A bill that aims to transfer ownership of the Shawnee Indian Mission in Fairway from the state to the Shawnee Tribe has been introduced in the Kansas Legislature, according to lawmakers and tribal officials.
The legislation would allow the tribe to take control of the 12-acre historic landmark, but the city and Shawnee Indian Mission Foundation, which help maintain the state-owned property, have previously said on numerous occasions that they want to see it remain under state ownership.
Both sides have been lobbying legislators this session in Topeka, and local lawmakers say they are still trying to understand the issue before coming to firm positions on the matter.
The bill is still in its early stages
- Democratic state Sen. Cindy Holscher of Overland Park, who sits on the Senate’s Federal and State Affairs committee, told the Post on Friday that a bill to convey the Mission land to the Shawnee Tribe was introduced in that committee on Thursday.
- It’s not clear if the bill yet has a sponsor, and Holscher said she does not believe it has been assigned a bill number. (The bill has yet to be added to the list of current legislation at the Kansas Legislature’s website.)
- Holscher said she thinks “we will have an idea if the bill is getting a hearing and if there is any potential movement for the bill” within two weeks.
- Maggie Boyett, chief communications officer for the Shawnee Tribe, confirmed to the Post via text on Friday that “a bill was introduced pro forma this week.”
Local lawmakers trying to make sense of the issue
- The Post spoke with three local lawmakers — Holscher, Sen. Ethan Corson and Rep. Rui Xu — who all say they are still trying to understand the issues surrounding control of the Mission.
- Xu, a Democrat whose Fairway district covers the Mission site, said he thinks the competing interests of the Shawnee Tribe, the city and other tribal nations make this a potentially “messy” situation.
- “I think in the end, there is no right and wrong decision. It’s just trying to get the best possible outcome for all the parties involved,” Xu said.
- Holscher said she too is trying to think through what makes the most sense regarding the Mission, but recognizes there may not be an easy answer.
- “I know the city of Fairway is concerned that if the Shawnee Tribe were to take over the land, that they could potentially change it to a casino,” Holscher said. “My understanding is — from the bill that I have not really read — but some excerpts from the bill says it will not be used for any type of gaming.”
City, tribe both lobbying state lawmakers
- All three legislators the Post spoke with say they have been in contact with the Shawnee Tribe and the city on the issue.
- Corson, a Prairie Village Democrat whose district also covers the Mission grounds, and Xu both say there have been ongoing talks for more than a year now on the fate of the Mission.
- Holscher said she’s spoken with Shawne Chief Ben Barnes and Fairway Mayor Melanie Hepperly in the past few weeks, and received a letter from the Kaw Nation about that tribe’s claim on the land.
- Holscher said “most legislators outside the Johnson County area probably aren’t that familiar with the issue and what’s going on.”
Lawmakers not taking sides yet
- Corson said he is not trying to push either side at the Statehouse at this time.
- Xu and Holscher also said they are not trying to steer their colleagues in any one direction on this issue yet.
- Corson said everyone he’s talked to at the Statehouse about the Shawnee Indian Mission is still trying to gather information.
- “I think most people are still like, ‘I’m trying to better understand the issue, I’m trying to gather information, I’m just talking to people,’ but I don’t get the sense that, at least among the folks I’ve spoken to, that there is a feeling like we need to steer this in some particular direction,” Corson said.
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