Opinion ID: 1198139
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: The state's obligation to negotiate under IGRA

Text: We see nothing in IGRA that prevents the people of Arizona from adopting a policy that when and if a governor's negotiations fail, the state should, if requested, give the five Indian tribes that have no compact an agreement exactly like those the Governor gave the first compacting tribes. It is possible, of course, that the people may have made the wrong policy decision. If so, it is not our job to choose a different policy but only to recognize and apply the law the people passed. The text of that law is absolutely clear. Leaving in effect § 5-601, which instructs and empowers the governor to negotiate, § 5-601.01 instructs the governor to give a non-compacting tribe the standard agreement adopted in previous negotiations. We do not believe the requirement that the five non-compacting tribes be given at least the same agreement given other tribes offends the text or spirit of IGRA and is thus impliedly preempted. Quite the opposite is true. IGRA requires only that the state negotiate in good faith with the tribe to enter into a compact. The initiative measure satisfies that requirement by offering the tribes without compacts the same agreement given all other tribes, plus or minus anything agreed upon in negotiations. We do not believe this procedure offends the requirement that the state enter into good faith negotiations. The Governor, we believe, fails to consider the fact that states have no right of control over the use of Indian lands. Absent IGRA, tribes were free to use their land for any purpose not prohibited by federal law and permitted by tribal law. IGRA, in fact, requires a tribe to relinquish tribal sovereignty by requiring it to negotiate and compact with the state and thus agree to something less than complete freedom in the use of its land with respect to gaming activities. See 134 Cong. Rec. S12,649. Proposition 201 gave the five tribes more freedom of land use than the Governor thought proper. But in our judgment, had the people of this state desired to instruct the Governor to go even furtherto put no restrictions on gaming on Indian lands, for instancethey could have done so without violating IGRA. Section 2710(d)(7) of IGRA is meant to give Indian tribes a mechanism through which to force a reluctant state government to the bargaining table and require it to negotiate a compact in good faith.... Wisconsin Winnebago Nation v. Thompson, 22 F.3d 719, 724 (7th Cir.1994). Nothing in IGRA prevents a state from deciding that the state-tribal compact may permit the tribe to select casino location. The district judge in Winnebago found that location is a legitimate subject of negotiation. Wisconsin Winnebago Nation v. Thompson, 824 F.Supp. 167, 171 (W.D.Wis.1993), aff'd, 22 F.3d 719. The judge held only that a tribe cannot impose its right of site selection on an unwilling state government. He did not holdnor could he, we believethat the state could not agree to allow a tribe to select location. [3] It is true that the Governor was not willing to let the Tribe choose location. But governor is not a synonym for state. Absent a constitutional provision, a governor has no authority to decide the terms of a compact other than the power given by the Legislature or the people. Federal law does not confer on a governor any greater power than that given by the state constitution. As explained in the next section, under the Arizona Constitution legislation adopted by initiative limits the governor's powers. We therefore find no federal preemption.