Okla. gaming compact bill gains final approval

Friday, February 27, 2004  

A bill to legalize certain electronic casino machines for tribes and horsetracks was ready for Gov. Brad Henry's signature on Thursday after the House voted 52-47 in favor, just one vote more needed for passage.

But a revenue-sharing compact for tribes is still far down the road. Since the House rejected an emergency clause, the bill won't take effect until 90 days after the end of the legislative session in May, The Tulsa World reports.

Also, there will be a "trailer" bill, or follow-up, to address concerns raised by Rep. Wayne Pettigrew (R). The measure would add more games at racetracks, set aside $250,000 for gambling addiction prevention and treatment, require tribes to pay their National Indian Gaming Commission fines and redefine which games are allowed in order to expand the field beyond Multimedia Games and Sierra Design Group.

Nevertheless, tribal leaders who supported the bill and Henry (D) declared victory. Large tribes, including the Chickasaw, Choctaw, Cherokee and Seminole nations, lobbied heavily for the bill and would be among the first to sign the compact. The Absentee Shawnee Tribe is expected to be the fourth.

Once the compact is signed, it has to be sent to the Department of Interior for approval. Lawyers there will look at the revenue-sharing rates, which are not abnormally high, and whether they justify tribes giving up their exclusive rights to offer casino games. DOI will also look at a provision that ties gaming to tobacco compacts that also require tribes to share tax proceeds with the state.

Interior has 45 days to review the compact and can do one of three things -- approve it, reject it, or allow it to take effect with no firm answer either way with the caveat that any provision that violates the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act can be stricken without nullifying the whole compact.

Get the Story:
Oklahoma House passes historic gaming/tobacco bill (The Native American Times 2/26)
Gaming bill passage is a major victory for Henry (The Native American Times 2/26)
PDF: House OKs gaming bill (The Tulsa World 2/27)
Supporters display strength in numbers (The Daily Oklahoman 2/27)
Gaming bill passes, sent to governor (The Daily Oklahoman 2/27)
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