Seneca Nation Law Enforcement Efficiency Act

This bill would address a decades-old legal framework that has created confusion over law enforcement authority on Seneca Nation lands in Western New York. Currently, a 1948 federal law grants New York State criminal and civil jurisdiction over the Seneca Nation reservations, while the federal government and the Seneca Nation also retain certain law enforcement powers. This overlapping authority has resulted in coordination problems and enforcement challenges. The bill would remove New York State's automatic jurisdiction over Seneca lands, but only if both the Seneca Nation and the U.S. Attorney General agree in writing to the change. The bill does not mandate immediate action; instead, it creates a legal pathway for resolving jurisdictional confusion when all parties consent. Supporters argue that the current patchwork system has complicated investigations, limited coordination, and allowed criminals to exploit jurisdictional gaps, particularly in drug trafficking cases affecting Seneca territories and nearby communities like Salamanca.