Section 1 Short title
This Act may be cited as the “Tribal Courts Support Act”.
Tribal Courts Support Act
A BILL
To expedite new Tribal court assessments and base support funding, and for other purposes.
Sec. 2 Indian Tribal Justice Act Amendments
The Indian Tribal Justice Act (25 U.S.C. 3601 et seq.) is amended—
in section 102 (25 U.S.C. 3612), by adding at the end the following:
“(d) Initial Annual survey priorities—In the course of the initial annual survey for an Indian Tribe, the Office may instruct the non-Federal entity, which may be either a for-profit or nonprofit entity, which conditions under subsection (b) to prioritize, expedite, or both.”
in section 103 (25 U.S.C. 3613)—
in subsection (c), by adding at the end the following:
“(5) The Secretary shall have discretion to adjust the base support funding formula under this subsection as needed to provide initial base support funding to an Indian Tribe that has not received funding.”
by adding at the end the following:
“(d) Initial base support funding
“(1) The Secretary shall provide initial base support funding on an expedited basis to an Indian Tribe that has not previously received funding under this section.
“(2) In determining the initial base support funding for an Indian Tribe under this subsection, the Secretary may consider the local conditions listed in subsection (b) of section (102) and the factors listed in subsection (c)(3) of this section, to the extent such factors are available for that Indian Tribe. The Secretary may not delay the initial base support funding to the Indian Tribe due to the unavailability of such information.”
Sec. 3 Report on Barriers to Tribal Justice Services
Not later than 360 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Comptroller General shall conduct an audit of and issue a report on barriers that prevent Indian Tribes from accessing Tribal justice services. The report may include the following:
Recommendations that may enable timely and efficient provision of services to Indian Tribes.
Information on and an analysis of the following:
The process by which—
Tribal court assessments are conducted by Tribal Justice Support; and
approved Tribal Justice Support funds are distributed to Indian Tribes.
Whether the length of such an assessment process is necessary in the initial case of a Tribe seeking to establish a Tribal court and, if not, whether and how such an assessment process may be truncated, expedited, or segmented in the case of a Tribe seeking to establish a Tribal court.
Federal funds that may be saved and returned to the Bureau of Indian Affairs Tribal Priority Allocations due to a streamlined initial court establishment assessment process.
Whether and how the assessment process may be customized to the particular judicial jurisdictions and customs of each Indian Tribe.
Whether and how a Indian Tribe may continue accessing Tribal Justice Support funding and services while a pending Tribal court assessment is being processed.