State-Tribal Relations

ANNOUNCEMENTS

The 2017-2018 Interim has concluded.

The STRC adopted 12 committee bills at its final meeting of the interim on September 7. More information about each of the bills may be found here.

The STRC also adopted the following reports:

STRC: The Legislature’s Liaison (a summary of 2017-2018 interim activities)
Addressing an Epidemic: Missing and Murdered Indian Women
SJ 3: Improving Reentry Outcomes for American Indian Offenders
Helping Montana’s Poorest-Performing Students: English Learners

Agenda
Minutes Log
Memo to STRC about meeting
Indian student achievement study
- Update on ESSA-designated comprehensive schools
- draft report - "Helping Montana's Poorest Performing Students: English Learners"
- LCELMS - providing funding for school district programs serving English Learners
  - Staff Memo to STRC about LCELMS
- LCMILP - extending the termination date of the Montana Indian Language Preservation Program by 4 years
- LCCICA - extending the termination date of the Cultural Integrity and Commitment Act by 4 years
SJ 3 study of increasing reentry resources for Indian offenders
- Implementation status of criminal justice system changes, LSD
- draft report - "Improving Reentry Outcomes for American Indian Offenders"
- LCsj31 - creating the reentry cultural programming grant program
- LCsj32 - requiring a percentage of supportive housing grant program funding to be awarded to those serving American Indian offenders
- LCpmed - allowing certified behavioral health peer support services to qualify as medical assistance under the Montana Medicaid program
SJ 20 study of unemployment in high poverty areas by the Economic Affairs Interim
- Draft EAIC final report
- Legislative Option 1, 2, 3
Update on tribal college apprenticeship program funding
Missing persons, human trafficking, and violence against women in Indian Country
- draft report - "Addressing an Epidemic: Missing and Murdered Indian Women"
- LCdoj1 - establishing "Hanna's Act", authorizing the Department of Justice to assist with all missing persons cases
- LCdoj2 - revising laws related to missing persons reports
- LCdoj3 - a resolution requesting an interim study of options to break the cycle of youth who run away from home
- LCdoj4 - requiring a missing child report to be filed in certain custodial interference cases
- LCFOT2 - requiring the Office of Public Instruction to establish an electronic repository for school photos of children whose parents give permission for the photo to be held and shared with law enforcement if the child goes missing
  - Description of fiscal impacts and potential costs associated with LCFOT2, Office of Public Instructions
Draft report summarizing STRC's 2017-2018 interim work

Agenda
Minutes Log
Memo to STRC
Improving Indian student achievement study
- Memo following up on funding for English Learners
- Legislative proposals
  - LCELGF - creating an English Learner payment to be included in school district general fund budgets and BASE aid payments
  - LCELMS - providing funding for school district programs serving English Learners
  - LCMILP - extends the termination date for the Montana Indian Language Preservation Program
  - LCMIL2 - repeals the termination of the Montana Indian Language Preservation Program
  - LCCICA - extends the termination date for the Cultural Integrity and Commitment Act
  - LCCIC2 - repeals the termination of the Cultural Integrity and Commitment Act
SJ 3 study of increasing access to reentry resources for American Indian offenders
- Legislative Proposals
  - LCsj31 - creating the reentry cultural programming grant program
  - LCsj32 - requiring a certain percentage of supportive housing grant program funding to be awarded to eligible uses that serve American Indian offenders
Missing persons-related legislative proposals
- LCdoj1 - authorizing DOJ to assist with all missing persons cases (Hanna's Act)
- LCdoj2 - revising laws related to missing persons reports
- LCdoj3 - proposed resolution to study options to break the runaway cycle
- LCdoj4 - requiring missing persons report if child's location is unknown in custodial interference case
- LCFOT2 - requiring the Office of Public Instruction to establish an electronic repository for school photos of children whose parents give permission for the photo to be held and shared with law enforcement if the child goes missing
Draft letter to Bureau of Indian Affairs regarding enforcement issues related to drug abuse, missing persons, human trafficking, and violence against women in Indian Country

