AUGUSTA (AP) – A legislative panel began its review Monday of a proposal to allow a Maine Indian tribe to operate a casino with as many as 3,000 slot machines at a Down East race track.

The bill before the Legal and Veterans Affairs Committee is sponsored by Rep. Frederick Moore III of Calais, the Passamaquoddy Tribal representative in the Legislature.

Moore touts the bill as an economic development measure for Washington County. Portions of the income from the slots would go to county community college scholarships and a development authority.

The group Casinos No!, which has fought off past casino proposals, opposes Moore’s bill. Spokesman Dennis Bailey said Mainers already spoke on the issue when they voted in 2003 to limit slot machines to existing harness-racing facilities. A license is pending for a racino at Bangor’s harness-racing track.

Also in 2003, voters overwhelmingly rejected plans for an large Indian-run casino in southern Maine.

Separate legislation submitted this session seeks to let federally recognized tribes operate as many as 1,500 machines at high-stakes bingo halls, and require slot machine facilities to limit their hours of operation to 6 a.m. to 1 a.m., the same time restrictions currently observed by bars and taverns.

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