A legislative committee is looking at how to improve the state’s Tribal Liaison program. Liaisons represent both tribes—the Eastern Shoshone and the Northern Arapaho-- but there have been disputes over their roles and over the cost sharing nature of the program.
The Select Committee on Tribal Relations wants the governor’s office to pay for the program and select the liaisons who would be subject to Senate approval. Senator Cale Case says that could resolve a number of issues. But Case says if the tribes want better representation in Cheyenne, they should consider hiring lobbyists.
“But I think tribes should have advocates in Cheyenne and they’d be welcome to hire them and do that. Everybody else has lobbyists and I think the tribes should as well.”
While some worry that the relationship between the tribes and the state is getting worse, Case says discussions are actually improving. He says resolving the liaison issue will only make things better.
