A federal law passed in the 1950s gave six states, including Oregon, civil and criminal jurisdiction over tribal reservations. Tribal nations have argued that the law undermines their sovereignty.
Oregon tribes have been able to petition the governor to repeal the law on their land, but there’s no official procedure or timeline for that process to take place. Senate Bill 1011 would change that by laying out clear guidelines for federally recognized tribes to regain control over civil and criminal matters that take place on tribal land.
Brent Leonhard is an attorney in the Office of Legal Counsel for the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation. He joins us with more details about the bill and its implications for tribal sovereignty.