Anti-gaming group fights land-into-trust fix

Legislation
Anti-gaming group fights land-into-trust fix
Tuesday, October 6, 2009

The Rhode Island Statewide Coalition, an anti-gaming group, is opposing legislation to fix the U.S. Supreme Court decision in Carcieri v. Salazar.

The bill allows tribes to obtain land "anywhere" they want, according to the group. “If we allow the Indians around this country to go out anywhere they please and get land into trust, we might as well turn the whole country over to them," the group's chairman told Indian Country Today.

The group has fought efforts by the Narragansett Tribe to legalize a commercial casino. State voters have rejected the tribe's ballot initiatives.

The tribe has not been able to open a casino on its reservation due to a specific prohibition in the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act. The land-into-trust fix does not lift the prohibition.

Get the Story:
‘Carcieri’ and ‘commutability’ fixes on potential collision course (Indian Country Today 10/6)

Land-Into-Trust Bill:
S.1703 | H.R.3697 | | Dorgan Floor Statement

Supreme Court Decision:
Syllabus | Opinion [Thomas] | Concurrence [Breyer] | Dissent [Stevens] | Concurrence/Dissent [Souter]

Supreme Court Documents:
Oral Argument Transcript | Briefs