The Mohegan Tribe. won't negotiate a smoking ban with the state of Connecticut unless lawmakers withdraw a bill that imposes state law on the reservation.

The tribe has said it is willing to discuss the issue but not while lawmakers threaten to impose the state's ban of public smoking at the Mohegan Sun Casino . The ban would apply to any place of the casino that serves liquor.

“We cannot and will not participate in any discussions when there is state legislative action pending that circumvents our tribal compacts and threatens the essence of our tribal sovereignty, seeking to impose inappropriate state control over our sovereign tribal lands,” Mohegan Chairman Bruce “Two Dogs” Bozsum said in a statement quoted by The New London Day.

After facing pressure, Gov. Jodi Rell (R) invited the Mohegan Tribe and the Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation, the owners of the Foxwoods Resort Casino, to negotiate the smoking issue. Attorney general Richard Blumenthal claims the tribal-state compact requires tribes to adopt health standards at least as stringent as the state's.

Get the Story:
Mohegans Won't Negotiate Smoking Limits Unless Bill Dies (The New London Day 4/8)
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Rell Begins Talks With Casinos (The Hartford Courant 4/8)
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