Missoula Democratic Sen. Shane Morigeau says legislators' understanding of state-tribal relations is critical for building cooperation and strong legislation. In a hearing Tuesday, Morigeau said there’s room to improve training that has been offered in the past.
"Oftentimes it ends up only being about 10 minutes long. And if you're familiar with Indian law and or federal Indian policy, getting 10 minutes of that might actually leave you more confused than knowing the information," Morigeau said.
The proposed trainings would review Indian law, the history of federal Indian policy and the legal rights of tribal members.
Proponents of the bill said legislators’ understanding of these dynamics is important. Patrick Yawakie represents the Blackfeet, Chippewa Cree and Fort Belknap tribal communities.
Yawakie says, "Having this knowledge prior to debate would save us from discriminatory statements, prejudice, and most importantly, save Montana tax dollars that unfortunately are spent in lawsuits that could have been prevented."
The Senate approved the bill. It’s now under review by the House State Administration Committee. There were no opponents during Tuesday's hearing.
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