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Judiciary committee amends, then declines to advance bill formalizing tribal consultation
Summary
The Senate Judiciary Committee amended House Bill 1455 to replace the phrase "each measure" with "all legislation," then voted to give the bill a do‑not‑pass recommendation after members raised concerns about capacity and unfunded mandates for the North Dakota Indian Affairs Commission.
Representative Colette Brown, District 9, introduced House Bill 1455 to require the North Dakota Indian Affairs Commission to review legislation each session and trigger consultation with tribal governments when bills carry tribal implications.
"This bill is not just about policy, it's about strengthening the relationship between the state of North Dakota and the sovereign tribal nations within our borders," Representative Brown said, arguing that codified consultation would prevent well‑intentioned laws from inadvertently harming tribal communities.
The bill would direct the Indian Affairs Commission to review legislation introduced each session and, when a measure has a direct impact on a tribal nation, to initiate consultation through the Commission. Supporters said the change would formalize a process they said…
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