Lawmakers might have to decide whether two small Oklahoma tribes should have the right to build casinos outside their traditional boundaries.
Supporters contend that allowing the United Keetoowah Band of Cherokee Indians and the Kialegee Tribal Town to offer gaming in Oklahoma and Logan counties would be an economic boon for their members and Oklahomans. They note that both compact agreements have already received the required approval from the U.S. Department of Interior.
Critics say the Oklahoma Supreme Court invalidated the same compacts and contend that lawmakers cannot legally approve them.
On Wednesday, the Legislature’s 10-member Joint Committee on State-Tribal Relations might wade into the fray. Members plan to hold a rare meeting to consider four intergovernmental agreements, including the two gaming compacts that Gov. Kevin Stitt negotiated in 2020.
