119th Congress Native Americans
S. 1967: PROTECT Act of 2025
Introduced
- Introduced (completed)
- Passed Senate (not reached)
- Passed House (not reached)
- To the President (not reached)
- Became law (not reached)
Summary
This bill expands special tribal criminal jurisdiction (STCJ) to include certain controlled substance-related offenses and firearms offenses. It also allows tribal courts to execute warrants for electronic material.
STCJ allows participating tribes to investigate, prosecute, convict, and sentence both Indian and non-Indian offenders who commit covered crimes in Indian country against Indian victims. Covered crimes currently include assault of tribal justice personnel, child violence, dating violence, domestic violence, obstruction of justice, sexual violence, sex trafficking, stalking, and a violation of a protection order.
The bill expands STCJ to allow participating tribes to prosecute individuals for controlled substance-related offenses (i.e., drug trafficking, unlawful drug possession, or unlawful possession of drug paraphernalia) and firearms offenses (i.e., use or possession of a firearm in furtherance of a covered crime or by a person who has been convicted of domestic violence).
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Additionally, the bill allows participating tribes to exercise STCJ over a controlled substance-related offense or a firearms offense if neither the defendant nor the alleged victim is an Indian. (Currently, this exception only applies in cases of obstruction of justice or assault of tribal justice personnel.)
The bill allows offenders convicted pursuant to STCJ to be incarcerated through the Bureau of Prisons Tribal Prisoner Program.
The bill gives tribal courts the same authority as state courts to compel service providers to disclose stored electronic communication information through court-issued warrants, court orders, or administrative subpoenas.
Written by the Congressional Research Service, Library of Congress.
Roll calls
No roll call votes have been held on this bill.
Amendments
No amendments were offered to this bill.
Cosponsors
- Tina Smith D-MNOriginal
Who scored on this bill
- 1Steve Daines SponsorDrew cross-party cosponsors, introduced2 events+6
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Introductions and cosponsorships count toward weekly caps and show no points.
Other bills by Steve Daines
- S. 240: Crow Tribe Water Rights Settlement Amendments Act of 2025
- S. 239: Crow Revenue Act
- S. 4041: Cooperative Watershed Management Program Reauthorization Act of 2026
- S. 1175: Small County PILT Parity Act
- S. 1547: America the Beautiful Act
- S. 1020: To require the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission to extend the time period during which licensees are required to commence construction of certain hydropower projects
History
- Introduced in the Senate by Steve Daines.
Show the full action history (2 actions)
- Introduced in Senate
- Read twice and referred to the Committee on Indian Affairs.