Regulation

Oklahoma commission to discuss immunity at tribal casinos

Tuesday, February 11, 2014

The Oklahoma ABLE Commission plans to revisit a controversial issue at its February 21 meeting.

The commission wants tribes to waive their sovereign immunity in order to obtain or renew a liquor license. The change comes in light of an Oklahoma Supreme Court decision that said the Peoria Tribe can't be sued for allegedly over-serving a patron at the Buffalo Run Casino.

The proposed change will impact the Cherokee Nation, the largest tribe in the state. The tribe serves liquor at several casinos.

“We believe that the Oklahoma ABLE Commission, in any rule, that they would want to create still would have to comply with the numerous and continuous court cases that have upheld tribal sovereignty in the state of Oklahoma,” Cherokee Nation Attorney General Todd Hembree told The Cherokee Phoenix. “We are protected by sovereign immunity, in our business transactions, in many instances.”

Get the Story:
ABLE Commission looks at tribal immunity rule change (The Cherokee Phoenix 2/11)