_____________ bill NO. _____________

INTRODUCED BY _________________________________________________

By Request of the ****

A BILL FOR AN ACT ENTITLED: "AN ACT requiring county reimbursement for assumption of criminal jurisdiction within the flathead indian reservation; PROVIDING LEGISLATIVE intent; PROVIDING AN APPROPRIATION; AMENDING SECTION 2-1-301, MCA; and PROVIDING AN EFFECTIVE DATE."

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MONTANA:

Section 1. Section 2-1-301, MCA, is amended to read:

"2-1-301. Assumption of criminal jurisdiction of Flathead Indian country -- county reimbursement. (1) The state of Montana hereby obligates and binds itself to assume, as herein provided in this section, criminal jurisdiction over Indians and Indian territory of the Flathead Indian reservation and country within the state in accordance with the consent of the United States given by the act of August 15, 1953 (Public Law 280, 83rd congress, 1st session).

(2) The state shall reimburse Lake County for assuming criminal jurisdiction under this section annually. The annual amount of reimbursement must be adjusted each year based on the consumer price index."

NEW SECTION. Section 2. Appropriation. (1) There is appropriated $2,191,621 from the general fund to the department of justice in each year of the biennium beginning July 1, 2021, to reimburse Lake County for assuming criminal jurisdiction within the Flathead Indian reservation as required by 2-1-301.

(2) The appropriation may only be used to reimburse Lake County.

(3) The legislature intends that the appropriation be considered as part of the ongoing base for the next legislative session.

NEW SECTION. Section 3. Effective date. [This act] is effective July 1, 2021.