[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 59 (Tuesday, March 26, 2024)]
[Notices]
[Pages 20997-20998]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2024-06519]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Office of the Secretary

[24xd5141GM, DGM000000.000000, DN18000000]


Proposed Appointments to the National Indian Gaming Commission

AGENCY: Office of the Secretary, Interior.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Indian Gaming Regulatory Act provides for a three-person 
National Indian Gaming Commission. One member, the Chair, is appointed 
by the President with the advice and consent of the Senate. Two 
associate members are appointed by the Secretary of the Interior. 
Before appointing members, the Secretary is required to provide public 
notice of a proposed appointment and allow a comment period. Notice is 
hereby given of the proposed appointment of Jean Hovland and Sharon 
Avery as associate members of the National Indian Gaming Commission for 
a term of 3 years.

DATES: Submit comments on or before April 25, 2024.

ADDRESSES: Send comments to the Director, Office of the Executive 
Secretariat and Regulatory Affairs, U.S. Department of the Interior, 
1849 C Street NW, Mail Stop 7328, Washington, DC 20240; or 
[email protected] with NIGC Appointment Comment in the subject 
line.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Dustin Thomas, National Indian 
Gaming Commission, c/o Department of the Interior, 1849 C Street NW, 
Mail Stop 1621, Washington, DC 20240; telephone (202) 632-7003; 
facsimile (202) 632-7066.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Indian Gaming Regulatory Act, 25 U.S.C. 
2701 et seq., established the

[[Page 20998]]

