The Tribal Law and Order Act, originally passed in 2010, is due for renewal. Following a series of hearings and roundtable discussions, the Senate Committee passed a bill to amend and continue the authorities and programs for another 5 years.
On June 22, the Tribal Law and Order Act was amended and reauthorized in the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs. The reauthorization bill, S. 2920, was introduced by the chairman, Sen. Barrasso (WY) and was based on findings from five oversight hearings and “roundtables” during this Congress. Among other changes, the bill makes a number of improvements in justice for Native youth and in information sharing among the agencies involved in preventing, enforcing, prosecuting and judging crimes in Indian country.
For Native youth, the bill requires notice to tribes when a member youth enters a state or local justice system, and requires tribal participation on advisory groups and coordinating services for youth. The bill also authorizes tribal traditional and cultural programs which reduce recidivism as appropriate programs for federal funding. The bill directs the Comptroller General to begin tracking the presence of Indian youth in juvenile justice systems and facilities, and calls for government to government consultations between Indian tribes and the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention.
The bill also addresses information sharing by directing access for tribes to federal background check information, data from the Bureau of Justice Statistics, and reports from the federal criminal information database.
The bill is now ready for the Senate floor.
