Maine lawmakers revisit bills to restore Wabanaki sovereignty
Lawmakers in Maine are again considering legislation aimed at restoring more sovereignty to the Wabanaki Nations, according to reporting by Maine Morning Star. Two bills are scheduled for public hearings in Augusta: one that would implement remaining recommendations from a 2019 task force on the Maine Indian Claims Settlement Act and one that would restore the Wabanaki Nations’ access to beneficial federal laws. Both measures are sponsored by Sen. Rachel Talbot Ross, D-Cumberland.
The Penobscot Nation, Passamaquoddy Tribe, Houlton Band of Maliseet Indians and Mi’kmaq Nation are treated differently than other federally recognized tribes under the 1980 settlement act. Gov. Janet Mills has rejected broader changes to the law, though she has approved narrower updates, including expanding tribal authority over sports betting and internet gaming. One of the bills set for public hearings would allow the Wabanaki Nations to benefit from federal laws unless expressly excluded, reversing the current framework established under the settlement act.
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