[Federal Register Volume 84, Number 140 (Monday, July 22, 2019)]
[Notices]
[Pages 35130-35133]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2019-15544]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Indian Affairs

[190A2100DD/AABB003600/A0T902020.999900.253G]


Delaware Nation; Beverage Control Act of 2019

AGENCY: Bureau of Indian Affairs, Interior.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: This notice publishes the Delaware Nation Beverage Control Act 
of 2019 (Alcohol Ordinance). The Alcohol Ordinance regulates and 
controls the possession, sale, manufacture, and distribution of alcohol 
on Delaware Nation trust lands in conformity with the laws of the State 
of Oklahoma where applicable and necessary. Although the Alcohol 
Ordinance was adopted on March 5, 2019, it does not become effective 
until published in the Federal Register.

DATES: This Alcohol Ordinance takes effect on August 21, 2019.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ms. Sherry Lovin, Tribal Government 
Officer, Southern Plains Regional Office, Bureau of Indian Affairs, 
Post Box 368, Anadarko, Oklahoma 73005, telephone: (405) 247-1534, fax: 
(405) 247-1534; or Ms. Laurel Iron Cloud, Chief, Division of Tribal 
Government Services, Office of Indian Services, Bureau of Indian 
Affairs, 1849 C Street NW, MS-3645-MIB, Washington, DC 20240, 
telephone: (202) 513-7641.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Pursuant to the Act of August 15, 1953, 
Public Law 83-277, 67 Stat. 5886, 18 U.S.C. 1161, as interpreted by the 
Supreme Court in Rice v. Rehner, 463 U.S. 713 (1983), the Secretary of 
the Interior shall certify and publish in the Federal Register notice 
of adopted liquor control ordinances for the purpose of regulating 
liquor transactions in Indian country. On March 5, 2019, the Delaware 
Nation Executive Committee duly adopted the Delaware Nation Beverage 
Control Act of 2019. This Notice is published in accordance with the 
authority delegated by the Secretary of the Interior to the Assistant 
Secretary--Indian Affairs. I certify that the Delaware Nation Executive 
Committee duly adopted by Resolution No. 2019-031 this Delaware Nation 
Beverage Control Act of 2019 on March 5, 2019.

    Dated: June 25, 2019
Tara Sweeney,
Assistant Secretary--Indian Affairs.

Authority: 18 U.S.C. 1161

The Delaware Nation Beverage Control Act of 2019 shall read as follows:

Alcohol Ordinance of the Delaware Nation

Findings:

    The Delaware Nation (hereinafter ``the Nation'') is a federally-
recognized Indian tribe, exercising jurisdiction over all Tribal Lands 
as specified herein.
    The Nation's Constitution, Article VI, Section 2, empowers the 
Executive Committee of the Nation to promulgate ordinances and 
resolutions for the Nation.
    The sale of Alcohol subject to the terms and provisions of this 
Alcohol Ordinance and all applicable laws, shall provide funds for the 
continued operation and strengthening of the Tribal government and the 
delivery of Tribal government services. It shall also produce capital 
which the Nation can use to further develop its economy.
    The enactment of this Alcohol Ordinance will also increase the 
ability of the Nation's government to control the distribution and 
possession of Alcohol within the Tribal Lands.
    NOW THEREFORE, to permit the sale of Alcohol subject to the 
necessary controls and to promote the health, safety and welfare of its 
members, the

[[Page 35131]]

Executive Committee adopts this Alcohol Ordinance.

Introduction:

    101. Title. This Ordinance shall be known as the ``Alcohol 
Ordinance of the Delaware Nation.
    102. Authority. This Alcohol Ordinance is enacted pursuant to the 
Act of August 15, 1953 (Pub. L. No. 83-277, 67 Stat. 588 (codified at 
18 U.S.C. Sec. [thinsp]1161), the Constitution of the Delaware Nation 
as ratified on April 21, 1973, as amended from time to time, and all 
other applicable law.
    103. Purpose. The purpose of this Alcohol Ordinance is to regulate 
and to control the possession and sale of Alcohol to and within the 
jurisdiction of the Delaware Nation. The Tribal Lands as specified in 
this Ordinance are limited in nature and do not encompass all land 
within the Tribe's jurisdiction, as is stated in Section 210 herein. 
The enactment of a Tribal ordinance governing Alcohol possession and 
sale within the Tribal Lands will increase the ability of the Tribal 
government to control Alcohol distribution and possession and provide 
an important source of revenue for the continued operation and 
strengthening of the Tribal government and the delivery of Tribal 
government services.
    104. Jurisdiction. This Ordinance applies on all Tribal Lands as 
specifically defined herein.

