Three bills address the Oklahoma Advisory Council on Indian Education, which is scheduled to dissolve in July 2026. The legislature created the board in 2010 to advocate for Native American students and improve their quality of education. The council does so by offering recommendations to the State Board of Education and the Superintendent of Public Instruction.
House Bill 3320 by Mike Osburn, R-Edmond, would continue the council indefinitely, while House Bill 3006, authored by Representative Gerrid Kendrix (R-Altus), pushes the council's sunset date back a year to July 2027.
Senate Bill 1721, authored by Senator Ally Seifried (R-Claremore), seeks to extend the sunset date to July 2029 and add member requirements. The proposed requirement details that members appointed to the council "shall be a duly authorized representative of that tribe, tribal education department, or tribal entity at the time of appointment and throughout the duration of his or her appointment." According to the bill's language, that status is granted by the leadership of the tribe or tribal entity; if the council member is no longer authorized by the tribal leadership, the member's position will become vacant.
Corey Bunch is the Chairman of the Oklahoma Advisory Council on Indian Education and the Chief of Staff of the Cherokee Nation, as well as a tribal member. He served on the council for a couple of years on and off and has noted the progress the council members have made by giving a voice to Native students across the state's public schools.
He believes the council should exist indefinitely.
"There are many federally recognized tribal nations in the state of Oklahoma and across this country," Bunch said. "We have very unique histories, cultures, languages and values. Those have been around since time immemorial. And we need to — in our public schools and for our Native American students — be continuously teaching those and promoting those to show them who they are and who they can be, and to be proud of where they came from."
The council has faced a shortage of members in the past. But the limitation Bunch noted is that the state education leaders don't necessarily have to put their suggestions into practice.
"What we hope is that if we make a recommendation that they take it up in one of their meetings officially and they at least have a good discussion on these topics," Bunch said. "And then it's up to them to really put anything into action."
Law enforcement and compacting
Representative Scott Fetgatter, R-Okmulgee, is the state's first tribal external affairs leader and a citizen of the Choctaw Nation. He authored House Bill 4127, which would create the Tribal Compact Act of 2026. But it's a shell bill, meaning most of the details have yet to be released.
Fetgatter also authored House Bill 4135, which seeks to allow law enforcement officers to react immediately to criminal activity regardless of whether they violate the criminal statutes of the tribe, state or federal government. The bill said it aims to alleviate law enforcement's reluctance to provide services on or near tribal lands due to fears of potential litigation.
Another law enforcement bill works to update the law language regarding peace officers in the state.
Senate Bill 1701, authored by Senator Shane Jett (R-Shawnee), eliminates the requirement to be "commissioned by the Federal Bureau of Indian Affairs" for law enforcement officers of federally recognized tribes and the BIA. The policy change would apply to officers who enfoce state laws on fee land in Indian Country and have received certification through the Council on Law Enforcement Education and Training.
This report was produced by the Oklahoma Public Media Exchange, a collaboration of public media organizations. Help support collaborative journalism by donating at the link at the top of this webpage.
