Brief ⁽¹⁾

The bill would amend existing law regarding interlocal agreements to allow local units of government to enter into agreements with specified resident Native American tribes. Those tribes are the Iowa, Kickapoo, Potawatomi, and Sac & Fox that have reservations in Kansas. All procedures that currently apply to interlocal agreements would also apply to authorized agreements with Native American tribes. Provisions of the bill could not be utilized to create agreements between those tribes and the state or any agency or instrumentality of the state.

The bill also would establish procedures for state-tribal agreements that address matters other than gaming. Procedures for negotiation and approval of such agreements would be the same as those in existing law for state-tribal gaming compacts. That existing law would be amended by the bill to restrict its applicability to the same four resident tribes in regard to gaming compacts or any other agreements.

Background

The bill is a combination of two bills, SB 607 and HB 2926, introduced by the Joint Committee on State-Tribal Relations after its work during the 1999 Interim. A copy of the Joint Committee's report can be viewed at:

The House Committee amended SB 607 to include the provisions of HB 2926 and to make the provisions applicable exclusively to the four resident Native American tribes in Kansas.

As introduced, SB 607 addressed interlocal agreements only, and HB 2926 addressed agreements with the state. HB 3033, which is identical to the introduced version of SB 607, was introduced by the House Committee on Federal and State Affairs. A hearing was held on that bill on the day the Senate passed SB 607.

A representative of the Indian Nations in Kansas (a coalition of three of the four resident tribes: the Kickapoo, Potawatomi, and Sac & Fox) presented testimony in support of all three bills at their respective hearings before the House and Senate Committees on Federal and State Affairs. No opponents of the bill presented testimony at either hearing.

The fiscal notes prepared by the Division of the Budget for the introduced versions of both SB 607 and HB 2926 state that enactment would not have a fiscal impact.

1. *Supplemental notes are prepared by the Legislative Research Department and do not express legislative intent. The supplemental note and fiscal note for this bill may be accessed on the Internet at http://www.ink.org/public/legislative/bill_search.html