News and Updates

Updated February2013 

• The US Senate approved The Stafford Act (HR 152), a relief package aimed at assisting communities affected by Hurricane Sandy. Included in the measure were provisions changing federal disaster laws to treat tribes as states, rather than as local governments. Once President Obama signs the bill into law, a series of FEMA consultations on its implementation will be held over the next few months.  
• The Oklahoma Legislature's bipartisan Native American Caucus has elected Rep. Dan Kirby (Tulsa – Creek) and Rep. Anastasia Pittman (Oklahoma City – Seminole) to serve as co-chairs for the next two legislative sessions. Created in 2006, the 26 member caucus works to identify state policies that affect tribes and to foster good government to government communication between tribes and the legislature.
• Maine's first elected Maliseet legislator, Henry John Bear, a member of the Houlton and Tobique Bands of Maliseets, was sworn in by the governor and seated in the House. He joins two other tribal representatives, members of the Penobscot and Passamaquoddy nations. Native American representation in the Maine Legislature dates back to 1823, three years after statehood. Representatives are chosen by their tribes and have limited legislative authority. Although they cannot vote because they are represented by other legislators, they can sponsor bills related to tribes and tribal land issues, serve on legislative committees, sit in the House chamber and speak on the floor.  Rep. Bear has already drafted 13 pieces of legislation, including a bill to designate a nonvoting representative seat for Maine’s Micmacs.
• Two Oklahoma state legislators, House Minority Whip Chuck Hoskin Sr. (D-Vinita) and Native American caucus co-chairman Paul Wesselhoft (R-Moore) , have filed separate bills that would create a cabinet- level State Secretary for Native American Affairs.  The Secretary’s primary duty would be to serve as the state’s chief negotiator with tribal nations.
For more information contact state-tribal-info@ncsl.org