Definitions:

    201. As used in this Alcohol Ordinance, the following words shall 
have the following meanings unless the context clearly requires 
otherwise.
    202. ``Alcohol'' means that substance known as ethyl alcohol, 
hydrated oxide of ethyl, or spirit or wine which is commonly produced 
by the fermentation or distillation of grain, starch, molasses, or 
sugar, or other substances including all dilutions of this substance.
    203. ``Alcoholic Beverage'' is synonymous with the term ``Alcohol'' 
as defined in Section 202 of this Chapter.
    204. ``Bar'' means any establishment with special space and 
accommodations for sale by the glass and for consumption on the 
premises of any alcoholic beverage, as herein defined.
    205. ``Executive Committee'' as used herein means the duly-elected 
governing body authorized by the Nation's Constitution to promulgate 
all Tribal ordinances and regulations.
    206. ``General Council'' means the Council of the Tribe, which 
comprises all individual citizens of the Tribe who are 18 years old or 
older.
    207. ``Sale'' and ``Sell'' include exchange, barter, and traffic 
and also include the selling or supplying or distributing by any means 
whatsoever, of Alcohol or of any liquid known or described as beer or 
by any name whatsoever commonly used to describe malt or brewed Alcohol 
or wine by any person to any person.
    208. ``Spirits'' means any beverage which contains alcohol obtained 
by distillation including wines exceeding 17% of alcohol by weight.
    209. ``Tribe'' means the Delaware Nation.
    210. ``Tribal Lands'' means the 20 acres of land held in trust by 
the United States for the benefit of the Delaware Nation upon which a 
gaming facility of the Nation known as Casino Oklahoma exists, with a 
street address of 220 East Cummins Road, Hinton, Oklahoma 73047, more 
specifically described as:
    BEGINNING at a point on the South line of the said SE/4, 471.01 
feet South 88[deg]15'07'' East of the Southwest corner of the SE/4 of 
Section 10, Township 12 North, Range 11 West of the Indian Meridian, 
Caddo County, Oklahoma;
    THENCE North 00[deg]18'48'' West 390 feet from and parallel with 
the East Right-of-Way line of Highway 281, a distance of 363.00 feet;
    THENCE South 89[deg]45'00: West 139.50 feet, to a point 250.50 feet 
East of said East Right-of-Way line;
    THENCE North 0[deg]18'48'' West, parallel with said East Right-of-
Way, a distance of 741.86 feet to a point 275.50 feet East of said 
Right-of-Way 330.00 feet East of the West line of said SE/4'
    THENCE North 0[deg]15'00'' West 330.00 feet from and parallel with 
the West line of said SE/4 a distance of 1146.84 feet to the South 
Right-of-Way line of Interstate 40;
    THENCE North 69[deg]19'39'' East along said South Right-of-Way line 
a distance of 253.10 feet;
    THENCE South 89[deg]50'51'' East along said Right-of-Way line a 
distance of 161.07 feet;
    THENCE South 0[deg]15'00'' East parallel with the West line of said 
SE/4, a distance of 2347.87 feet to the South line of said SE/4;
    THENCE North 88[deg]15'07'' West along said South line a distance 
of 257.69 feet to the point of beginning, containing an area of 871,200 
square feet or 20.00 acres, more or less.
    Any lands Delaware Nation has been granted permanent use.
    211. ``Trust Agent'' means the Nation's Tax Commission or its 
designee.
    212. ``Wine'' means any alcoholic beverage obtained by fermentation 
of fruits (grapes, berries, apples, etc.) or other agricultural product 
containing sugar, to which any saccharine substances may have been 
added before, during or after fermentation, and containing not more 
than seventeen percent (17%) of alcohol by weight, including sweet 
wines fortified with wine spirits such as port, sherry, muscatel and 
angelica, not exceeding seventeen percent (17%) of alcohol by weight.