National Indian Gaming Commission (Commission), composed of three full-
time members. Commission members serve for a term of 3 years. The Chair 
is appointed by the President with the advice and consent of the 
Senate. The two associate members are appointed by the Secretary of the 
Interior. Before appointing an associate member to the Commission, the 
Secretary is required to ``publish in the Federal Register the name and 
other information the Secretary deems pertinent regarding a nominee for 
membership on the Commission and . . . allow a period of not less than 
thirty days for receipt of public comments.'' See 25 U.S.C. 
2704(b)(2)(B).
    The Secretary proposes to appoint Jean Hovland and Sharon Avery as 
associate members of the Commission for terms of 3 years. Ms. Hovland 
and Ms. Avery are well qualified to be members of the National Indian 
Gaming Commission by virtue of their extensive background and 
experience in a broad spectrum of Native American issues.
    Ms. Hovland is an enrolled member of the Flandreau Santee Sioux 
Tribe of South Dakota. She currently serves as Vice Chair of the 
National Indian Gaming Commission. Hovland began her three-year term at 
the agency on January 17, 2021, after being appointed by the Secretary 
of the Interior. Since joining the Commission, she has worked 
collaboratively with the Commission to consult with tribes for the 
promulgation of regulations and to coordinate the agency's regulatory 
responsibilities with tribal regulatory authorities. She also served as 
the Director of the NIGC Office of Self-Regulation from May 2021 
through July 2023. Ms. Hovland has provided extensive outreach and 
education about combating human trafficking in the Indian Gaming 
industry and has devoted much of her time to outreach efforts, meeting 
with tribal leaders, regulatory authorities, and gaming operations on 
Indian Lands on the effective regulation of Indian Gaming.
    Ms. Hovland served as Commissioner of the Administration for Native 
Americans and Deputy Assistant Secretary for Native American Affairs at 
the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). As Commissioner, Ms. 
Hovland provides effective oversight of a $57 million annual operating 
budget to promote self-sufficiency for Native Americans. She provides 
executive leadership of a diverse staff of 30 employees and four 
regional training and technical assistant centers. During her time at 
HHS, Ms. Hovland created a $1 million funding opportunity designed to 
strengthen internal governance structures and capacity for tribes and 
tribal organizations. She also reestablished and Chairs the HHS 
Secretary's Intradepartmental Council on Native American Affairs, 
comprised of leadership across the Department.
    In her role as Deputy Assistant Secretary for Native American 
Affairs for the Administration for Children and Families (ACF), a large 
and diverse program office with an $8 billion annual operating budget, 
over 1700 employees, and 10 regional offices, Ms. Hovland provides 
expert and culturally appropriate advice to the Assistant Secretary in 
the formulation of policy views, positions, and strategies affecting 
Native Americans. She serves as the key liaison and representative of 
all ACF program and staff offices on behalf of the Assistant Secretary 
related to tribal and Native American Affairs.
    Prior to her appointment at HHS, Ms. Hovland served as senior 
advisor to the Assistant Secretary for Indian Affairs at the Department 
of the Interior. Ms. Hovland has also served as the tribal affairs 
advisor to Senator John Thune for more than 12 years. She played a key 
role in advocating for legislation at the request of Indian tribes on 
such issues as agriculture, services for law enforcement and veterans, 
and quality access to healthcare. She worked to develop legislation, 
such as the Tribal Law and Order Act of 2010 and the Code Talker 
Recognition Act of 2008.
    Prior to her time in public service, Hovland was CEO of Wanji 
Native Nations Consultants, which offered training services for Tribal 
programs and Tribal governments.
    Ms. Hovland does not have any financial interests that would make 
her ineligible to serve on the Commission under 25 U.S.C. 2704(b)(5)(B) 
or (C).
    Ms. Sharon Avery is an enrolled member of the Saginaw Chippewa 
Tribe of Michigan. She graduated from Michigan State University College 
of Law with a Juris Doctor degree and a certificate from the Indigenous 
Law and Policy Center. She has intimate familiarity with issues that 
impact tribal communities and the desire and willingness to learn more 
about those issues from those who are directly impacted by them.
    Ms. Avery is currently serving as an Associate General Counsel for 
the National Indian Gaming Commission's Office of General Counsel and 
has served in this capacity since January 2020. In this role she has 
gained familiarity with the agency's structure and the important role 
the agency plays within the tribal gaming industry. She has worked 
extensively reviewing gaming ordinances, financing agreements, 
sportsbook agreements, participated in tribal consultations for 
regulatory changes and worked on management contract reviews.
    Prior to joining the National Indian Gaming Commission, Ms. Avery 
worked in the Legal Department of the Saginaw Chippewa Indian Tribe of 
Michigan for 10 years. Ms. Avery held several roles while working for 
the Saginaw Chippewa Indian Tribe of Michigan. She began as an 
Associate General Counsel, worked her way up to Senior Associate 
General Counsel and then held the position of General Counsel for 
Tribal Operations.
    During her time working as in-house counsel, she worked on many 
projects and gained valuable perspective from working for a tribal 
government. As Associate General Counsel and Senior Associate General 
Counsel, she reviewed gaming and entertainment contracts, worked with 
the Department of Justice and tribal departments to implement the Sex 
Offender Registration and Notification Act requirements, reviewed 
tribal grants, worked extensively on personnel policies and procedures, 
reviewed various types of agreements for both the Tribe and the Tribe's 
enterprises, and drafted and amended tribal codes.
    As General Counsel for Tribal Operations, Ms. Avery managed the 
Tribe's in-house legal department which included developing and 
overseeing the annual departmental budget, assigning and supervising 
work product, providing regular updates to the Tribal Council and 
represented the Tribe on many long-term projects.
    In serving the Saginaw Chippewa Indian Tribe of Michigan and the 
National Indian Gaming Commission, Ms. Avery is most proud of the 
teamwork she has been a part of and assisting in building the teams 
that support both organizations.
    Ms. Avery does not have any financial interests that would make her 
ineligible to serve on the Commission under 25 U.S.C. 2704(b)(5)(B) or 
(C).
    Any person wishing to submit comments on the proposed appointments 
of Jean Hovland and Sharon Avery may submit written comments to the 
address listed above. Comments must be received by April 25, 2024.

(Authority: 25 U.S.C. 2704(b)(2)(B))

Deb Haaland,
Secretary of the Interior.
[FR Doc. 2024-06519 Filed 3-25-24; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7565-01-P