On May 22, 2025, Governor Tina Kotek approved Senate Bill 1011, allowing Oregon Tribes to initiate formal petitions for the repeal of Public Law 83‑280 (PL‑280), which grants the state jurisdiction over criminal and civil matters on some tribal lands .
Until now, PL‑280 placed tribal lands under state oversight without tribal consent—leaving critical matters such as law enforcement and court authority fragmented. SB 1011 addresses this by introducing a much-needed formal process and timeline for jurisdictional retrocession to tribes indianz.com+6opb.org+6narf.org+6.
Key elements include:
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Unanimous legislative support, signaling bipartisan recognition of sovereignty rights.
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Tribes like the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation leading the charge.
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Once approved at the state level, tribes can take their requests to the federal government to officially regain authority over legal matters on their land .
Why this matters:
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Reinforces tribal court authority over civil issues among tribal citizens.
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Restores federal authority for criminal matters, replacing fragmented state oversight.
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Builds a fair, structured path to reclaim judicial autonomy, moving away from ambiguous legacy policies.
