Us Congress House Bill HB2850

Us Congress 2023-2024 Regular Session

• Introduced: 4/25/23
• Refer: 4/25/23

Caption

To amend the Grand Ronde Reservation Act to address the hunting, fishing, trapping, and animal gathering rights of the Confederated Tribes of the Grand Ronde Community, and for other purposes.

Impact

The impacts of HB 2850 are poised to enhance the sovereignty of the Confederated Tribes of the Grand Ronde Community in terms of resource management, particularly in hunting and fishing, areas that are culturally significant to the tribe. It reinstates the importance of the Grand Ronde Hunting and Fishing Agreement, ensuring that any future changes to such agreements will not compromise the rights of the tribes. In doing so, the bill may also set a precedent for future legislation regarding tribal rights and state agreements, emphasizing a collaborative approach to managing natural resources.

Summary

House Bill 2850 aims to amend the Grand Ronde Reservation Act to clarify and address the hunting, fishing, trapping, and animal gathering rights of the Confederated Tribes of the Grand Ronde Community. The bill serves to ensure that these rights are formally recognized and protected under state law, following historical agreements between the tribe and the state of Oregon. This includes the establishment of a framework for governmental agreements that reaffirm these rights, which are crucial for the tribe's cultural identity and sustenance.

Contention

While the bill seeks to clarify existing rights, there may be contention regarding how it intersects with state laws and prior agreements, especially concerning treaty rights that may be interpreted differently by various stakeholders. Critics of the bill may argue that it does not go far enough in securing the rights of the tribe against potential state encroachment or does not adequately represent the rights of other Indian tribes within Oregon. Furthermore, the language of the bill aims to prevent any amendment from affecting the rights of other tribes, which could lead to disputes over resource management rights in shared territories.