Bill > SB061

This bill establishes rules for how Colorado state laws are interpreted and applied to two specific Native American tribes in Colorado: the Southern Ute Indian Tribe and the Ute Mountain Ute Tribe. The legislation creates a legal framework that presumes state laws do not automatically apply within reservation boundaries unless explicitly stated. The bill provides definitions for key terms like "tribal lands" and "tribally controlled entities" and establishes that when the General Assembly passes laws that are silent about their application to tribes, those laws are presumed not to apply to tribal governments, officials, entities, or lands within reservation boundaries. The bill also preserves the sovereign immunity of both the state and the tribes, and allows the governor and state agencies to include tribal entities in state programs and grant funding for various governmental services like infrastructure, healthcare, education, and law enforcement, even if the original law does not explicitly authorize tribal participation. Importantly, the bill does not intend to modify federal law or apply outside of reservation boundaries, and it leaves open the possibility for tribes to request inclusion in pending legislation. The legislation aims to reduce jurisdictional disputes and provide clarity about the application of state laws to these specific Native American tribes in Colorado.

Justice, Military Affairs and Security

https://leg.colorado.gov/bills/sb25-061