Bureau of Indian Affairs – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The Department of the Interior (Department) is updating regulations governing probate of property that the United States holds in trust or restricted status for American Indians. Since the regulations were last revised in 2008, the Department identified opportunities for improving the probate process. These proposed revisions would allow the Office of Hearings and Appeals (OHA) to adjudicate probate cases more efficiently by, among other things, establishing an expedited process for small, funds-only estates, reorganizing the purchase-at-probate process so that estates may be closed more quickly, streamlining notice to co-owners who are potential heirs while adding electronic notice to all by website posting, and specifying which reasons justify reopening of closed probate estates. The proposed revisions would also enhance OHA's processing by adding certainty as to how estates should be distributed when certain circumstances arise that are not addressed in the statute.

The Assistant SecretaryIndian Affairs made a final agency determination to acquire in trust 11.33 acres, more or less, of land in the City of Hobart, Kiowa County, Oklahoma, (Site) for the Kiowa Indian Tribe of Oklahoma (Tribe) for gaming and other purposes.

The Assistant SecretaryIndian Affairs made a final agency determination to acquire in trust 40 acres, more or less, of land known as the Airpark Site in the City of Porterville, Tulare County, California (Site), for the Tule River Indian Tribe of the Tule River Reservation, California (Tribe), for gaming and other purposes.

The State of California submitted compacts governing certain forms of Class III gaming with six Tribes in California. This notice announces that the following compacts are taking effect: the Tribal- State Compact between the State of California and the Ione Band of Miwok Indians; the Tribal-State Compact between the State of California and the Mooretown Rancheria of Maidu Indians of California; the Tribal- State Compact between the State of California and Paskenta Band of Nomlaki Indians; the Tribal-State Compact between the State of California and the Shingle Springs Band of Miwok Indians; the Tribal- State Compact between the State of California and the Tolowa Dee-Ni' Nation; and the Tribal-State Compact between the State of California and the Tule River Indian Tribe of California.

The Skokomish Indian Tribe (Tribe) and the State of Washington (State) submitted the Fifth Amendment to the Tribal-State Compact for Class III Gaming between the Skokomish Indian Tribe and the State of Washington (Compact) governing certain forms of Class III gaming. This notice announces that the Fifth Amendment to the Tribal-State Compact for Class III Gaming between the Skokomish Indian Tribe and the State of Washington is taking effect.

The Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) proposes to revise its regulations governing elections of the Osage Nation to update and limit the Secretary's role to the task of compiling a list of voters for Osage Minerals Council elections. These proposed changes would reaffirm the inherent sovereign rights of the Osage Tribe to determine its membership and form of government.

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, we, the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) is proposing to renew an information collection.

The Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) approved the San Pasqual Band of Diegueno Mission Indians of California Business Site Leasing Ordinance under the Helping Expedite and Advance Responsible Tribal Homeownership Act of 2012 (HEARTH Act). With this approval, the Tribe is authorized to enter into business leases without further BIA approval.

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, we, the Office of the Assistant SecretaryIndian Affairs are proposing to revise an information collection.

This notice advises the public that the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) as lead agency, with the Township of Fruitport, County of Muskegon, Little River Band of Ottawa Indians (Tribe), and Federal Highway Administration serving as cooperating agencies, intends to file a Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS) with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in connection with the Tribe's application requesting the transfer into trust by the United States of approximately 60 acres of land for gaming and other purposes in the Township of Fruitport, County of Muskegon, Michigan.

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, we, the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA), are proposing to renew an information collection.

The Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) is confirming the interim final rule published on June 23, 2020, updating the minimum standards of character to ensure that individuals having regular contact with or control over Indian children have not been convicted of certain types of crimes or acted in a manner that placed others at risk, in accordance with the Indian Child Protection and Family Violence Prevention Act, as amended.

The Assistant SecretaryIndian Affairs made a final agency determination to transfer 61.63 acres, more or less, of land near the City of Kingston, Marshall County, Oklahoma, (Site) into trust for the Chickasaw Nation for gaming and other purposes.

Congress authorized the Director of the Bureau of Indian Education (BIE or Bureau) to enter into agreements with third parties to lease the land or facilities of a Bureau-operated school in exchange for funding that benefits the school. This proposed rule establishes standards for the appropriate use of lands and facilities under a lease agreement, provisions for establishment and administration of mechanisms for the acceptance of consideration for the use and benefit of a school, accountability standards to ensure ethical conduct, and provisions for monitoring the amount and terms of consideration received, the manner in which the consideration is used, and any results achieved by such use. This proposed rule also establishes standards to implement authority provided by Congress for BIE personnel to fundraise on behalf of Bureau-funded schools.

This document announces that the Bureau of Indian Education (BIE) will be conducting consultation meetings by webinar to obtain oral and written comments on the BIE National Policy Memorandum (NPM- EDUC-33), which is an interim policy, applicable to BIE-operated elementary and secondary schools and dormitories, on the nondiscrimination prohibitions based on disability found in Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended, and the Department's implementing regulations. The Department will use comments received during consultation to inform its development of a final Section 504 policy for BIE-operated elementary and secondary schools and dormitories.

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) is proposing to renew an information collection.

The Assistant SecretaryIndian Affairs has made a final determination to acquire 1,427.78 acres, more or less, (commonly known as ``Camp 4'') into trust for the Santa Ynez Band of Chumash Mission Indians of the Santa Ynez Reservation, California. Congress affirmed that this property is to be taken into trust by enacting the Santa Ynez Band of Chumash Indians Land Affirmation Act of 2019.

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, we, the Bureau of Indian Education (BIE) are proposing to renew an information collection.

The Department of the Interior, Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA), is announcing the annual meeting of the Federal agencies and Tribes that participate in the Indian Employment, Training and Related Services Act of 2017, also known as ``Public Law 477.'' Due to the COVID-19 pandemic and for the safety of all individuals, the meeting will be conducted via WebEx and by telephone.

The Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation and the State of Oregon amended their compact governing certain forms of class III gaming; this notice announces Secretarial approval of the Amendment to the Amended Tribal-State Compact for Regulation of Class III Gaming between the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation and the State of Oregon-Amendment II.

The Assistant SecretaryIndian Affairs has made a final determination to acquire 44.10 acres, more or less, into trust for the Jamestown S'Klallam Tribe.

The Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) approved the Kickapoo Traditional Tribe of Texas' (Tribe) Part 3 Business Leases, Chapter 27 Leasing Code under the Helping Expedite and Advance Responsible Tribal Homeownership Act of 2012 (HEARTH Act). With this approval, the Tribe is authorized to enter into business leases without further BIA approval.

The Office of Indian Energy and Economic Development (IEED), through its Division of Energy and Mineral Development (DEMD), is soliciting grant proposals from Tribes and Tribal Energy Development Organizations for technical assistance funding to hire consultants to identify, evaluate or assess the market for energy or mineral resources that a Tribe will process, use, or develop.

This notice publishes the Liquor Control Statute (Statute) of the Ione Band of Miwok Indians. The Statute regulates and controls the possession, sale, manufacture, and distribution of alcohol in conformity with the laws of the State of California.

The Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) owns or has an interest in irrigation projects located on or associated with various Indian reservations throughout the United States. We are required to establish irrigation assessment rates to recover the costs to administer, operate, maintain, and rehabilitate these projects. We are notifying you that we have adjusted the irrigation assessment rates at several of our irrigation projects and facilities to reflect current costs of administration, operation, maintenance, and rehabilitation.