Powers of Enforcement:

    301. Powers. The Executive Committee, in furtherance of this 
Alcohol Ordinance, shall have the following powers and duties:
    a. To publish and enforce the rules and regulations governing the 
sale, manufacture, and distribution of Alcoholic Beverages on Tribal 
Land;
    b. To employ managers, accountants, security personnel, inspectors, 
and such other persons as shall be reasonably necessary to allow the 
Executive Committee to perform its functions;
    c. To issue licenses permitting the sale or manufacture or 
distribution of Alcohol within the Tribal Lands;
    d. To bring suit in the appropriate court to enforce this Alcohol 
Ordinance as necessary;
    e. To determine and seek damages for violation of this Alcohol 
Ordinance;
    f. To make reports to the General Council;
    g. To collect taxes and fees levied or set by the Executive 
Committee, and to keep accurate records, books, and accounts;
    h. To exercise such other powers as authorized by Tribal law; and
    i. To delegate authorities under this Alcohol Ordinance to 
Subcommittees, Commissions, or Boards.
    302. Limitation on Powers. In the exercise of its powers and duties 
under this Alcohol Ordinance, the Executive Committee as a whole and 
its individual members shall not accept any gratuity, compensation or 
other thing of value from any Alcohol wholesaler, retailer, distributor 
or licensee.
    303. Inspection Rights. The premises on which Alcohol is sold or 
distributed shall be open for inspection by an authorized designee at 
all reasonable times, which includes the hours the business is open to 
the public, for the purposes of ascertaining whether this Alcohol 
Ordinance and the rules and regulations implementing this Alcohol 
Ordinance are being followed.

Sales of Alcohol:

    401. Tribal Alcohol License Required; Tribally-Owned Businesses. No 
sale of Alcoholic Beverages shall be made on Tribal Land, except at a 
Tribally-licensed or Tribally-owned business.

[[Page 35132]]

Nothing in this section shall prohibit a Tribal licensee or the Nation 
from purchasing Alcohol from a source outside the Nation's jurisdiction 
for resale on Tribal Lands, or the delivery to the Nation or a Tribal 
licensee of Alcohol purchased from sources outside Tribal Lands for 
resale within the Tribal Lands. Each location shall obtain and maintain 
a Tribal license from the Executive Committee, or its designee, for the 
sale of Alcohol. Such license may be for the sale of Alcohol for off-
premises or on-premises consumption.
    402. Sale only on Tribal Land. All Alcohol Sales shall be on Tribal 
Land, including leases thereon.
    403. Sales for Cash. All Alcohol sales shall be on a cash only 
basis, and no credit shall be extended to any person, organization, or 
entity, except that this provision does not prevent the use of ATM 
cards, debit cards, or credit cards.
    404. Sale for Personal Consumption. Resale of any Alcoholic 
Beverage purchased within the Tribal Lands is prohibited. Any person 
who is not licensed pursuant to this Alcohol Ordinance who purchases an 
Alcoholic Beverage on Tribal Land and sells it, whether in the original 
container or not, shall be guilty of a violation of this Alcohol 
Ordinance and shall be subject to paying damages to the Nation as set 
forth herein.

Licensing:

    501. Tribal Alcohol License Requirements. A Tribal license shall be 
issued under this Alcohol Ordinance by a designee of the Executive 
Committee upon proof of the following:
    a. Satisfactory proof that the applicant is or will be duly 
licensed by the State of Oklahoma to sell Alcoholic Beverages;
    b. Acceptance of a Tribal Alcohol License expresses acceptance of 
all conditions of the Tribal license.
    502. Temporary Permits. The licensing designee may grant a 
temporary permit for the sale of Alcohol for a period not to exceed 
three (3) days to any person applying to the same in connection with a 
Tribal or community activity, provided that the conditions prescribed 
in Section 503 of this Ordinance shall be observed by the permittee and 
the permittee shall have a valid Oklahoma ABLE Commission license.
    503. Conditions of a Tribal Alcohol License. Any Tribal Alcohol 
license issued under this Alcohol Ordinance shall be subject to such 
reasonable conditions as the Executive Committee or its designee shall 
fix including but not limited to the following:
    a. The license shall be for a term to coincide with the applicant's 
Oklahoma ABLE Commission license.
    b. The licensed premises shall be subject to patrol by Tribal law 
enforcement personnel and such other law enforcement officials as may 
be authorized under Federal, Oklahoma, or Tribal law.
    c. The licensed premises shall be open to inspection by duly 
authorized Tribal officials at all times during the regular business 
hours.
    d. No Alcohol shall be sold, served, disposed of, delivered, or 
given to any person, or consumed on the licensed premises except in 
conformity with the hours and days prescribed by the laws of the State 
of Oklahoma.
    e. All acts and transactions under authority of the Tribal Alcohol 
license shall be in conformity with the laws of the State of Oklahoma, 
with this Alcohol Ordinance, with any applicable Tribal rules and 
regulations, and with any Tribal Alcohol license issued pursuant to 
this Alcohol Ordinance.
    f. No person under the age permitted under the laws of the State of 
Oklahoma shall be sold, served, delivered, given, or allowed to consume 
Alcoholic Beverages in the licensed establishment or area.
    g. There shall be no discrimination in the operations under the 
Tribal license by reason of sex, race, color, or creed, provided that 
Tribal licensees may adopt Tribal or Indian preference policies.
    504. License Not a Property Right. Notwithstanding any other 
provision of this Alcohol Ordinance, a Tribal Alcohol license is a mere 
permit for a fixed duration of time. A Tribal Alcohol license shall not 
be deemed a property right or vested right of any kind, nor shall the 
granting of a Tribal Alcohol license give rise to a presumption of 
legal entitlement to a license or permit in a subsequent time period.
    505. Assignment or Transfer. No Tribal license issued under this 
Alcohol Ordinance shall be assigned or transferred without the prior 
written approval of the Executive Committee expressed by formal 
resolution.

