The Ho-Chunk Nation Legislature passed Resolution 04-04-23 B
by an affirmative vote of 10 members, two opposed, and zero abstaining. This resolution states, “in light of the
unprecedented circumstances, and pursuant to its Constitutional authority, and
the Per Capita Distribution Ordinance, does hereby declare that no per capita
distribution will be made to the 7,766 eligible tribal members on May 1, 2023.”
The Per Capita Distribution Ordinance provides for the per
capita distribution of revenues appropriated by the Legislature from gaming
revenues. The Ho-Chunk Nation President
Marlon White Eagle issued ‘Administrative Order March 17, 2020-1,’ which closed
the Nation’s casinos to the public, effective no later than March 20, 2020, due
to the public health emergency. The
Nation’s gaming facilities re-opened on June 29, 2020.
The current resolution states that “the Legislature finds
that the declaration of per capita distribution for May 1, 2023 is impacted as
a result of the closure of the Nation’s gaming operations and the Nation’s
continued recovery from the impacts of the pandemic on the Nation’s gaming
revenues.”
The general welfare assistance runs from July 2022 through
June 2023. The budget contains funds to
provide $800 to adult tribal members each month and $400 to children tribal
members each quarter.