North Dakota Indian Affairs Commission Executive Director Brad Hawk. (Mary Steurer/North Dakota Monitor)
(Mary Steurer – North Dakota Monitor) – A group of state lawmakers says that North Dakota should be required to consult with tribes before passing any laws that affect Native nations.
“It is not just a courtesy to consult, it’s a moral and legal obligation,” said Rep. Collette Brown, the primary sponsor of the proposed legislation and a citizen of the Spirit Lake Nation.
The bill would task the North Dakota Indian Affairs Commission with alerting tribal chairs of any proposed legislation that could impact tribes before the bills pass. Four other Native lawmakers Rep. Lisa Finley-DeVille, Rep. Jayme Davis, and Sen. Richard Marcellais — are also among the proposal’s sponsors.
Brown, a Warwick Democrat, said it’s not uncommon for the Legislature to pass new laws that affect tribes without any input from tribal leaders
