State Committees and Commissions on Indian Affairs

5/7/2018

The need for state forums on Indian affairs has increased in conjunction with the need for improved state-tribal relations. Traditionally, these forums have been under the direction of the executive branches in the states. More legislatures, however, are recognizing the benefits of having dedicated committees on Indian affairs or state-tribal relations. This compilation includes both legislative and executive branch committees and commissions, contact names and numbers. Please, email martha.saenz@ncsl.org with any updates or omissions.

State	State Legislative Committees Dedicated to Indian Affairs	State Executive Branch Indian Affairs Commissions or Contacts
Alabama		Alabama Indian Affairs Commission 771 S. Lawrence St., Suite 106 Montgomery, AL 36104 (334) 242-2831 (334) 240-3408 (FAX) Robert R. Russell Jr., Executive Director (Ala. Code 1975 s41-9-708 to 717)
Alaska		Office of the Governor P.O. Box 110001 Juneau, AK 99811 (907) 465-3500 (907) 465-3532 (FAX)
Arizona	Indian Nations and Tribes Legislative Day is a statutorily required annual meeting with legislators and tribal leaders. (Ariz. Rev. Stat. 41-1108)	Arizona Commission on Indian Affairs 1700 W. Washington, Ste. 156 Phoenix, AZ 85007 (602) 542-4421 (602) 542-3712 (FAX) The Commission submits an annual report to the Legislature and makes recommendations to governor & legislators on Indian issues. (Ariz. Rev. Stat. 41-541 to 543)
Arkansas
California	Assembly Select Committee on California Indian Nations (Not currently active)	California Native American Heritage Commission 1550 Harbor Blvd., Suite 100 West Sacramento, CA 95691 (916) 373-3710 (phone) (916)373-5471 (fax) nahc@nahc.ca.gov (email) James Ramos, Chair Cynthia Gomez, Executive Secretary and Governor's Tribal Advisor Attorney General's Office Office of Native American Affairs P.O. Box 944255 Sacramento, CA 94244-2550 (916) 322-1818 Olin Jones, Director
Colorado		Colorado Commission of Indian Affairs Office of Lieutenant Governor 130 State Capitol Denver, CO 80203 (303) 866-3027 Ernest House, Jr., Executive Secretary (Colo. Rev. Stat. 24-44-101 to 108)
Connecticut		Department of Environmental Protection Connecticut Indian Affairs Council 79 Elm Street Hartford, CT 06106 (860) 424-3066 Ed Sarabia, Indian Affairs Coordinator
Delaware		Nanticoke Indian Assoc. 27073 John J. Williams Hwy. Millsboro, DE 19966 (302) 945-3400 Natosha Norwood Carmine, Chief State of Delaware Div. of Historical and Cultural Affairs 21 The Green Dover, DE, 19901 (302) 736-7400 (302) 739-5660 (FAX)
Florida		Florida Governor's Council on Indian Affairs, Inc. 1341 Cross Creek Circle Tallahassee, FL 32301 (850) 488-0730 (850) 488-5875 (FAX) Joe A. Quetone, Executive Director
Georgia		Council on American Indian Concerns 2600 Highway 155, SW Suite D Stockbridge, GA 30281 (770) 389-7265 Mr. Nealie McCormick, Chairman (Ga. Code 44-12-280 to 285)
Hawaii	House Committee on Judiciary & Hawaiian Affairs Senate Committee on Water, Land and Hawaiian Affairs	Office of Hawaiian Affairs 560 N. Nimitz Highway, Suite 200 Honolulu, HI 96817 (808) 594-1835 (808) 594-1865 (FAX) Kamanaopono Crabbe, Chief Executive Officer/Ka Pouhana
Idaho	Idaho Council on Indian Affairs Monitors and reviews legislation and state policies that impact state/tribal relations; advises governor, legislature and state departments.	Commission on Human Rights 317 W. Main Street Boise, ID 83735 (208) 334-2873 (208) 334-2664 (FAX) Benjamin J. Earwicker, Director
Illinois
Indiana		Native American Indian Affairs Commission 100 North Senate Avenue, Room N300 Indianapolis, IN 46204 Melissa J Williams, Director
Iowa		Iowa Commission on Native American Affairs 321 E. 12th Street, 2nd floor Des Moines, IA 50319 (515) 242-6334
Kansas	Joint Committee on State-Tribal Relations	Kansas Native American Affairs Office Landon State Office Building 900 SW Jackson, Suite 101A Topeka, Kansas 66612-20 785-296-1904 \| 785-296-1795 Chris Howell, Executive Director
Kentucky		Kentucky Native American Heritage Commission 300 Washington Street Frankfort, KY 40601 (502) 564-7005
