SB 886

This bill requires the Department of Transportation to provide up to $125,000

in transportation aid annually to each county containing the headquarters of an

American Indian tribe or band and a casino operated by the same tribe or band. The

bill also requires DOT to provide up to $125,000 in transportation aid annually to be

divided equally among the municipalities in those counties that contain the

headquarters of the tribe or band or that border the municipality that contains the

headquarters.

Under current law and Indian gaming compacts, Indian tribes make payments

to the state to reimburse the state for costs relating to the regulation of certain

gaming activities. Revenue from tribal gaming is estimated for each fiscal year based

on projected tribal payments to the state. A certain amount of this money is

appropriated to be transferred on an annual basis to several appropriation accounts.

At the end of each fiscal year, unobligated funds from some of the programs that

receive tribal gaming revenues revert to the appropriation account to which Indian

gaming receipts are credited. This bill transfers to DOT the unobligated funds that

were reverted in the prior fiscal year for the purpose of providing the transportation

aid required under the bill. The bill also appropriates to DOT up to $2,500,000 of

tribal gaming revenue that exceeds the estimated revenue for a fiscal year for the

purpose of providing the transportation aid required under the bill.