I stand in support of LD 2007: An Act Regarding the Criminal Jurisdiction of Tribal Courts and to Extend the Time for the Penobscot Nation to Certify its Agreement to Public Law 2023. This version of the of the bill, while more limiting in scope than the original draft, finds common ground concerning the jurisdiction of tribal courts. The four Maine tribes, and their respective courts, can operate, if approved, in accordance with the Indian Civil Rights Act of 1968, the Tribal Law and Order Act of 2010, and the tribal provisions of the Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act of 2022. LD 2007 also recognizes the exclusive authority of the Penobscot Nation to regulate drinking water similarly to the authority gained by the Passamaquoddy Tribe in legislation passed in 2022. Maine tribes must be able to operate as the other 570 recognized tribes in the United States are able to do; this change is long overdue and a good first step in that direction.
Deb Burd
New Vineyard, Maine
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