Latest news with #NativeAmerican-focused
Yahoo
13-06-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Lawmakers cut a tribal liaison with prisons from the budget. Tribes say they think it would help.
Flags of the 11 Native American tribes of Wisconsin in the Wisconsin State Capitol. (Wisconsin Examiner photo) At a state prison in Stanley, Wisconsin, participants in a Native American-focused group take part in traditional cultural practices. According to Ryan Greendeer, executive government relations officer with the Ho-Chunk Nation, Stanley Correctional Institution's chaplain recently reached out to the tribe with requests for the group's programming. The chaplain wanted teaching materials, as many materials in the current selection were old. He said that men learn songs and Native language with the materials, as well as history and culture. The chaplain said the men are eager to learn more about all things Native, according to Greendeer. He was also seeking a larger pipe bowl and poles to help build a new lodge. The pipe has a history of ceremonial use. The prison's annual report for fiscal year 2024 mentions a Native American smudge and drum group. The report says that each month, several religious organizations and volunteers come in to hold various services, and the list includes 'Sweat Lodge (Native American).' There were 79 American Indian or Alaska Native people at Stanley Correctional as of April 30, according to the Wisconsin Department of Corrections (DOC). Gov. Tony Evers' budget recommendations for corrections included a tribal liaison position for the DOC. The liaison would be responsible for working with Native American tribes and bands on the agency's behalf. Each of the governor's cabinet agencies has already set at least one staff member to be a tribal liaison. The governor's proposal would create a new position, set aside for the job of tribal liaison for corrections. Evers also proposed creating a director of Native American affairs in the Department of Administration and tribal liaisons in several other agencies, including the Department of Justice and Department of Natural Resources. 'Gov. Evers' commitment has been—and always will be—to ensure that the state maintains strong partnerships with the Tribal Nations by recognizing and respecting the needs and perspectives of the Nations and Indigenous people,' Britt Cudaback, communications director for the governor's office, said in an email. The Legislature's Joint Finance Committee removed the proposed positions in May, along with hundreds of other items proposed by Evers. 'Unfortunately, [Evers] sends us an executive budget that's just piles full of stuff that doesn't make sense and spends recklessly and raises taxes and has way too much policy,' Joint Finance Committee co-chair Mark Born (R-Beaver Dam) said in May. Tribes already work with the state, including the Oneida Nation, which is located in northeast Wisconsin. The tribe told the Examiner that it continues to work with the state to make sure incarcerated Native Americans have proper access to culturally based practices and resources. With a tribal liaison that can help navigate the corrections system, the tribe's efforts to make sure resources are provided and distributed appropriately make better progress, the tribe said. 'These efforts will continue whether or not a tribal liaison position exists, although the impact on incarcerated individuals who use culturally based resources may be greater as efforts take longer,' the tribe said. The Oneida Nation said it 'supports tribes' efforts to ensure incarcerated members maintain access to appropriate support services as provided by tribal, state, and federal laws.' Maggie Olson, communications coordinator for the St. Croix Chippewa Indians of Wisconsin, said the tribe is not located close to the corrections facilities where their tribal members are incarcerated. This is a significant barrier, she said. 'It would be nice to be able to have a better handle on where our people are within the system to ensure they are having their spiritual and cultural needs met,' Olson said in an email to the Examiner. 'It is much easier (at this time) to meet religious needs (think Christianity) within the correctional system than it is to meet the spiritual and cultural needs of Native Americans within the system.' A great first step would be having a dedicated person who can build relationships with incarcerated Native Americans, she said. In a statement, the tribe said the liaison 'would be a start to developing and enhancing tribal input with State initiatives.' The tribe said it wants to work with the DOC on access to supportive services in county jails. Olson said she met DOC Secretary Jared Hoy at an event on June 5 and that they had a great discussion about the potential benefits of a tribal liaison at the agency. 'With the uncertainties surrounding federal funding, we are hopeful state funding will be increased to tribal programs in Wisconsin,' Olson said. The tribe's criminal justice work involves partnership with the DOC. In the St. Croix Tribal Reintegration Program, case managers work with tribal members before and after their release from prison or jail, the tribe said. The program has a memo of understanding with the Department of Corrections, providing guidance for working relationships between tribal reentry and probation. All of the governor's cabinet agencies have consultation policies that say how they will work with tribal governments. Agencies and tribal elected officials have annual consultation meetings to talk about programs, laws and funding that may affect the tribe. Discussions at the annual state-tribal consultation tend to be about high-level policy, but they can delve into specifics, Greendeer said. He gave an example related to tribal members who are on probation or parole. 'For example, a topic that keeps coming up is re-entry programming for enrolled tribal member offenders,' Greendeer said. 'A concern discussed at a recent consultation was that probation/parole officers might not consider tribal norms/values, citing a lack of eye contact in saying a client is disengaged or disconnected.' The co-chairs and vice-chairs of the Joint Finance Committee did not respond to requests for comment. DOC communications director Beth Hardtke did not answer a question from the Examiner about the responsibilities and goals of the tribal liaison position. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX
Yahoo
11-06-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
North Dakota governor's veto ‘clear and unambiguous,' attorney general says
Attorney General Drew Wrigley and Chief Deputy Attorney General Claire Ness talk to reporters June 11, 2025, about an opinion related to Gov. Kelly Armstrong's veto. (Mary Steurer/North Dakota Monitor) North Dakota's attorney general said Wednesday Gov. Kelly Armstrong's veto was 'sound,' dismissing a differing conclusion by legislative staff that his intent was unclear and the Legislature should hold a special session to fix the error. The opinion by Attorney General Drew Wrigley means $35 million for housing programs Armstrong's office unintentionally crossed out in a May line-item veto can move forward unless the matter is challenged in court or the Legislature reconvenes. Armstrong's veto message for the Industrial Commission budget described cutting $150,000 set aside for a Native American-focused organization to fund a homelessness liaison position. But a markup of the bill also crossed out a $35 million appropriation for affordable housing and homelessness — funding Armstrong had intended to leave intact. His office later said there had been a 'staff markup error.' 'Prudent remedy' for veto error is special session, Legislative Council advises Since then, the Legislature has been trying to figure out what actions, if any, must be taken to address the veto — including the possibility of calling a special session. Wrigley found that the unintentional markup does not change the substance of the veto because Armstrong's written veto message was 'clear and unambiguous' about what parts of Senate Bill 2014 he intended to cut. He said in a Wednesday press conference that a 'visual image' should not 'take precedence over the written orders, the detailed description offered by the one person with the power to veto.' Attorneys for North Dakota's legislative branch in a Friday memo took a very different position, advising the Legislature that calling a special session would be the 'prudent remedy' for the mistake. In its memo, Legislative Council said legal precedent suggests the marked-up bill is part of the official veto document. 'It would not be appropriate to allow the Governor and Attorney General to resolve the ambiguity by agreement,' the memo states. Doing so could have unintended consequences for how ambiguous vetoes are handled in the future, Legislative Council said. Wrigley called the Legislative Council memo a 'political document' and said the Attorney General's Office has the final say on the matter unless the issue is challenged in court. 'The power in question is strictly the governor's power and it has to be in compliance with the constitution and laws of North Dakota,' he told the North Dakota Monitor last week. 'That's the only assessment here. There's no role for this in Legislative Council. They have no authority in this regard.' Armstrong, whose office requested the opinion, in a statement agreed with Wrigley's findings. 'We appreciate the Attorney General's determination, which clarifies the matter, avoids the cost of a special session and nullifies the flawed interpretation that initially blew this up into something much bigger than it needed to be,' he said. A special session is estimated to cost $65,000 per day, Legislative Council has said. The Legislature could still decide to reconvene for a special session to override the veto if it chooses to, Wrigley said. Legislative Council Director John Bjornson said the office did not immediately have a statement on the opinion. This story was updated. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE Attorney General Opinion
Yahoo
06-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
‘Prudent remedy' for veto error is special session, Legislative Council advises
Gov. Kelly Armstrong speaks during a meeting of the Senate Appropriations Committee on March 27, 2025. (Michael Achterling/North Dakota Monitor) Legal staff for North Dakota's legislative branch concluded the 'prudent remedy' to correct an error with Gov. Kelly Armstrong's line-item veto would be for the governor to call a special session, according to a memo issued Friday. But Attorney General Drew Wrigley, who is working on a separate opinion, maintains that Legislative Council has no role in determining the execution of the governor's veto. Armstrong announced May 22 a 'markup error' with a line-item veto that crossed out $35 million for a state housing development fund. The red X over the funding did not match what Armstrong indicated in his veto message that explained his reasoning. North Dakota governor unintentionally vetoes $35 million for housing programs A Legislative Council memo distributed to lawmakers Friday concluded that legal precedent supports the marked-up bill as the official veto document. 'Engaging in interpretive gymnastics' to disregard the markings on the bill could lead to unintended consequences in the future, Legislative Council concluded. Emily Thompson, legal division director for Legislative Council, said the Legislature needs to have an objective document to clearly illustrate what was vetoed, such as the specific veto markings on the bill, so lawmakers can exercise their veto override authority effectively. Lawmakers have six days remaining in their 80-day limit and could call themselves back into session to address the veto. However, the memo cautions that the Legislature may need those days to reconvene to respond to federal funding issues or other unforeseen reasons. Legislative Council recommends the governor call a special session, which would not count against the 80-day limit. A special session of the Legislature costs about $65,000 per day, according to Legislative Council. Armstrong is waiting for an attorney general's opinion to determine the next steps, according to a statement from his office. He previously said he would call a special session if necessary. Wrigley said Friday it's up to his office to assess the situation and issue an opinion on the governor's question. 