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S. 2616: Alaska Tribal Public Safety Empowerment Act

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S. 2616: Alaska Tribal Public Safety Empowerment Act

116th Congress · introduced 2019-10-16 · Native Americans · Latest: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Indian Affairs.

federal

Follow this bill, step by step

  1. Where it came from: introduced 2019-10-16 · official record
  2. Who proposed it: Sen. Murkowski, Lisa [R-AK] · what a sponsor is
  3. What happened next: no floor votes in our records yet. Why?
  4. Where it stands now: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Indian Affairs. 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

Alaska Tribal Public Safety Empowerment Act

Plain summary

Alaska Tribal Public Safety Empowerment Act This bill expands the civil and criminal jurisdiction of certain Indian tribes over Alaska Natives and non-Alaska Natives in Alaska. Specifically, the bill recognizes and affirms that any Indian tribe in Alaska occupying an Alaska Native village may exercise (1) criminal and civil jurisdiction over Alaska Natives in the village; and (2) full civil jurisdiction over Alaska Natives and non-Alaska Natives in the village with respect to issuing and enforcing protection orders, excluding violators of protection orders from the village, and using other appropriate mechanisms to address matters in the village related to protection orders. The bill also directs the Department of Justice to establish a pilot program to provide certain Indian tribes with (1) general civil jurisdiction over Alaska Natives and non-Alaska Natives present in the Alaska Native village occupied by such tribe; and (2) criminal jurisdiction over Alaska Natives and non-Alaska Natives with respect to specific crimes, such as domestic violence, sexual violence, and stalking.

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

Alaska Tribal Public Safety Empowerment Act

Source: Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in Senate)

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The strongest published arguments

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Alternatives

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

Officials and money

Sponsor: Sen. Murkowski, Lisa [R-AK] · 0 cosponsors

Cost estimate: No cost estimate published yet.

Sponsor's campaign money: Sen. Murkowski, Lisa [R-AK] reported raising $1.4 million (2025–2026). Details. Shown for context only; it does not mean any donor supported this bill.

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 (3)
Appropriation
Money a legislature sets aside by law for a specific purpose. Government agencies may spend public money only as it has been appropriated.
Bill
A proposed law. It becomes law only if it passes the legislature and is signed by the president or governor (or a veto is overridden).
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-cong116-s2616 · catalog fed-us-congress-bills-cong116 · updated 2026-11-15 by psicol fed-bills-cong116