More than half of the tribal nations in the state sent a letter to the legislature and Gov. Kevin Stitt, asking to come back to the table and negotiate on the issue of tribal-state compacts.
The letter was signed by 24 tribal nation leaders, including President Terri Parton of the Wichita Affiliated Tribes, Ben Barnes of the Shawnee Tribe and Jacob Keyes, the new Iowa tribal chairman, as well as leaders of the five larger tribes.
All expressed their gratitude about the results of July's special session, where members of the legislature overturned two of Stitt's vetoes of tribal tag and tobacco compacts.
They also expressed their dismay at the political polarization on the issue and say they're willing to go back and renegotiate compacts, but that it needs to be done under a confidentiality agreement.
"Our single condition is that we engage in our talks under an appropriate intergovernmental confidentiality agreement. Implementation of meaningful government-to-government talks must focus on talking to, not past each other," read the letter.
Before the special session in July, Chickasaw Nation leaders found themselves in headlines around the state after the governor's office gave details of their negotiations to reporters.
The letter was delivered earlier this week.
