Four Wisconsin tribes seeking off-reservation casino will fall under current rules due to a "grandfather" clause in legislation approved by the Senate Indian Affairs Committee on Wednesday.

The committee approved a substitute to S.2078, the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act Amendments. It gives tribes until April 15 to file land-into-trust applications under current laws. But Sen. John McCain, the bil's sponsor, said he would change the date to March 29 if he sees a "flood" of tribes seeking off-reservation casinos.

The four tribes in Wisconsin are safe either way. The Menominee Nation, the Bad River and St. Croix Chippewa bands and the Lac du Flambeau Chippewa Band have already filed applications under the two-part determination process of the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act. The Menominee proposal faces extreme opposition from the Forest County Potawatomi Tribe, the owners of a non-reservation casino.

The bill approved yesterday eliminates the two-part process and tightens the requirements for newly recognized and restored tribes. Oklahoma tribes would not be affected.

If the bill is not passed, the "grandfather" clause won't have an effect.

Get the Story:
Casino plan may be buoyed by Senate panel move (The Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel 3/30)
Legislation would curb off-land casinos (AP 3/30)
INDIAN GAMING: Panel limits tribal casinos to reservations (Stephens Washington Bureau 3/30)
Provision would require tribes to report gambling revenue to members (The Palm Springs Desert Sun 3/30)
Indian casino crackdown gets OK (The Columbian 3/30)