Louisiana		Louisiana Governor's Office of Indian Affairs 150 N. Third Street Baton Rouge, LA 70804 (225) 219-8715 Mark Ford, Director
Maine	The legislature has two Tribal representatives from the Penobscot Nation and the Passamaquoddy Tribe, who have seats on the floor of the House, sponsorship privilege and are each members of the State Government & Judiciary Committee. They have no voting privileges. (per House Rule 525, Joint Rule 206 (3) )	Maine Indian Tribal-State Commission P.O. Box 241 Stillwater, ME 04489 (207) 394-2045
Maryland		Maryland Commission on Indian Affairs 301 W. Preston St., Suite 1500 Baltimore, MD 21202 (410) 767-7631 E. Keith Colston, Executive Director (Md. Ann. Code Art. 41 s. 15-301)
Massachusetts		Massachusetts Commission on Indian Affairs 100 Cambridge Street, Suite 300 Boston, MA 02114 (617) 573-1291 (617) 573-1515 (FAX) (Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 6A, s. 8A)
Michigan		Michigan Dept. of Human Services P.O. Box 30037 235 S. Grand Avenue Lansing, MI 48909 (517) 373-2035
Minnesota		Minnesota Indian Affairs Council 161 Saint Anthony Ave., Suite 919 St. Paul, MN 55103 (651) 296-0041 Annamarie Hill, Executive Director (Minn. Stat. Ann. 3.922)
Mississippi
Missouri
Montana	State-Tribal Relations Interim Committee	Montana Office of Indian Affairs State Capitol Bldg., Room 202 Helena, MT 59620 (406) 444-3702 Jason Smith, Director State-Tribal Economic Development Commission, created 1999 per HB 670
Nebraska	State-Tribal Relations Committee	Nebraska Commission on Indian Affairs 6^th Floor East, State Capitol P.O. Box 94981 Lincoln, NE 68509-4981 (402) 471-3475 Judi gaiashkibos, Executive Director (Neb. Rev. Stat. 81-2501 to 2508)
Nevada		Nevada Indian Commission 5366 Snyder Avenue Carson City, NV 89701 (775) 687-8333 Sherry Rupert, Executive Director (Nev. Rev. Stat. 233A.010 to .100)
New Hampshire		New Hampshire State Commission on Native American Affairs New Hampshire Department of Natural and Cultural Resources 19 Pillsbury Street Concord, New Hampshire 03301 (NH RSA 12-A:14a)
New Jersey		New Jersey Commission on American Indian Affairs 125 W. State Street Trenton, NJ 08608 (609) 341-2740 Autumn Wind Scott, Chair (N.J. Stat. s. 52:15A-53)
New Mexico	Joint Indian Affairs Committee (Meets periodically during the year when Legislature is not in session) Senate Indian and Cultural Affairs Committee (Meets regularly during legislative sessions) Joint Legislative Committee on Compacts (Created 1999 per SB 737, meets when required.)	New Mexico Indian Affairs Department Wendell Chino Building, 2nd Floor 1220 South St. Francis Drive Santa Fe, NM 87505 (505) 476-1600 Cabinet Secretary Designate Kelly Zunie
New York		New York State Office of Children & Family Services Native American Services 295 Main Street, Room 545 Buffalo, NY 14203 (716) 847-3123
North Carolina	House Federal Relations and Indian Affairs Committee	North Carolina Commission on Indian Affairs 116 W. Jones St. Raleigh, NC 27601 (919) 807-4440 Gregory Richardson, Exec. Director (N.C. Gen. Stat. 143B-404 to 411) State Advisory Council on Indian Education (N.C. Gen. Stat. 115C-210)
North Dakota	Tribal and State Relations Committee	North Dakota Indian Affairs Commission 600 East Boulevard Avenue First Floor-Room 117 Bismarck, ND 58505 (701) 328-2428 Scott Davis, Executive Director (N.D. Cent. Code 54-36-01 to 07)
Ohio
Oklahoma	Oklahoma Indian Affairs Commission - dissolved in 2011 (Okla. Stat. Ann. 74-1201 to 1205) Joint Committee on State-Tribal Relations (Okla. Stat. Ann. 74-1222) Native American Cultural and Educational Authority (section 74-1226.2) "to promote the history and culture of American Indians for the benefit of the state of Oklahoma and its Indian and non-Indian citizens." Gena Howard, Acting Executive Director http://www.nacea.com/	Oklahoma Secretary of State 2300 N. Lincoln Boulevard, Ste. 101 Oklahoma City, OK 73105-4897 (405) 521-3912 The Governor appointed the Secretary of State as the official liaison to the tribal nations located within the boudaries of Oklahoma.
