HB154 Summary

• Relieves non-Indian bingo operators from certain legal burdens that do not apply to Indian tribes conducting bingo under the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act (IGRA).

• Exempts qualified persons engaged in "Indian equivalent bingo" from state and local sales or privilege taxes on gross receipts derived from such bingo operations, effective retroactively and prospectively.

• Prohibits criminal prosecution under Alabama Code Title 13A, Chapter 12, Article 2 against qualified persons for operating Indian equivalent bingo and prevents forfeiture of property used in such operations.

• Defines "qualified persons" as those who engaged in Indian equivalent bingo on or before December 1, 2009, and have continued such operations, and specifies that bingo equipment shall not be deemed a "gambling device" or "slot machine" under state law.

• Declares that gambling devices used for Indian equivalent bingo may be transported into or out of Alabama without violating federal law under 15 U.S.C. §1172.