The Chair of the House Select Committee on Seminole Indian Compact Review, Rep. Bill Galvano (R-Bradenton), told his committee on November 2, 2009, that the version of the compact signed by the Seminole Tribe of Florida and Gov. Crist in August 2009 was not likely to be approved by the Legislature.
After the Florida Supreme Court declared that a previous compact was invalid because it lacked legislative authorization, the 2009 Legislature enacted Senate Bill 788 to set out parameters for a new compact. Rep. Galvano noted major differences between the agreement and SB 788, and stated that these differences made ratification highly doubtful. Among other things, the legislation limited blackjack and other banked-card games to three Seminole casinos, while the compact allows the games at all seven Seminole casinos.
