Portland Press Herald reports that Rep. Ben Collings introduced the bill intended to keep the tribal gambling proposal on the agenda after the state lawmakers decide on the tribal sovereignty bill expected to be discussed in a few weeks.
The bill proposed by Portland representative, a four-term Democrat and a former tribal consultant, supports the request of Native American tribes in Maine for tribal casino gambling approval, the issue pending in the Portland’s House for decades now.
Collings reportedly said: “Every session, I put in a tribal gaming bill, and it’s up to the tribes to decide what to do with it. Gaming could be very positive for the tribes and the surrounding area, and go a long way toward fixing things for Maine tribes, but sovereignty is the number one priority. Sovereignty first.”
The bill proposed by Portland representative, a four-term Democrat and a former tribal consultant, supports the request of Native American tribes in Maine for tribal casino gambling approval, the issue pending in the Portland’s House for decades now.
Collings reportedly said: “Every session, I put in a tribal gaming bill, and it’s up to the tribes to decide what to do with it. Gaming could be very positive for the tribes and the surrounding area, and go a long way toward fixing things for Maine tribes, but sovereignty is the number one priority. Sovereignty first.”