BILL REQ. #: H-3173.1
State of Washington | 62nd Legislature | 2012 Regular Session |
Prefiled 01/05/12. Read first time 01/09/12. Referred to Committee on State Government & Tribal Affairs.
AN ACT Relating to creating a procedure for the state's retrocession of civil and criminal jurisdiction over Indian tribes and Indian country; and adding a new section to chapter 37.12 RCW.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:
NEW SECTION. Sec. 1 A new section is added to chapter 37.12 RCW
to read as follows:
(1) The process by which the state may retrocede to the United
States all or part of the civil and/or criminal jurisdiction previously
acquired by the state over a federally recognized Indian tribe, and the
Indian country of such tribe, must be accomplished in accordance with
the requirements of this section.
(2) To initiate civil and/or criminal retrocession the duly
authorized governing body of a tribe must submit a retrocession
resolution to the governor. The resolution must express the desire of
the tribe for the retrocession by the state of all or any measures or
provisions of the civil and/or criminal jurisdiction acquired by the
state under this chapter over the Indian country and the members of
such Indian tribe. Before a tribe submits a retrocession resolution to
the governor, the tribe and affected municipalities are encouraged to
collaborate in the adoption of interlocal agreements, or other
collaborative arrangements, with the goal of ensuring that the best
interests of the tribe and the surrounding communities are served by
the retrocession process.
(3) Upon receiving a resolution under this section, the governor
must within ninety days convene a government-to-government meeting with
either the governing body of the tribe or duly authorized tribal
representatives for the purpose of considering the tribe's retrocession
resolution.
(4) Within one year of the receipt of a tribe's retrocession
resolution the governor must issue a formal, written proclamation
approving or denying the resolution, either in whole or in part. This
one-year deadline may be extended by the mutual consent of the tribe
and the governor. Within ten days of issuance of a proclamation
approving the retrocession resolution, the governor must formally
submit the proclamation to the federal government in accordance with
the procedural requirements for federal approval of the proposed
retrocession.
(a) In the event the governor denies all or part of the resolution,
the proclamation must contain comprehensive, detailed factual findings
in support of such denial.
(b) If the governor fails to issue a proclamation approving or
denying the tribe's retrocession resolution before the expiration of
the one-year deadline, the tribal resolution is deemed approved and the
governor must, within thirty days following the expiration of such
deadline, issue a proclamation approving the tribal resolution and
recommending that the federal government approve the tribe's request
for state retrocession. The governor must formally submit the
proclamation to the federal government within ten days of issuance and
in accordance with the procedural requirements for federal approval of
the proposed retrocession.
(5) Within one hundred twenty days of the governor's receipt of a
tribe's resolution requesting civil and/or criminal retrocession, but
prior to the governor's issuance of the proclamation approving or
denying the tribe's resolution, the appropriate standing committees of
the state house and senate may conduct public hearings on the tribe's
request for state retrocession. The majority leader of the senate must
designate the senate standing committee and the speaker of the house of
representatives must designate the house standing committee. Following
such public hearings, the designated legislative committees may submit
advisory recommendations and/or comments to the governor regarding the
proposed retrocession, but in no event are such legislative
recommendations binding on the governor or otherwise of legal effect.
(6) The proclamation for retrocession does not become effective
until it is approved by a duly designated officer of the United States
government and in accordance with the procedures established by the
United States for the approval of a proposed state retrocession.
(7) Notwithstanding the state's retrocession of criminal and/or
civil jurisdiction under this section, the state must retain the civil
jurisdiction necessary for the civil commitment of sexually violent
predators pursuant to chapter 71.09 RCW.
(8) The following definitions apply for the purposes of this
section:
(a) "Civil retrocession" means the state's act of returning to the
federal government the civil jurisdiction acquired over Indians and
Indian country under federal Public Law 280, Act of August 15, 1953, 67
Stat. 588 (codified as amended at 18 U.S.C. Sec. 1162, 25 U.S.C. Secs.
1321-1326, and 28 U.S.C. Sec. 1360);
(b) "Criminal retrocession" means the state's act of returning to
the federal government the criminal jurisdiction acquired over Indians
and Indian country under federal Public Law 280, Act of August 15,
1953, 67 Stat. 588 (codified as amended at 18 U.S.C. Sec. 1162, 25
U.S.C. Secs. 1321-1326, and 28 U.S.C. Sec. 1360);
(c) "Indian tribe" means any federally recognized Indian tribe,
nation, community, band, or group;
(d) "Indian country" means:
(i) All land within the limits of any Indian reservation under the
jurisdiction of the United States government, notwithstanding the
issuance of any patent, and including rights-of-way running through the
reservation;
(ii) All dependent Indian communities with the borders of the
United States whether in the original or subsequently acquired
territory thereof, and whether within or without the limits of a state;
and
(iii) All Indian allotments, the Indian titles to which have not
been extinguished, including rights-of-way running through the same.
(9) The provisions of RCW 37.12.010 are not applicable to a civil
and/or criminal retrocession that is accomplished in accordance with
the requirements of this section.