Agenda
Minutes Log
- May 8
- May 9
- May 10
Memo to STRC about May meeting
HB 562, 2015
English learners, funding options, and Indian language immersion, LSD
Possible revisions to Big Sky Economic Development Program based on SJ 20 study, LSD
Missing persons, human trafficking, and violence against women in Indian Country
- Federal legislative proposals
- State legislative proposals (drafts)
  - LCdoj1: authorizing DOJ to assist with all missing persons investigations
  - LCdoj2: revising laws related to missing persons reports
  - LCdoj3: proposed resolution to study options to break the runaway cycle
    - Runaway data, DOJ
  - LCdoj4: requiring missing persons report if child's location is unknown in custodial interference case
  - LCFOTO: requiring student directory photos to be collected by the Superintendent of Public Instruction
    - Alternative: draft letter to Superintendent Arntzen requesting guidance to schools on sharing photos with law enforcement
      - Model student directory information notification, MTSBA
- Jurisdiction and enforcement in Indian Country
  - Indian Country jurisdiction graph, non-Public Law 280, UM Indian Law Clinic
  - Enforcement agreements with Blackfeet, CSKT, and Fort Peck
SJ 3 study
- American Indian Reentry Program Legislative Considerations, LSD
- Legislative proposals (drafts)
  - LCsj31: creating the reentry cultural programming grant program
  - LCsj32: dedicating supportive housing grant program funding to those serving American Indians

Agenda
Minutes Log -
- March 29
- March 30
Memo to committee about the March meeting
Substance Use in Montana: a summary of state level initiatives for the Dept of Justice
Improving Indian student achievement study
- English Learners in Montana (story map)
- State funding mechanisms for English language learners, Education Commission of the States
- Teacher Preparatory Programs Offered by Tribal Colleges in Montana, LSD
- Status of Legislative Policy Levers related to Teacher Recruitment and Retention, LSD
PAX Good Behavior Game
SJ 3 Study of tribal resources for tribal members involved in the criminal justice system
- Locations of American Indian offenders on community supervision, LSD
- Facts and Figures: American Indian Offenders in Montana’s Correctional System, LSD
- Flathead Reentry Program brochure
- Bridging the Divide: Improving Parole Outcomes for Native Americans in South Dakota
Human Trafficking, Missing Persons, and Violence against Women in Indian Country
- Montana's Missing and Endangered Response Summary, DOJ
- Montana Domestic Violence Fatality Review Commissions Report to the Legislature, August 2017
- Native Women's Society of the Great Plains brochure
- S. 1870 - The SURVIVE Act, sponsored by North Dakota US Senator John Hoeven
- S. 1942 - Savannah's Act, sponsored by North Dakota US Senator Heidi Heitkamp
- Draft letter of support for S. 1870 and S. 1942
- Background on Crime Victims Fund
Cell phone coverage maps
SJR 20 Update: Unemployment in High-Poverty Areas of Montana, LSD
Economic Contributions of Reservations to the State of Montana, 2003-2009

Agenda
Minutes Log - Sept 18 and Sept 19
Memo to committee about the September meeting
ACA Provisions that affect health care for American Indians and Alaska Natives, LSD
Montana's missing & endangered, a review of existing programs and services
Indian student achievement study documents
- Indian student achievement data
- Language immersion charter school information from 2015-2016 interim
  - Potential impacts on student outcomes, LSD
  - For This Place, for These People: An Exploration of Best Practices Among Charter Schools Serving Native Students
  - Accreditation standard variances for charter programs, 10.55.604(11), ARM
Final interim work plan

Agenda
Minutes Log, July 13, 2017
Memo to STRC about the July meeting
Montana Native Youth Suicide Reduction Strategic Plan, 2017
STRC draft rules
STRC chair and vice chair history
Draft 2017-2018 EQC work plan
American Indian Student Achievement Data Report, Fall 2016
State-tribal relations legislative summary, 2017
Tribal Nations in Montana: A Handbook for Legislators, 2016
State-Tribal Relations Committee: The Legislature's Liaison, September 2016

The video/audio meeting archives are still under development. However, meeting recordings are available using the interface below.

A Guide to Using the Archives

Past/Current Recordings

The State-Tribal Relations Committee acts as a liaison with tribal governments in Montana, encourages state-tribal and local government-tribal cooperation, conducts interim studies as assigned, and may propose legislation and report its activities, findings, or recommendations to the legislature.

The Committee's work plan outlines how it will carry out its statutory duties and assigned study. It also identifies the topics which the committee, as well as the tribal governments which the committee visits this interim, have prioritized for discussion.