill for 63 days in the Senate Appropriations Committee under a significant barrage of news coverage focusing on the special interest nature of the legislation.  The measure was drastically re-written in the Senate Appropriations Committee.  The amendments left only one paragraph in the bill and Governor Wilson finally vetoed the amended
down version in response to intense news coverage and editorial comment.  

Articles:
June 24, 1997, The Sacramento Bee, “ Papan leads capitol fight against cardroom in Colma”
June 24, 1997, The Sacramento Bee, “Public face but private causes” Dan Walters
August 26, 1997, The Sacramento Bee, “The new Lou looks like old” Dan Walters
August 28, 1997, The Orange County Register, “Card-room entrepreneur finds rules of the game changing”
September 15, 1997, San Mateo County Times, “Papan’s bill a disgrace:Say no to Colma recall”
September 16, 1997, San Francisco Examiner, “Colma leaders face recall for supporting card club”
September 3, 1997, San Mateo County Times, “Say no to recall of candidates in Colma”
September 13, 1997, San Bruno Herald, “ Senate panel ok’s card room bill”
September 10, 1997, The Sacramento Bee, “Cross-capitol tensions rise” Dan Walters
September 9, 1997, The Sacramento Bee, “Lobbyists push on money bills” Dan Walters
September 1, 1997, San Mateo County Times, “Recall election in Colma is full of lucky chances”
August 18, 1997, San Mateo County Times, “Card room loser pays lobbyists to kill Lucky chances”