SENATE RESOLUTION

                         1991-8628

By Senators

     WHEREAS, Federal Law appears to authorize open casinos on reservation lands if state law permits such activity off-reservation and it further appears that the present authorization for "Reno Nights" might force the State Gambling Commission to negotiate on the issue of casinos offering blackjack, roulette, craps and poker; and

     WHEREAS, The legislature is aware that casino type gambling has been a target for infiltration by organized crime with very detrimental impacts on the areas involved and other serious social impacts on our state; and

     WHEREAS, The people of the State of Washington have expressed their collective

concern over the expansion of gambling activities by requiring, in the state Constitution, that any expansion be approved by a supermajority of the legislature or the people; and

     WHEREAS, The Federal Indian Gaming Regulatory Act requires a tribal/state compact for proposed gambling operations to be negotiated between the state and Indian tribes; and

     WHEREAS, Negotiation of such a compact necessarily involves the serious public policy issue of expansion of gambling, possibly in direct conflict with that policy as expressed by the people and the legislature; and

     WHEREAS, It appears that neither state nor federal law grants the Gambling Commission the sole authority to ratify such compacts, especially in view of the constitutional restrictions on gambling expansion;

     NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, That it is the legislative intent of the Senate that the ratification of any gambling compact authorizing an expansion of gambling would require authorization by the legislature.