Welcome from the
Office of Indian Affairs
Legislative Policy, Duties, and Assistance
The Office of Indian Affairs was established in 1951 by the Montana legislature to facilitate effective tribal-state communications with special attention to the discussion and resolution of issues and concerns that Indian tribes face in regard to their unique political status with the federal government, and as full citizens of the state of Montana. The Office of Indian Affairs serves the tribal-state relationship as a liaison in government-to-government relations with the purpose of promoting economic development, environmental protection, education, support for social services, and enduring good will.
In the fulfillment of legislative policy, the Coordinator of Indian Affairs is tasked with duties that reflect the state's recognition that a sizable portion of the citizens of Montana are American Indian and that great problems of economic and social significance have arisen and presently exist. The duties of the Coordinator address this purpose through service to Indian people on and off their reservations, by regularly visiting tribal governments and serving as their liaison or representative at their request for both public and private purposes, by assessing tribal concerns and interests then reporting these concerns to the Governor's cabinet. The Coordinator also meets with executive branch directors on issues pertinent to Indian citizens, tribes, and on issues that arise between state agency personnel or programs and tribal interests. The Coordinator advises the legislative and executive branches of the state of Montana on problems faced by Montana's Indians and makes recommendations for the alleviation of those problems and issues. The Coordinator actively organizes collaborative efforts between tribal-state entities through compacts and other cooperative agreements. Likewise the Coordinator seeks consensus among tribes on shared goals and principles while also serving the Montana congressional delegation as an adviser and intermediary in the field of Indian Affairs. The state of Montana created the Office of Indian Affairs to serve both tribal and state governments in their government-to-government relationships designed to recognize the rights, duties, and privileges of full citizenship that Indians are entitled to as citizens of this state.
