Congress Passes Tribal Law and Order Act
Congress passed the Tribal Law and Order Act (TLOA) on July 21, 2010, and the President is expected to sign it into law. This legislation seeks to reform the justice system in Indian country by establishing accountability measures for federal agencies responsible for law enforcement in Indian country and by providing tribes with tools to combat crime locally.
Some of the major provisions include:
- Evidence sharing by the federal government with tribal prosecutors
- Reports on declinations to prosecute by the DoJ
- Enhanced sentencing capability in tribal court
- Deputization of tribal police to enforce federal law
- Tribal police access to criminal history records
- Training to combat domestic and sexual violence
In addition, the legislation provides methods to appoint qualified tribal prosecutors to assist with prosecuting crimes in Indian country; appointment by U.S. Attorneys of tribal liaisons; authorization for cooperative law enforcement arrangements; changes in qualifications for BIA law enforcement officers; increased grant funding for various programs; and enhanced notification procedures regarding sex offenders.
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