NIGC Will Hold Regulatory Review Consultation in Suquamish, Washington

For Immediate Release    
Contact: NIGC
(202) 632-7003

NIGC Will Hold Regulatory Review Consultation in Suquamish, Washington

Washington, DC November 8, 2011 — The National Indian Gaming Commission (NIGC/Commission) will hold a consultation on December 5, 2011 at the Clearwater Casino Resort in Suquamish, Washington. This consultation session is an opportunity for Tribal leaders to provide the Commission with substantive input during the regulatory review process.

The Commission organized its review into five regulation groups. Each will proceed separately through three phases: 1) an initial phase when a preliminary draft regulation may be prepared; 2) thereafter the Commission may decide to move forward with publication of a proposed rule, if any, with an approximately sixty-day comment period; and 3) a final phase during which the Commission may decide to promulgate a final rule. Where necessary, a regulation may proceed through the regulatory review process independently from the other regulations in a particular group.

Consistent with its commitment to transparency, the Commission will continue to consult with tribal governments throughout the regulatory review process. All information related to this review process can be found on our website at  www.nigc.gov then click on the Tribal Consultation on the left side of the website.

The consultation scheduled for December 5, 2011 in Suquamish, Washington will cover Groups One, Two, Four and Five regulations.

Group One includes:

•    A Buy Indian Act regulation;
•    Part 523 – Review and Approval of Existing Ordinances or Regulations;
•    Part 514 – Fees;
•    Part 559 – Facility License Notifications, Renewals, and Submissions; and
•    Part 542 – Minimum Internal Control Standards for Class III Gaming.

Group Two includes:

•    Part 573 – Enforcement; and regulations concerning proceedings before the Commission, including:
•    Parts 519 – Service;
•    Part 524 – Appeals;
•    Part 539 – Appeals; and
•    Part 577 – Appeals Before the Commission.

Group Four includes:
•    Part  556  –  Background  Investigations  for  Primary  Management Officials and Key Employees (including “Pilot Program”);
•    Part  558  –  Gaming  Licenses  for  Key  Employees  and  Primary Management Officials;
•    Part 571 – Monitoring and Investigations;
•    Part 531 – Collateral Agreements;
•    Part 537 – Background Investigations for Persons or Entities with a Financial Interest in, or Having Management Responsibility for a Management Contract; and
•    Part 502 – Definitions.

Group Five includes:
•    Part 518 – Self Regulation of Class II Gaming;
•    A Sole Proprietary Interest regulation; and
•    Part  542  –  Minimum  Internal  Control  Standards  for  Class  III Gaming.

The Commission invites all Tribal leaders and their designees to share their views with the Commission on Groups One, Two, Four and Five regulations during the following scheduled consultation:

Date:    Monday, December 5
Time:    9:00 am to 5:00 pm
Location:    Clearwater Casino Resort
15347 Suquamish Way NE Suquamish, Washington Kitsap Hall

For planning purposes and to accommodate all who want to attend the consultation, please RSVP to Rita Homa, Executive Secretary, at (202) 418-9807 or by e-mail at consultation.rsvp@nigc.gov.

For those Tribal leaders or designees unable to attend this consultation, we invite you to submit written comments by e-mail to reg.review@nigc.gov, or by US Mail to the National Indian Gaming Commission, Attn: Regulatory Review, 1441 L Street, NW, Suite 9100, Washington, DC 20005.

###

The NIGC is an independent regulatory agency established within the Department of the Interior pursuant to the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act of 1988.

Download the PDF here.