Turtle Talk

Cross-posted with American Indian Policy Blog.

The Michigan State Senate voted to approve the Tribal-State Gaming Compact between the Match-E-Be-Nash-She-Wish (Gun Lake) Band of Potawatomi Indians and the State of Michigan. The Gun Lake Band reached agreement on this compact with Governor Jennifer Granholm in 2007, and the Michigan House of Representatives approved this agreement by resolution – consistent with its practice of approving gaming compacts by resolution – later that year.

Interestingly, the Senate acted today in a new legislative session, which began on January 14, 2009. The House of Representatives’ approval of this compact occurred in the previous legislative session. Will the Gun Lake Band return to the House of Representatives, which is under the same leadership as in 2007 when it originally approved the compact, for another approval in this legislative session? Or, will the Band make the argument that since both houses of the Legislature have given their approval, the compact is now in effect?

From Gongwer News Service:

Senate Approves Gun Lake Compact
On a voice vote the Senate has approved the state’s compact with the Gun Lake tribe of Pottawatomie Indians, effectively the last state hurdle towards the tribe building and opening a casino.

The Senate approved SR 11 without debate, though opponents outlined their objections afterwards. The chamber, which had held off acting on approving the compact reached with Governor Jennifer Granholm in 2006, acted a few weeks after the U.S. Supreme Court refused to hear an appeal to block the casino.