US Federal Senate Bill SB2564

US Federal 2025-2026 Regular Session

• Introduced: 7/31/25
• Refer: 7/31/25

Caption

Tribal Gaming Regulatory Compliance Act

Summary

SB 2564, the Tribal Gaming Regulatory Compliance Act, would amend the Ysleta del Sur Pueblo and Alabama and Coushatta Indian Tribes of Texas Restoration Act to make clear that the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act (IGRA) fully applies to gaming activities on the Indian lands of the Ysleta del Sur Pueblo and the Alabama-Coushatta Tribe. The bill adds a rule of construction stating that the Restoration Act should be interpreted to ensure full applicability of IGRA, and it removes two sections of the Restoration Act that create overlapping or redundant gaming-related regulatory language. The bill is aimed at aligning the two Texas tribes’ gaming regulation with the framework already used for other federally recognized tribes that conduct gaming under IGRA. Its stated purpose is to eliminate ambiguity created by the interaction between the Restoration Act and IGRA, and to place these tribes under the same regulatory structure as other tribal gaming operations in the United States. The bill is currently at the introductory stage and has been referred to the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs.

Impact

If enacted, the bill would change federal law by amending the Restoration Act for the Ysleta del Sur Pueblo and the Alabama-Coushatta Tribe, expressly incorporating IGRA into the legal framework governing gaming on their tribal lands. This would likely affect how tribal gaming activities are regulated, enforced, and interpreted, and would remove statutory provisions that have been used to argue for a separate or more restrictive regime. The practical effect would be to standardize these tribes’ gaming regulation with the broader federal tribal gaming system and potentially expand regulatory clarity for tribal governments, gaming operators, and federal oversight entities.

Sentiment

The bill’s findings reflect a generally supportive posture toward tribal gaming regulation and tribal self-sufficiency, emphasizing that IGRA has long promoted economic development and that the measure would simply bring the two Texas tribes into the same regulatory system as other tribes. Because there are no committee transcripts or recorded votes provided, there is no direct evidence of opposition or debate in the available materials. The introduction by Senators Heinrich, Smith, and Luján suggests sponsorship support, and the bill’s framing is largely corrective and harmonizing rather than expansive.

Contention

The main point of contention is the legal relationship between the Restoration Act and IGRA for the Ysleta del Sur Pueblo and the Alabama-Coushatta Tribe. Supporters appear to favor removing redundant or conflicting language so the tribes are regulated like other gaming tribes, while potential opponents could argue that the Restoration Act should continue to impose distinct limits or that federal law should not be read to override Texas-related restrictions. The bill specifically targets the two sections of the Restoration Act that have generated overlapping regulatory language, indicating that statutory interpretation and the scope of tribal gaming authority are the central issues.