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69th Legislature 2025 HJ 1
- 1 - Authorized Print Version – HJ 1
ENROLLED BILL
A JOINT RESOLUTION OF THE SENATE AND THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE STATE OF
MONTANA URGING THE UNITED STATES CONGRESS TO FULLY FUND PUBLIC SAFETY AND LAW
ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES, PROGRAMS, SERVICES, AND ACTIVITIES WITHIN MONTANA'S INDIAN
RESERVATIONS.
WHEREAS, the Constitution of the United States of America, through the Treaty and Supremacy
Clauses, acknowledges Indian nations and tribes as prior sovereigns; and
WHEREAS, through treaties, agreements, statutes, and executive orders, Indian nations and tribes
came under the protection of the United States while reserving original sovereign authority and self-government
over tribal members and territories; and
WHEREAS, through treaties, agreements, statutes, and executive orders, the United States undertook
a federal trust responsibility, among other responsibilities, to assist Indian nations and tribes in providing public
safety, law and order, and the administration of justice; and
WHEREAS, Montana's reservations have seen drug and alcohol abuse become an epidemic as
methamphetamine, heroin, fentanyl, and other drugs have overtaken tribal lands, causing violent crime,
domestic disturbance, and trouble among youth; and
WHEREAS, generations of Montana's Native Americans have mourned a missing or murdered family
member or loved one, experienced unacceptably high levels of violence, and been victims of violent crime at
rates much higher than national averages; and
WHEREAS, justice has eluded many Native American victims, survivors, and families, while criminal
jurisdiction complexities and insufficient funding have left many injustices unaddressed; and
WHEREAS, levels of federal funding for tribal public safety, law enforcement, and tribal courts have
consistently remained insufficient to fully fund the necessary public safety activities.
69th Legislature 2025 HJ 1
- 2 - Authorized Print Version – HJ 1
ENROLLED BILL
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE SENATE AND THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF
THE STATE OF MONTANA:
That the 69th Legislature of the State of Montana:
(1) urges the United States Congress to support full funding of public safety and law enforcement
agencies, programs, services, and activities within Montana's Indian reservations;
(2) urges the United States Department of Justice to develop a plan to cooperatively administer its
Indian Country public safety, law enforcement, and administration of justice programs and services together
with the United States Department of the Interior;
(3) urges the United States Department of Justice to conduct government-to-government
consultation with Indian tribes to determine how best to provide the administration of programs and services
and to allocate appropriated funds to meet the various needs of tribal justice systems, including funding for
tribal law enforcement, courts, detention facilities, indigent counsel, victim services, juvenile justice,
rehabilitation and reentry programs, and crime prevention efforts;
(4) invites each of the tribal governments of the federally recognized Indian tribes in Montana to
adopt their own resolutions to the United States House of Representatives and the United States Senate urging
Congress to fully fund law enforcement and public safety programs and services within Montana's Indian
reservations and further invites the tribal governments to send their resolutions to the Secretary of State by
June 30, 2025, to be collected and forwarded as a package to Congress; and
(5) requests Governor Gianforte to write a letter to the United States House of Representatives
and the United States Senate providing similar support for Congress to fully fund Montana Indian reservation
law enforcement and public safety programs and services and further requests the Governor to provide the
letter to the Secretary of State by June 30, 2025, to be included with the package of resolutions for Congress.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the Secretary of State send a copy of this resolution to each
federally recognized tribal government in Montana on receipt of this resolution.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the Secretary of State collect the tribal resolutions and letter from
the Governor by June 30, 2025, and, as soon as possible after that date, send those communications along
with a copy of this resolution as a single package to the Speaker of the United States House of
69th Legislature 2025 HJ 1
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ENROLLED BILL
Representatives, to the Majority Leaders and Minority Leaders of the United States House of Representatives
and the United States Senate, to each member of the Montana Congressional Delegation, and to each federally
recognized tribal government in Montana.
- END -
I hereby certify that the within bill,
HJ 1, originated in the House.
___________________________________________
Chief Clerk of the House
___________________________________________
Speaker of the House
Signed this _______________________________day
of____________________________________, 2025.
___________________________________________
President of the Senate
Signed this _______________________________day
of____________________________________, 2025.
HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION NO. 1
INTRODUCED BY T. RUNNING WOLF
BY REQUEST OF THE STATE TRIBAL RELATIONS COMMITTEE
A JOINT RESOLUTION OF THE SENATE AND THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE STATE OF
MONTANA URGING THE UNITED STATES CONGRESS TO FULLY FUND PUBLIC SAFETY AND LAW
ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES, PROGRAMS, SERVICES, AND ACTIVITIES WITHIN MONTANA'S INDIAN
RESERVATIONS.