Idaho tribal policing bill fails by one vote after lengthy debate

Friday, February 18, 2011  

A controversial bill to allow tribes to enforce state law failed in the Idaho House by one vote on Thursday.

HB 111 survived a nine-hour committee debate last week. But during three hours of debate on the floor, opponents raised concerns about tribes gaining too much power over non-Indians.

“There are ghosts and goblins out there that people are trying to come up with … that don’t exist,” said Rep. Bob Nonini (R), the chaiman of the Idaho Council on Indian Affairs, The Spokesman Review.

The Coeur d’Alene Tribe pushed the bill in order to address law and safety on the reservation. The tribe has a cross-deputization agreement with one county but another county refuses to negotiate.

Get the Story:
Tribal policing measure fails (The Spokesman Review 2/18)
Narrow defeat for tribal law enforcement bill (The Lewiston Morning Tribune 2/17)
Tribal policing bills fails on House floor by single vote (The Idaho Reporter 2/17)

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Editorial: Public suffers in Coeur d'Alene policing dispute (4/26)
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