S-0649.1  _______________________________________________

                    SENATE JOINT MEMORIAL 8004

          _______________________________________________

State of Washington      54th Legislature     1995 Regular Session

By Senator Heavey

Read first time 01/16/95.  Referred to Committee on Labor, Commerce & Trade.

Requesting Congress to direct rejection of Puyallup tribe gaming requests without tribal-state compacts.

    TO THE HONORABLE BILL CLINTON, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES, AND TO THE PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE AND THE SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, AND TO THE SENATE AND HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE UNITED STATES, IN CONGRESS ASSEMBLED, AND TO THE NATIONAL INDIAN GAMING COMMISSION:

    We, your Memorialists, the Senate and House of Representatives of the State of Washington, in legislative session assembled, respectfully represent and petition as follows:

    WHEREAS, The Indian Gaming Regulatory Act of 1988 was passed by Congress to protect tribal and state interests as they pertain to gambling; and

    WHEREAS, The primary intent of Congress was to allow for tribal economic development and self-sufficiency consistent with the state's public policy as it pertains to gambling; and

    WHEREAS, Under the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act, the conduct of class III gaming within the state's boundaries is subject to the completion of a tribal-state compact; and

    WHEREAS, The Indian Gaming Regulatory Act does allow certain tribes to operate specific class III card games without the completion of a tribal-state compact if the tribes were operating these gaming activities on or before May 1, 1988; and

    WHEREAS, The Puyallup Indian Tribe has requested the National Indian Gaming Commission to allow the tribe to operate class III card games without the benefit of a tribal-state compact despite the fact that the tribe was not operating these card games on or before May 1, 1988; and

    WHEREAS, The Puyallup tribe is clearly attempting to circumvent the legitimate tribal-state negotiation process established by the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act; and

    WHEREAS, The approval by the National Indian Gaming Commission of such requests would clearly damage the current state negotiation process and regulatory structure developed under current compacts;

    NOW, THEREFORE, Your Memorialists respectfully request that the Congress of the United States direct the National Indian Gaming Commission to reject the Puyallup Indian Tribe's request to operate card games without the benefit of a tribal-state compact and require the Puyallup tribe to proceed with the legitimate negotiation process with the state of Washington that has been established by the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act in order to be allowed to operate any class III gaming activities.

    BE IT RESOLVED, That copies of this Memorial be immediately transmitted to the Honorable Bill Clinton, President of the United States, the President of the United States Senate, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, and each member of Congress from the State of Washington, and the National Indian Gaming Commission.

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