Wisconsin governor opposes GOP gaming bill

Thursday, September 29, 2005  

Wisconsin Gov. Jim Doyle (D) said he opposes a Republican bill that would require the state Legislature to approve non-reservation casinos. Some tribal leaders also said the bill would cause problems.

Doyle has previously vetoed bills that attempted to limit his authority to negotiate gaming compacts. He says the new bill shouldn't put non-reservation casinos in the hands of 132 different lawmakers.

AB 461 [PDF] passed the GOP-dominated Assembly early Wednesday morning. It requires the Legislature to approve off-reservation land acquisitions under the two-part determination section of the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act.

The bill 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.

Get the Story:
State casino bill seeks increased oversight (The Green Bay Press Gazette 9/29)
Governor likely to veto tribal gaming bill (The Shawano Leader 9/29)