Civil Violations:

    601. Sale or Possession With Intent to Sell Without a Permit. Any 
person who shall sell or offer for sale or distribute or transport in 
any manner, any Alcohol in violation of this Alcohol Ordinance, or who 
shall operate or shall have Alcohol in his or her possession with 
intent to sell or distribute without a license or permit, shall be 
guilty of a violation of this Alcohol Ordinance.
    602. Purchases From Other Than Licensed or Allowed Facilities. Any 
person who, within the Tribal Lands, buys Alcohol from any person other 
than at a properly licensed or allowed facility shall be guilty of a 
violation of this Alcohol Ordinance.
    603. Consuming Alcohol in Public Conveyance. Any person engaged 
wholly or in part in the business of carrying passengers for hire, and 
every agent, servant or employee or such person who shall knowingly 
permit any person to drink any Alcohol in any public conveyances shall 
be guilty of an offense. Any person who shall drink any Alcohol in a 
public conveyance shall be guilty of a violation of this Alcohol 
Ordinance.
    604. Consumption or Possession of Alcohol by Persons Under 21 Years 
of Age. No person under the age of 21 years shall consume, acquire, or 
have in his or her possession any Alcohol. An employee of a tribally 
licensed facility age 18 to 20 with a valid ABLE license is permitted 
to transport alcohol for the purpose of serving customers. No person 
shall permit any other person under the age of 21 to consume Alcohol on 
his or her premises or any premises under his or her control except in 
those situations set out in this section. Any person violating this 
section shall be guilty of a separate violation of this Alcohol 
Ordinance for each and every drink so consumed.
    605. Sales of Alcohol to Persons Under 21 Years of Age. Any person 
who shall sell or provide Alcohol to any person under the age of 21 
years shall be guilty of a violation of this Alcohol Ordinance for each 
sale or drink provided.
    606. Transfer of Identification to Minor. Any person who transfers 
in any manner an identification of age to a minor for the purpose of 
permitting such minor to obtain Alcohol shall be guilty of an offense; 
provided, that corroborative testimony of witness other than the minor 
shall be a requirement of finding a violation of this Alcohol 
Ordinance.
    607. Use of False or Altered Identification. Any person who 
attempts to purchase an Alcoholic Beverage through the use of a false 
or altered identification shall be guilty of violating this Alcohol 
Ordinance.
    608. Acceptable Identification. Where there may be a question of a 
person's right to purchase Alcohol by reason of his or her age, such 
person shall be required to present any one of the following cards of 
identification which is not expired and shows his or her correct age 
and bears his or her signature and photograph: (1) A State-

[[Page 35133]]

issued ID; (2) United States active duty military; (3) a passport, or 
(4) a Tribal enrollment or identification card issued by any federally-
recognized Indian Nation.
    609. Violations of this Alcohol Ordinance. Any person guilty of a 
violation of this Ordinance shall be liable to pay the Nation a civil 
fine not to exceed $1,000 per violation as civil damages to defray the 
Nation's cost of enforcement of this Alcohol Ordinance. In addition to 
any penalties so imposed, any license or permit issued hereunder may be 
suspended or canceled by the licensing designee for the violation of 
any of the provisions of this Alcohol Ordinance. This suspension and/or 
cancellation may be appealed in the Delaware Nation Court. The 
appellant shall be responsible for any filing fee and/or court costs 
associated with any appeal.
    610. Possession of Alcohol Contrary to This Alcohol Ordinance. 
Alcohol possessed contrary to the terms of this Alcohol Ordinance are 
declared to be contraband. Any Tribal agent, employee, or officer who 
is authorized by the Executive Committee to enforce this section shall 
have the authority to, and shall, seize all contraband.
    611. Disposition of Seized Contraband. Any officer seizing 
contraband shall preserve the contraband in accordance with appropriate 
law. Upon being found in violation of this Alcohol Ordinance by the 
Executive Committee, the party shall forfeit all right, title and 
interest in the items seized which shall become the property of the 
Nation.

