Wisconsin’s state legislature will be required to approve tribal gaming compacts negotiated by the governor under a new bill passed Friday and sent to Gov. Jim Doyle.
The Republican-led legislature rushed itself an extraordinary session Thursday only to postpone a vote on the measure until Friday.
The measure was approved on a voice vote in the senate and passed onto the assembly where it passed on a 58-31 vote. Rep. Amy Sue Vruwink, D-Milladore, and Rep. Bob Ziegelbaure, D-Manitowoc, were the only two Democrats to vote against the measure.
In his budget presentation last week, Doyle said the new compacts being negotiated would bring the state as much as $286 million from tribal gaming in the next two years. Doyle also said the new compacts would bring in 20,000 new jobs and economic investment.
Republicans rushed to introduce the bill after hearing reports Doyle was negotiating an agreement with the Onedia tribe that would permanently change certain gaming regulations, such as lower restrictions on gambling age.
“The assertion that the compacts last forever with no ability to change them is simply wrong,” Doyle said. “Every five years, we can revisit the regulations and in 25 years amend any aspect of the compact.”
Doyle said some of the contracts allow for changes to be made if revenue from the agreements rises or falls significantly and that many concerns raised about the compacts were untrue.
“The compacts do not allow for additional off-site casinos nor do they lower the age limit for betting,” Doyle said. “They do, however, provide for a limited increase in the types of games and some flexibility in the hours of operation.”
The question of whether or not legislature should have a say in tribal compacts has been a partisan issue in recent years. Doyle said the same Republicans voting for the legislative approval voted against the same issue in 1997 and that former Republican governor Tommy Thompson vetoed similar legislation in 1999. Conversely, Republicans have cited newspaper articles and interviews in which Doyle supported the legislative control.
“As attorney general, Gov. Doyle had called for legislative approval of compacts,” said Sen. Tom Reynolds, R-West Allis. “It is hypocritical for him to think he knows better now that he’s the governor.”
Donald Kettl, professor of political science at the University of Wisconsin, said the budget plan presents a situation in which Doyle and the legislature obviously would like to deal with in a nonpartisan manner.
“The Republicans are unhappy about the high level of support for Doyle by tribes now negotiating gaming compacts during the campaign,” Kettl said.
Kettl said the extraordinary session of legislature was highly unusual and had only happened “a handful of times” in state history.
Kettl said the Republicans were meddling with this point of Doyle’s budget plan for partisan reasons, but rather that they had genuine concerns about the nature of the deal Doyle was working out.
“Nobody wants to let this slip through their fingers,” Kettl said. “This is a huge problem. There’s so much money at stake, and nobody wants to leave this on the table.”
Kettl said while the Republicans motivation hadn’t been partisan, the issue took on political importance.
“The Republicans are in charge of the legislature and are very nervous about the Democrats getting the upper hand,” Kettl said.
Kettl said the Thompson administration negotiated similar compacts without much legislative notice, but that it was a little unusual for the governor to still have the sole bargaining responsibility.
“The governor, should not have the power to strike deals in secret that turn Wisconsin into Las Vegas,” Reynolds said.