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S. 3320: Tribal Law and Order Act of 2008

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S. 3320: Tribal Law and Order Act of 2008

110th Congress · introduced 2008-07-23 · Native Americans · Latest: Committee on Indian Affairs. Hearings held.

federal

Follow this bill, step by step

  1. Where it came from: introduced 2008-07-23 · official record
  2. Who proposed it: Sen. Dorgan, Byron L. [D-ND] · what a sponsor is
  3. What happened next: no floor votes in our records yet. Why?
  4. Where it stands now: Committee on Indian Affairs. Hearings held. Not final yet: this can still change. We check for updates every day.
  5. If it becomes law and spends money: follow the money to money laws, then agencies and contracts and grants.

What does this mean?

Official title

Tribal Law and Order Act of 2008

Plain summary

Tribal Law and Order Act of 2008 - Amends the Indian Law Enforcement Reform Act to direct the Secretary of the Interior to submit to Congress a long-term plan to address incarceration in Indian country. Authorizes each U.S. Attorney serving a district that includes Indian country to appoint Special Assistant U.S. Attorneys to prosecute crimes in Indian country when the crime rate, or the rate at which criminal offenses are declined to be prosecuted, exceeds the national average. Establishes in the Department of Justice's (DOJ) criminal division an Office of Indian Country Crime. Requires the United States to maintain concurrent jurisdiction to prosecute serious crimes in Indian country under specified circumstances. Authorizes the Attorney General to provide assistance to state, tribal, and local governments that enter into cooperative agreements to improve law enforcement effectiveness and reduce crime in and around Indian country. Directs the Attorney General to ensure that tribal law enforcement officials that meet applicable requirements have access to national crime information databases. Establishes: (1) the Indian Law and Order Commission to conduct a comprehensive study of law enforcement and criminal justice in tribal communities and recommend improvements to justice systems at the tribal, federal, and state levels; and (2) within the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), an Office of Indian Alcohol and Substance Abuse. Provides for: (1) the tracking of crimes committed in Indian country and grants to improve tribal data collection systems; (2) training in interviewing victims of domestic and sexual violence and collecting, preserving, and presenting evidence to prosecutors; (3) the development of victim services and victim advocate training programs; and (4) the development of standardized sexual assault policies and protocol.

Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in Senate), quoted unchanged (nonpartisan). Read the source.

What a vote does

A “Yea” vote

If it passes both chambers and is signed, it becomes law.

A “Nay” vote

If it is not passed, current law stays as it is.

PSI Sci description of the legislative step (not an opinion).

What does this mean? (plain words)

Official text

Tribal Law and Order Act of 2008

Source: Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in Senate)

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The strongest published arguments

Arguments for (supporters)

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Arguments against (opponents)

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Alternatives

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How did my representative vote? · This bill's floor votes

Officials and money

Sponsor: Sen. Dorgan, Byron L. [D-ND] · 12 cosponsors

Cost estimate: No cost estimate published yet.

Cosponsors on this site

Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), Maria Cantwell (D-WA), John Thune (R-SD)

No linked floor roll calls in our collected records yet. This does not mean the bill has never had a vote. Check the official bill history.

Words on this page, explained (1)
Jurisdiction
The area or the matters a government or court has authority over.

Plain meanings written from linked sources. All words.

Sources

Record fed-us-cong110-s3320 · catalog fed-us-congress-bills-cong110 · updated 2026-11-15 by psicol fed-bills-cong110