Oklahoma Native American Caucus pushes for bills, allies

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — Native American lawmakers in Oklahoma are trying to gain support for measures affecting their communities while the state and some tribes spar in a federal court battle over casino gambling compacts.

A bill that the Native American Caucus is pushing in the Oklahoma House of Representatives would attempt to address state’s high rates of missing or murdered indigenous peoples. The measure would create an office within the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation that would function as a liaison between local, state, federal, and tribal governments during investigations of those crimes.

The Oklahoman reports that the caucus is focused on building partnerships between the state and tribes.