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Policy Watchtower/Final rule

BIA publishes Ohkay Owingeh's amended Liquor Control Ordinance, effective Oct. 21, 2026

Interior DepartmentFinal ruleOct 21, 2026

Check: The Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) certified and published Ohkay Owingeh's amended Liquor Control Ordinance, which replaces the Pueblo's 1989 ordinance and takes effect 2026-10-21.

Read in the Federal Register

What it does

Anyone selling, serving, or licensing alcohol on Ohkay Owingeh Tribal Lands, including Pueblo-owned enterprises and outside businesses, now operates under the amended ordinance. It sets three license types (Package, On-Premises, Special Event), with the Ohkay Owingeh Gaming Commission issuing licenses. Pueblo-owned or controlled enterprises are deemed licensed once they file a premises map and description. Other businesses must apply, and Special Event applications are due at least 60 days before the event.

Why it matters for tribal funding

Directly tribal. The document is about tribes, tribal programs or Native organizations specifically.

Who it covers: Tribal governments, Tribal enterprises.

What to do next

  1. Pueblo-owned or controlled enterprises selling alcohol: file the premises map and description with the Tribal Gaming Commission, as section 8.3 requires.
  2. Businesses that are not owned or controlled by the Pueblo: apply to the Tribal Gaming Commission for a Package or On-Premises License, and submit Special Event License applications at least 60 days before the event.
  3. Questions on the notice: contact Sophia J. Torres, Acting Tribal Government Specialist, BIA Southwest Regional Office, (505) 536-3304.

Sources

Every signal is built from public records. The highlighted words appear in the source exactly as shown.

  • Federal Register: tribal agenciesNoticeOct 21, 2026

    Ohkay Owingeh, New Mexico-Liquor Control Ordinance Amendment

    • Quoted from the source: “DATES: This Ordinance shall become effective October 21, 2026.”
    • Quoted from the source: “An enterprise which is owned or controlled by the Tribe shall be deemed to have either a Package or On-Premises License upon filing with the Tribal Gaming Commission the map and description required under section 8.3.”
    • Quoted from the source: “The applicant shall submit a sworn application to the Tribal Gaming Commission at least sixty (60) days prior to the event containing, at a minimum, the following:”
    Read in the Federal RegisterU.S. government record, public domain.

Terms with a dotted underline open a plain-language definition. This is guidance, not legal advice: the official text always controls. A free public service from GrantsPath, a Native-owned business.