An online poker bill has finally emerged from committee in California. Last week the Assembly Governmental Organization Committee unanimously voted to advance AB 431 and begin the process of bringing the bill to a vote in the state legislature.

This historic vote was taken during a committee meeting about online poker on April 27. AB 431 is one of three bills filed in California in 2015 and is the only one that has been able to clear this important hurdle.

Key Elements Still Need to Be Crafted

While the bill has emerged from committee it’s still a long way from being presentable for a vote. Right now it’s merely a shell bill lacking any real details regarding legislation.

For example, the bill fails to define which entities will be able to participate in online poker. This means that a bad actor clause could still be inserted at some point -- an issue that has stalled legislation for years.

The bill also fails to address simple matters such as licensing fees, tax rates, etc. Over the next few weeks Assemblyman Adam Gray, who initialized the bill, and others will hammer out the language before further discussion in future hearings.

No Opposition to Bill - For Now

Surprisingly, none of the major stakeholders filed an objection to AB 431. The two major opponents to this bill, the Pechanga and the Agua Caliente tribes, decided to change their stances to “neutral” on this bill. The Pechanga have reaffirmed their past position in recent weeks, stating that they will not support a bill that allows either PokerStars or the horse racing industry to participate in online poker in California.

Should lawmakers find a way to address both these issues then this could be the bill that finally brings Indian tribes in the state to a consensus. Unfortunately, it’s hard to see a bill moving forward that excludes both PokerStars and the horse racing industry.

Bill to Be Filled Out in Coming Weeks

During last week's hearing lawmakers noted that specifics on AB 431 would likely come during future hearings regarding online poker. Three future hearings regarding online poker are planned. General details on those hearings are as follows:

  • 5/20/2015 - Joint Assembly / Senate GO Hearing - "Overview of Gambling in California - Legality, Authorization and Regulation"
  • 6/24/2015 - Joint Assembly / Senate GO Hearing - “The Legality of Internet Poker–How Prepared is California to Regulate It?”
  • 7/8/2015 - Assembly GO Hearing - Hearing to discuss AB 9 and AB 167

The focus on these hearings could change in the upcoming weeks as specifics are negotiated for AB 431. The July hearing will likely prove the most important and could decide the direction for the state in 2015.