For Immediate Release
Contact: Shawn Pensoneau
(202) 632-7003
NIGC Announces Speakers for Upcoming Public Session
Washington DC, September 14, 2006 — As announced on August 3, 2006, the National Indian Gaming Commission (NIGC) will hold a public hearing session to continue its efforts to clearly distinguish technologically-aided Class II games from Class III “electronic or electromechanical facsimiles of any game of chance” or “slot machines” of any kind as required by the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act (IGRA). This public session will be held at 10:00 am, Tuesday September 19, 2006, at the Department of the Interior Main Auditorium, 1849 C Street Northwest, Washington, DC.
The NIGC has worked with National Tribal gaming groups including the National Indian Gaming Association, industry executives and state and local government officials to determine the makeup of each of the panels. Each of the individuals selected for the panels were chosen for their expertise in the related panel discussion.
Each of the panelists will have 5 minutes to provide testimony before the NIGC. After each panel 20 minutes will be provided for questions from the public. Additionally, one hour of questions and answers will take place following the final panel. As previous meetings, this hearing will be transcribed and video taped and will become an official part of the record.
An agenda and other information regarding the hearing are available on our website at www.nigc.gov
Panels will be as follows:
Panel One – Tribal Leaders
Bill Anoatubby, Governor of the Chickasaw Nation of Oklahoma
Stanley G. Jones, Chairman Tulalip Tribe of Washington
Bruce Sunchild Sr., Vice Chairman of Chippewa Cree Tribe of Montana
Margie Mejia, Chairperson, Lytton Band of Pomo Idians of California
Ray Halbritter, Nation Representative Oneida Nation on New York
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Panel Two – Government and Testing Labs
Tom Gede, Executive Director, Conference of Western Attorneys General
Sharon Reese, Deputy Director of the Washington State Gaming Commission
Nick Farley, President, Nick Farely and Associates
Drew Pawlak, Vice President, BMM Testlabs
Panel Three – Attorneys
Scott Crowell, Crowell Law Office
Elizabeth Homer, Homer Law Offices
Joe Webster, Hobbs, Strauss, Dean & Walker LLP
Judy Shapiro, Shapiro Law Office
Panel Four – Manufacturers
Knute Knudson, International Game Technology
Mark Lerner, Bally/SDG
Clifton Lind, Multi-Media Games
Ron Harris, Rocket Gaming Systems
Eric Casey, Planet Bingo
Panel Five – Economic Impact
Buford Rolin, Chairman, Porch Band of Creek Indians of Alabama
Michael Marchand, Business Council Chair, Confederated Tribes of the Coleville Reservation in Washington
Ernie Stevens, Chairman of the National Indian Gaming Association
Alan Meister, Analysis Group of Los Angeles, NIGC Witness
Panel Six – Tribal Representatives
Paul Spicer, Chief, Seneca-Cayuga Nation of Oklahoma
Jim Ransom, Chief, St. Regis Mohawk Nation of New York
Rogelio Elizondo, Apichicuea, Treasurer of the Traditional Kickapoo Tribe of Texas
Erma Vizenor, Chairwoman, White Earth Band of Chippewa Indians
Chales Lombardo, Senior Vice President of Gaming Operations for the Seminole Tribe
Mark Macarro, Chairman, Pechanga Band of Luiseno Indians
The NIGC will distribute press packets at the public hearing that will include background information on each NIGC panelist and further information on the public hearing process.
To view notices, comments received from Tribes and others, statements and other important documents related to Class II game classification standards, please visit our website at www.nigc.gov
The NIGC is an independent regulatory agency established within the Department of the Interior pursuant to the Indian Gaming regulatory Act of 1988.
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