Ute tribes invited to address annual joint session of Colorado Legislature – Colorado Newsline

Gov. Jared Polis signed a invoice into legislation final week that some say will help the Ute tribes in Colorado and foster a robust relationship between the communities and the state. 

The Tribal Governments Annual Handle To Joint Session legislation requires the state Home and Senate to ask representatives from the Ute Mountain Ute Tribe and the Southern Ute Indian Tribe to handle a joint session of the Colorado Legislature. The Ute Mountain Ute Tribe and the Southern Ute Indian Tribe are Colorado’s two federally acknowledged tribes. 

Polis additionally declared April 11, 2022, “Ute Day on the Capitol,” writing in a proclamation that the state of Colorado appreciates and applauds the Ute tribes and designates Ute Day on the Capitol to publicly rejoice and honor the Ute tribes.

Senate Invoice 22-105 requires the speaker of the Home of Representatives and the president of the Senate to ask representatives from each the Ute Mountain Ute Tribe and the Southern Ute Indian Tribe to talk at a joint session of the final meeting annually. 

“Whereas the Tribe is honored for the popularity of Ute Day 2022, we’ve got recognized important areas for enchancment in our relationship with the State administration and Colorado Fee of Indian Affairs,” Southern Ute Tribal Council Chairman Melvin J. Baker stated in a assertion. “This traditionally optimistic relationship ought to proceed to be an instance to the US and Indian Nation of how sovereign tribal nations can work alongside their State authorities to create financial growth, safety of our individuals and pure sources, and rejoice distinctive cultures and acknowledgment of the traumatic histories so tribal and surrounding communities can thrive.”

“To take care of the connection it have to be nurtured, revered and true curiosity invested,” Baker stated. 

The invoice was sponsored by state Sen. Kerry Donovan, a Democrat from Vail, who serves as Senate president professional tem, and state Rep. Barbara McLachlan, a Democrat from Durango. 

“Tribes are our companions, and so they shouldn’t be left standing on the sidelines when coverage is being developed and applied,” Donovan stated in a assertion. “This invoice supplies the right basis to begin constructing that relationship.” 

The Ute Tribe leaders additionally met with Polis and Lt. Gov. Dianne Primavera to speak about present tasks and initiatives final week, in line with the assertion from Polis.  

The invoice is a part of Donovan’s dedication to constructing a stronger partnership between the Colorado’s federally acknowledged tribes and the state, in line with a Colorado Senate Democrats assertion. 

The invoice handed the Senate 29-4 in February and handed the Home 51-11 final month.

In regards to the tribes

The Ute Mountain Ute Tribe is a sovereign nation with headquarters in Towaoc, in Montezuma County. Nearly all of the reservation’s over 553,000 acres is positioned in Montezuma and La Plata counties, in southwestern Colorado. Among the reservation is in San Juan County, in New Mexico, in line with the Ute Mountain Ute Tribe’s web site. 

The Ute Mountain Ute Tribe has over 2,000 members. 

The Southern Ute Indian Tribe’s administration is positioned in Ignacio, in La Plata County. The Southern Ute Reservation has 681,000 acres and there are about 1,400 tribal members, in line with the Southern Ute Tribe’s web site. 

Colorado would be the first state to ask tribal leaders to the state Capitol to speak concerning the wants of their communities, Donovan stated.

Along with the 2 federally acknowledged tribes, there are 46 different Historic Tribes of Colorado, in line with the Colorado Fee of Indian Affairs. 

About 74,000 individuals in Colorado determine as American Indian or Alaskan Native, in line with the 2020 Census Bureau. Many individuals who determine as American Indian or Alaskan Native reside within the Denver metro and Colorado Springs areas, in line with the CCIA web site.