Republican lawmakers in Wisconsin introduced a surprise bill at 1:30am this morning to require tribes to obtain the approval of the Legislature for non-reservation gaming proposals.

The Associated Press reported that Democrats complained that the bill wasn't on the GOP-dominated Assembly's agenda. But it passed anyway by a 59-37 vote.

The bill is AB 461 [PDF]. It only applies to two-part determinations under Section 20 of the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act.

It states:

The governor may not concur with a determination of the U.S. secretary of the interior, under 25 USC 2719 (b) (1) (A), that a gaming establishment proposed to be located on lands acquired by the U.S. secretary of the interior in trust for the benefit of an Indian tribe after October 17, 1988, would be in the best interest of the Indian tribe and its members and would not be detrimental to the surrounding community, unless the legislature first concurs in the determination by joint resolution.

Several tribes in Wisconsin have proposed non-reservation casinos. Three Ojibwe tribes won approval from the Bureau of Indian Affairs for their casino but were rejected by the state governor.

Get the Story:
Assembly bill gives lawmakers say on off-reservation gambling (AP 9/28)