A. The joint legislative "committee on compacts" is created. Once established it shall continue to exist until specific action is taken by the legislature to terminate its existence.

B. The committee shall consider the requirements of the federal Indian Gaming Regulatory Act, provisions of existing state law and the best interests of the tribes and the citizens of the state in considering any compact or amendment submitted to it.

C. The committee shall have sixteen members, eight from the house of representatives and eight from the senate. House members shall be appointed annually by the speaker of the house and senate members shall be appointed annually by the committees' committee or, if the senate appointments are made in the interim, by the president pro tempore after consultation with and agreement of a majority of the members of the committees' committee. Members shall be appointed from each house to give the two major political parties in each house equal representation on the committee. The appointing authorities shall consider appointing to the committee a Native American member or a member who represents a district in which Native Americans constitute a significant percentage of the voting age population.

D. The president pro tempore of the senate shall designate a senate member of the committee to be chairman of the committee in odd-numbered years and the vice chairman in even-numbered years. The speaker of the house of representatives shall designate a house member of the committee to be chairman of the committee in even-numbered years and the vice chairman in odd-numbered years.

E. The committee shall meet at the call of the chairman to consider a compact or amendment submitted to it.

F. The committee may meet during legislative sessions as needed.

G. Staff services for the committee shall be provided by the legislative council service.

History: Laws 1999, ch. 252, § 5.

Cross references. — For the federal Indian Gaming Regulatory Act, see 25 U.S.C. § 2701 et seq.