'The power in question is strictly the governor's power and it has to be in compliance with the constitution and laws of North Dakota,' Wrigley said. 'That's the only assessment here. There's no role for this in Legislative Council. They have no authority in this regard.' Armstrong on May 19 issued two line-item vetoes in Senate Bill 2014, the budget for the state Industrial Commission. His veto message explained his reasons for objecting to a $150,000 one-time grant for a Native American-focused organization to fund a homelessness liaison position. But the marking also crossed out $25 million for housing projects and programs and $10 million to combat homelessness, which he later said he did not intend to veto. Chris Joseph, general counsel for Armstrong, wrote in a request for an attorney general's opinion that the markings served as a 'color-coded visual aid,' and the veto message should control the extent of the veto. Wrigley said his office is working on the opinion and aware that resolution of the issue is time sensitive. Bills passed by the Legislature with appropriations attached to them, such as the Industrial Commission budget, go into effect July 1. 'I look forward to publishing my opinion on that at the earliest possible time,' he said. The Legislative Council memo states, 'It would not be appropriate to allow the governor and attorney general to resolve the ambiguity by agreement.' In addition, Legislative Council concluded that if the governor's veto message is to be considered the controlling document for vetoes in the future, more ambiguities would likely be 'inevitable and frequent' and require resolution through the courts. The memo cites a 2018 North Dakota Supreme Court opinion involving a case between the Legislature and then-Gov. Doug Burgum that ruled 'a veto is complete and irrevocable upon return of the vetoed bill to the originating house,' and further stated the governor does not have the power to 'withdraw a veto.' 'Setting a precedent of the attorney general issuing a letter saying we can just go ahead and interpret the governor's veto message to mean what was, or was not, vetoed, that's a really concerning precedent to set,' Thompson said in an interview. Wrigley said any issues resulting from the opinion could be addressed by the courts. 'I sincerely hope that they (Legislative Council) are not trying to somehow publicly advocate, or attempt to influence a process for which they have no role,' Wrigley said. Legislative Council memo SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX
Yahoo
22-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
North Dakota governor unintentionally vetoes $35 million for housing programs
Gov. Kelly Armstrong chairs a North Dakota Industrial Commission meeting on May 22, 2025, at the North Dakota Capitol in Bismarck. (Mary Steurer/North Dakota Monitor) Gov. Kelly Armstrong announced Thursday that he accidentally vetoed part of a bill that set aside $35 million for a state housing development fund. Senate Bill 2014 is the budget for the North Dakota Industrial Commission. On Monday, Armstrong announced two line-item vetoes for the bill. His office said a 'staff markup error' led to the unintentional veto of $25 million for housing projects and programs and $10 million to combat homelessness. Staff from the governor's office met with Legislative Council Thursday to discuss options for correcting the error. 'If necessary, we will call the Legislature back to ensure the appropriate funding is delivered, but we hope to avoid the expense of a special session. This was an honest mistake, and we will fix it,' Armstrong said in a Thursday statement. North Dakota governor issues 7 line-item vetoes, including lawmaker 'immunity' provision According to his veto message, Armstrong had intended to veto a $150,000 one-time grant for a Native American-focused organization to fund a homelessness liaison position. The veto markup also crossed some surrounding language, axing the full $35 million appropriation in the section. During a Thursday meeting of the Industrial Commission, which Armstrong chairs, he emphasized his 'full-throated' endorsement of the Housing Incentive Fund, which supports the construction of affordable housing. 'We are talking to whoever, everybody we can — Legislative Council, lawmakers, everybody — to figure out if there is a legal way we can solve this without calling them back into a special session and costing taxpayer dollars,' Armstrong said. 'However, if that is the only alternative, that would be exactly what I will be doing.' Legislative Council staff will advise on options to fix the error, but it will be up to the governor and legislative leaders to decide how to proceed, said Legislative Council Director John Bjornson. At this point, a special session is the only obvious legal remedy, he said. 'I think we all want the easy solution, but sometimes the easy solution has consequences down the line that you need to consider,' Bjornson said. Legislators have six days remaining of the 80-day legislative limit. If the governor calls them back into session, it would not count against that limit. Bjornson estimated it would take about a half day for lawmakers to consider overriding the governor's veto. But there is no mechanism for lawmakers to consider overriding part of a veto, he said. Lawmakers could also consider a standalone bill that restores the $35 million in funding. But Legislative Council estimates it typically takes three days to pass a bill. A special session is estimated to cost $65,000 a day, Bjornson said. Senate Majority Leader David Hogue, R-Minot, said lawmakers are still looking into how to proceed. 'We're just going to do the research first and pick the best course of action,' Hogue said. Dave Flohr, executive director of the North Dakota Housing Finance Agency, said during the Industrial Commission meeting that once the state sorts out the issue with the funding, the agency plans to set aside $5 million for single-family home projects and $20 million for multi-family housing. This story was updated to add comments from Gov. Armstrong, David Hogue and Dave Flohr. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX
