OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — Tribal sovereignty is expected to again be a top issue facing lawmakers and Gov. Kevin Stitt as they return on Monday to begin the 2024 legislative session.
Stitt, a Republican and himself a citizen of the Cherokee Nation, has had a contentious relationship with tribal leaders that began with a dispute during his first year in office over casino revenue and has worsened with conflict over agreements on tobacco sales, motor vehicle tags, taxes and criminal jurisdiction.
The governor, now in his second term, has been a frequent critic of expanded tribal sovereignty and of the landmark 2020 U.S. Supreme Court decision that determined state prosecutors lack criminal jurisdiction over certain crimes committed in Indian Country.
In an interview with The Associated Press last week, Stitt said his role is to represent all 4 million Oklahomans and not allow tribal citizens to have an unfair advantage. He believes that could happen if the Oklahoma Supreme Court rules in favor of a Native American woman who claims she doesn’t have to pay state income taxes because she lives and works on a tribal reservation.