Shivwits Band of Paiutes Jurisdictional Clarity Act

Last action on Dec 17, 2025Committee on Indian Affairs. Hearings held.

Summary

The Shivwits Band of Paiutes Jurisdictional Clarity Act would transfer legal authority over certain civil disputes from tribal courts to Utah state courts. Specifically, it would allow the State of Utah to handle any civil lawsuits involving the Shivwits Band of Paiutes that arise on or relate to the tribe's trust lands—lands held in trust by the federal government for the tribe's benefit or subject to federal restrictions on sale or transfer.

The bill would also allow contract and lease disputes to be resolved in state court rather than tribal court. Additionally, it would authorize the Shivwits Band of Paiutes to lease its trust lands for periods of up to 99 years, giving the tribe greater flexibility in managing its property. For everyday citizens, this means that disputes involving the tribe or its lands would be handled through the Utah state court system rather than tribal legal processes.

Currently, the bill has been introduced in the Senate and has received a hearing before the Committee on Indian Affairs, but it has not yet advanced further in the legislative process. Most introduced bills do not become law.

Lifecycle of the Bill

Committee on Indian Affairs. Hearings held.

Dec 17, 2025

HearingSenateMeeting

Dec 17, 2025 · 19:30

Business meeting to consider S.3383, to amend the Act of August 9, 1955, to make improvements to that Act; to be immediately followed by hearings to examine S.236, to amend the Act of August 9, 1955 (commonly known as the "Long-Term Leasing Act"), to authorize leases of up to 99 years for land in the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe Reservation and land held in trust for the Wampanoag Tribe of Gay Head (Aquinnah), S.1508, to confer jurisdiction on the State of Utah with respect to civil causes of action arising on or within the Indian lands of the Shivwits Band of Paiutes, S.1513, to take certain Federal land in the State of Washington into trust for the Lower Elwha Klallam Tribe, S.2735, to take certain Federal land in the State of California into trust for the benefit of the Shingle Springs Band of Miwok Indians.

Committee

Senate Committee on Indian Affairs

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Summary

On December 18, 2025, the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs held a business meeting to consider S.3383, the Unlocking Native Lands and Opportunities for Commerce and Key Economic Developments Act (UNLOCKED Act), followed by legislative hearings on four tribal-specific bills. S.3383 would amend the Long-Term Leasing Act of 1955 to allow Indian tribes to lease their trust lands for up to 99 years and grant rights-of-way on tribal land without federal approval, compared to the current 25-year limit with one renewal option. Senators Lisa Murkowski and Brian Schatz, who co-sponsored the measure, argued that longer lease terms are necessary to secure financing for infrastructure and economic development projects. The committee also heard testimony from tribal leaders on four companion bills. S.236 would authorize the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe and Wampanoag Tribe of Gay Head (Aquinnah) to lease their lands for up to 99 years. S.1513 would transfer over 1,000 acres of former hydroelectric project lands into trust for the Lower Elwha Klallam Tribe to support salmon restoration and cultural preservation. S.1508 would confer jurisdiction on Utah courts to hear civil cases involving the Shivwits Band of Paiutes, addressing a jurisdictional barrier that has discouraged business partnerships. S.2735 would place approximately 204 acres of federal and tribal land in California into trust for the Shingle Springs Band of Miwok Indians. The Department of the Interior expressed support for the bills, stating that tribal governments are best positioned to determine appropriate lease terms and that the legislation would facilitate economic development. A hearing does not guarantee that a bill will advance to a floor vote.

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Shivwits Band of Paiutes Jurisdictional Clarity Act

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Senate Committee on Indian Affairs

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