Sponsor
Elise M. Stefanik
Representative · R-NY
Representative · R-NY
The bill substantially strengthens Saint Regis Mohawk tribal sovereignty and clears title and jurisdictional uncertainty—benefiting tribal self‑governance and enabling infrastructure and development—while shifting jurisdiction, regulatory authority, and some implementation costs onto nearby residents, businesses, and local/state governments.
Saint Regis Mohawk tribal members and residents gain federally recognized Indian Country status and clearer legal title for Settlement Area lands, strengthening tribal self-governance and jurisdiction.
State and local governments and private landholders see long‑running litigation resolved and title clarified, reducing legal uncertainty and future litigation costs.
Residents and authorities in the Settlement Areas get clearer criminal and civil jurisdictional boundaries, reducing confusion for policing, courts, and day-to-day governance.
Non‑tribal residents, homeowners, and some landholders may lose legal recourse or see altered property rights after the settlement is confirmed.
Businesses and property owners near designated parcels could face new regulatory regimes, tax changes, or different permitting if federal/tribal jurisdiction replaces state/local authority for those lands.
State and local governments and taxpayers may incur administrative, surveying, conveyance, and transitional costs to implement the settlement and transfer responsibilities.
Based on analysis of 2 sections of legislative text.
Ratifies a land‑claim settlement and designates specified Tribe‑owned lands in the Settlement Acquisition Areas as Indian Country under federal law.
Authorizes and ratifies a negotiated land‑claim settlement between the Saint Regis Mohawk Tribe, local New York governments, and the New York Power Authority, and confirms transfers of specified lands, rights‑of‑way, and easements tied to three federal cases. It also designates lands the Tribe owns or later acquires within the Settlement Acquisition Areas as “Indian Country” under federal criminal jurisdiction law (18 U.S.C. §1151), subject to the Settlement Agreement’s terms and limits.
Official title: To authorize, ratify, and confirm the Agreement of Settlement and Compromise to Resolve the Akwesasne Mohawk Land Claim in the State of New York, and for other purposes.
Introduced April 14, 2025 by Elise M. Stefanik · Last progress December 10, 2025