Oregon	Legislative Commission on Indian Services 13 members appointed to two-year staggered terms. All nine federally recognized tribes are represented. Commission compiles information about services for Indians; develops and sponsors programs to outreach to Indians as well as other public and private agencies; supports agencies in expanding Indian services and assesses existing programs.	Legislative Commission on Indian Services 900 Court St., NE, Room 167 Salem, OR 97301 (503) 986-1067 (503) 986-1071 (FAX) Karen Quigley, Executive Director (Or. Rev. Stat. 172.010 to .140)
Pennsylvania
Rhode Island
South Carolina		The Commission for Minority Affairs 2221 Devine Street, Suite 408 Columbia, SC 29205 (803) 333-9621 Marcy L. Hayden, Native American Affairs Coordinator
South Dakota	Five members from the House and five members from the Senate, appointed biannually. Committee may present draft legislation and policy recommendations to the Legislative Research Council Executive Board. State-Tribal Relations Interim Committee	South Dakota Department of Tribal Relations 302 East Dakota Pierre, SD 57501 (605) 773-5654 (www.sdtribalrelations.com) Leroy "J.R." LaPlante, Secretary (S.D. Stat. s. 1-4-1)
Tennessee		Tennessee Commission of Indian Affairs ended operations as of June 30, 2010, the expiration of the legal authority for its existence (Tenn. Code Ann. 4-34-101 to 108)
Texas	Texas Indian Commission (Historical Reference)	Office of Attorney General P.O. Box 12548 Austin, TX 78711-2548 (512) 463-2100 (512) 476-2653 (FAX)
Utah	Native American Legislative Liaison Committee 11 members - seven from House and four from Senate. Committee serves as liaison between Utah tribes and the Legislature.	Utah Division of Indian Affairs 300 S. Rio Grande Street Salt Lake City, UT 84101 801-245-7208 801-521-4727 (FAX) Shirlee Silversmith, Director (Utah Code Ann. 1953 s9-9-109)
Vermont		Vermont Commission on Native American Affairs 109 State St. Montpelier, VT 05609
Virginia		Virginia Council on Indians P.O. Box 1475 Richmond, VA 23218 (804) 225-2084 13 members - eight from Virginia tribes officially recognized by the Commonwealth, two members at-large from Indian population in Virginia, one from House of Delegates, one from Senate, and one from Commonwealth at-large. (Va. Code Ann. 9-138.1 to 138.4)
Washington	Community Development, Housing and Tribal Affairs Committee	Governor's Office of Indian Affairs 210 11th Avenue, SW, #415 P.O. Box 40909 Olympia, WA 98504-0909 (360) 902-8827 Craig Bill, Director
West Virginia
Wisconsin	Special Committee on State-Tribal Relations Studies issues related to American Indians and the American Indian tribes and bands and develops specific recommendations and legislative proposals relating to these issues. Includes six-12 legislative and six-11 tribal members. (Wisc. State. 13.83(3))	Wisconsin State-Tribal Relations Initiative 101 East Wilson Street, 9th Floor Madison, WI 53708 (608) 267-1824 Brian Vigue, Administrator
Wyoming	Select Committee on Tribal Relations	Wyoming Indian Affairs Council (Wyo. Stat. 9-2-1901 to 1905)

State-Tribal Institute