Scotts Valley Pomo Tribe Enacts Alcohol Rules

The Scotts Valley Band of Pomo Indians of California has put into effect a liquor control ordinance that regulates the possession, sale, distribution and use of alcohol, including wine and beer, on tribal lands, according to a notice published in the Federal Register on Monday.

The ordinance, which took effect June 1, sets licensing requirements and other rules for alcohol activity within the tribe’s jurisdiction. It is intended to support tribal sovereignty while aligning with applicable federal law, the notice said. The Department of the Interior reviewed and approved the measure under Section 5 of the Act of Aug. 15, 1953, giving the tribe formal authority to enforce its alcohol rules on reservation land.

The publication matters for wineries, beer sellers, distributors and other operators that do business in Indian Country because it establishes a legal framework for compliance on Scotts Valley lands. It also gives tribal officials a tool to oversee alcohol sales and consumption in a way they say is meant to protect the safety and welfare of tribal members and visitors.

The ordinance covers liquor broadly, including wine and beer, and applies to activities on the tribe’s tribal lands. By approving the measure, federal officials confirmed that the tribe may regulate alcohol within its own jurisdiction under the terms of the ordinance.

For businesses that move alcohol through Northern California, the notice adds another layer of local regulation at a time when tribal governments across the country are using their authority to shape licensing, distribution and enforcement on their lands.