Taxes:

    701. Sales Tax. There is hereby levied and shall be collected a tax 
on each sale of Alcoholic Beverages on Tribal Land in the amount 
determined by the Executive Committee. The tax imposed by this section 
shall apply to all retail sales of Alcohol on Tribal Lands and shall 
preempt any tax imposed on such Alcohol sales by the State of Oklahoma.
    702. Payment of Taxes to Nation. Tribal taxes from the sale of 
Alcoholic Beverages or on Tribal Lands shall be paid over to the Trust 
Agent of the Nation.
    703. Taxes Due. Tribal taxes from the sale of Alcoholic Beverages 
on Tribal Lands are due within thirty (30) days of the end of the 
calendar quarter for which the taxes are due.
    704. Reports. Along with payment of the taxes imposed herein, the 
taxpayer shall submit an accounting for the quarter of all income from 
the sale or distribution of Alcoholic Beverages and as well as for the 
taxes collected.
    705. Audit. As a condition of obtaining a license, the licensee 
must agree to the review or audit of its books and records relating to 
the sale of Alcoholic Beverages and on Tribal Lands. Said review or 
audit may be done annually by authorized agents or employees whenever, 
in the opinion of the Executive Committee, such a review or audit is 
necessary to verify the accuracy of reports.

Profits:

    801. Disposition of Proceeds. The gross proceeds collected by the 
Executive Committee or its designee from all licensing provided under 
this Alcohol Ordinance, or the imposition of civil penalties for 
violating this Ordinance, or from the taxation of the sales of 
Alcoholic Beverages on Tribal Lands, shall be distributed as follows:
    a. For the payment of all necessary personnel, administrative 
costs, and legal fees for the operation and its activities.
    b. The remainder shall be turned over to the Trust Agent.

Severability and Miscellaneous:

    901. Severability. If any provision or application of this Alcohol 
Ordinance is determined upon review by a court of competent 
jurisdiction to be invalid, such adjudication shall not be held to 
render ineffectual the remaining portions of this Ordinance or to 
render such provisions inapplicable to other persons or circumstances.
    902. Prior Enactments. Any and all prior ordinances, resolutions or 
enactments of the Executive Committee which are inconsistent with the 
provisions of this Alcohol Ordinance are hereby repealed.
    903. Conformance with Tribal, State, and Federal Law. This 
Ordinance conforms with all Tribal law and governing documents. All 
provisions and transactions under this Ordinance shall be in conformity 
with Oklahoma State law regarding the sale of Alcoholic Beverages and 
to the extent required by 18 U.S.C. Sec. [thinsp]1161, provided that 
Sec. [thinsp]1161 shall not be deemed to waive Tribal sovereign 
immunity in any respect, and with all Federal laws regarding alcohol in 
Indian country.
    904. Enforcement. All actions to enforce the provisions of this 
Ordinance brought by the Executive Committee or its designee shall be 
filed in the Delaware Nation Court or Court of competent jurisdiction 
for the Delaware Nation of Oklahoma, which shall have exclusive 
jurisdiction over the enforcement and interpretation of this Ordinance.
    905. Effective Date. This Ordinance becomes effective as of the 
date the Secretary of the Interior certifies the Ordinance and 
publishes it in the Federal Register.

Amendment:

    1001. Amendment or Repeal. This Ordinance may be amended or 
repealed by a majority vote of the Executive Committee. Amendments of 
this Ordinance will be published in the Federal Register to become 
effective.

Sovereign Immunity:

    1101. Nothing contained in this Alcohol Ordinance is intended to 
nor does in anyway limit, alter, restrict, or waive the Nation's 
sovereign immunity from unconsented suit or action. Tribal Alcohol 
licensees entitled to assert the defense of Tribal sovereign immunity 
shall not be deemed to have waived that immunity in any dram-shop 
action in any court, whether Tribal, Federal, or State.

Dram-Shop Actions:

    1201. The Delaware Nation Court or Court of competent jurisdiction 
for the Delaware Nation shall have exclusive jurisdiction over any 
dram-shop action against a Tribal Alcohol licensee.

[FR Doc. 2019-15544 Filed 7-19-19; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4337-15-P