Lawmakers pause Assembly session for annual State of the Tribes Address

MADISON (WITI) -- State lawmakers took a break from their discussions on Right-to-Work legislation to get the annual update on the status of Wisconsin's eleven Indian Nations.

It was time for the State of the Tribes Address in Madison on Thursday, March 5th. This coming as the failed Kenosha casino project is still very fresh in many minds.

The failed Kenosha casino proposal may have been the elephant in the room on Thursday, but it wasn't featured in this year's state of the tribes speech.

The chairman of the Menominee, whose tribe put forward the casino proposal says it was appropriate to leave it out.

"Within the very nature of this speech is that this speaks about the state of the tribes with an s. It has been the protocol not specifically to take issues from one tribe over others," said Menominee Tribal Chairman, Gary Besaw.

Instead, the address focused on common areas of concern, like providing quality education and economic development.

Included in the speech was a call for the tribal nations to be able to open charter schools. Assembly Speaker, Robin Vos, sees that as an area lawmakers could work with the tribes.

"I've always supported charter schools as a way to give every opportunity for children to learn as they want to learn best so I think there's a lot of potential for ways we can work together to be a good discussion during the session," said Vos.

Assembly Minority Leader, Peter Barca, also weighed in on that proposal.

"I think it's something that we have to better understand their position, but I know that most of their students got to public schools so I know they're very concerned about the future of public schools," said Barca.

Even though the failed Kenosha casino project was not a topic in the State of the Tribes Address, the chairman for the Menominee Tribe tells FOX6 News, that the concept of a casino in southeastern Wisconsin is not yet dead.