Oregon Returns Civil Jurisdiction to Umatilla Tribes After More Than 70 Years

In a landmark step for tribal sovereignty, Oregon Governor Tina Kotek signed an official proclamation on May 26, returning sole civil legal jurisdiction to the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation (CTUIR), ending over seven decades of shared jurisdiction between the state and the Tribal Authority on the reservation.

Oregon’s Confederated Umatilla Tribes Finally Granted Legal Jurisdiction After 7 Decades

The proclamation corrects a long-standing legal structure dating back to Public Law 280, enacted by the U.S. Congress in 1953. The law forced specific states, including Oregon, to assume criminal and civil jurisdiction over tribal lands without tribal consent.

While Oregon returned criminal jurisdiction to the CTUIR in 1981 through a process known as retrocession, state civil jurisdiction remained in place for another 40 years.

Governor Kotek noted that the action restores the Tribe’s independent power to administer justice and determine its own destiny and said, “This proclamation represents the tangible work of reconciliation and affirming the sovereign status of tribal nations.”

The path to this historic moment was cleared during Oregon’s 2025 Legislative Session by Senate Bill 1011.

Previously, the state lacked a formal, structured mechanism to return jurisdiction, handling requests on an uncertain, case-by-case basis. Chiefly sponsored by State Senator Anthony Broadman, SB 1011 established a clear statutory process for retrocession.

The bill received broad bipartisan support, passing unanimously through both legislative houses before being signed into law in May 2025.

The CTUIR Board of Trustees Chair, N. Kathryn Brigham, expressed immense satisfaction with the outcome, celebrating the return of civil authority 4 decades after the tribe reclaimed criminal jurisdiction.

Following the proclamation, Governor Kotek will now formally petition the U.S. Secretary of the Interior to officially accept the retrocession under federal law, finalized under statutory code 25 USC 1323.