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THURSDAY, APRIL 3, 2003

The Florida House Committee on Public Safety and Crime Prevention voted 11-6 to approve a bill that retrocedes state jurisdiction over Miccosukee tribal lands.

But a procedural move prevented the measure from advancing to the House floor for at least a week. The St. Petersburg Times said two tribal lobbyists "twisted arms and whispered in the ears of committee members" to get the bill passed.

The paper, in an editorial, opposed the bill. Miccosukee chairman Billy Cypress, in a letter, said the editorial was "misguided and erroneous." " We are a separate people with our own language and culture," he wrote. "We object to forced assimilation. The Florida law is an affront to our tribe and conflicts with our basic civil rights under federal Indian law."

Get the Story:
Miccosukees can police their own, they convince House committee (The St. Petersburg Times 4/3)
Rundle, sheriffs balk at tribal immunity bill (The Miami Herald 4/3)
Letter: Law on Indian policing should be repealed (The St. Petersburg Times 4/3)

Related Stories:
Editorial: Don't pass tribal jurisdiction bill (3/31)
Miccosukee Chair: Law will restore our dignity (03/17)
Fla. panel approves tribal jurisdiction bill (3/14)
Fla. asked to cede jurisdiction over tribe (02/19)
Miccosukee Tribe seeks end to state police power (02/06)
Fla. tribe arrests court official (07/10)
Billie given two life sentences (4/20)
Billie plans appeal of murder conviction (2/23)
Fla. murder trial winds up (2/22)
Mother testifies about death of sons (2/8)
Murder trial begins in Florida (2/7)
Feds dispute tribe's brand of justice (10/16)
Miccosukee tribe tries to protect sovereignty (9/26)