New Oregon law allows tribes to petition for removal of state control from tribal affairs

Judge Naomi Stacy hears a case on Dec. 7, 2023, in the Umatilla Tribal Court. The tribe was a primary backer of a state law that would allow tribes to petition the Oregon governor for changes in state jurisdiction on tribal land. (Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation)

A tribally backed bill that could simplify the jurisdictional patchwork in Oregon Indian Country was signed by Gov. Tina Kotek on May 22 after sailing through the state Legislature.

Passed unanimously by both legislative chambers, the new law will create a formal process for tribes to petition the state for the reversal of a 1953 federal law as it applies on tribal lands within the boundaries of Oregon.

Jurisdiction over criminal and civil cases on…

More from our Newsroom

Western University of Health Sciences Lebanon Oregon