Bills · S 1508
IN COMMITTEE· 119TH CONGRESS
Senate BillS 1508Federal-Indian relationsUtah
Shivwits Band of Paiutes Jurisdictional Clarity Act
INTRO APR 29· LAST ACTION DEC 17
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3MIN
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LEGISLATIVE PROGRESS
STEP 2 / 8Introduced
In Committee
Reported
Passed Senate
Passed House
Conference
To President
Became Law
WHAT THE BILL DOES
AI-writtenThe Shivwits Band of Paiutes, including its governing body, its members, and its businesses, would be most directly affected. They would find that non-criminal legal disputes arising on their tribal lands, where the Band is a party, would now generally be heard in Utah state courts. This could change the way they resolve disagreements with outside individuals or companies, shifting legal processes from potentially tribal forums to the state system.
Anyone who enters into contracts, leases, or other agreements with the Shivwits Band or its businesses on tribal lands would also be affected. They would know that any civil disagreements would likely be settled in Utah state courts, or possibly federal court, providing a clearer legal path for resolution.
KEY PROVISIONS
4AI-extractedPROVISION 01
Grants Utah state courts jurisdiction over civil lawsuits involving the Shivwits Band of Paiutes that occur on their tribal lands.
This centralizes legal authority for non-criminal disputes in state courts, changing how these cases are processed for the tribe and those interacting with it.
PROVISION 02
Designates certain contracts and agreements involving the Shivwits Band or their lands as 'commerce' under federal law, allowing related civil cases to be heard in federal courts if they meet federal criteria.
This provides an alternative federal forum for specific types of civil disputes, particularly those related to economic activities, which can offer another avenue for resolution.
PROVISION 03
Explicitly preserves the Shivwits Band of Paiutes' sovereign immunity, meaning they cannot be sued without their consent, and their right to waive that immunity.
This protects the tribe's inherent right to self-governance from automatic exposure to lawsuits despite the expansion of state and federal jurisdiction.
PROVISION 04
Amends existing federal law to allow land held in trust for the Shivwits Band of Paiutes to be leased for up to 99 years with approval from the Secretary of the Interior.
This expands the tribe's economic development opportunities by enabling longer-term leases for their trust lands, which can attract more substantial investments.
SPONSORSHIP
1 + 0
R· Utah
YRS IN OFFICE
8
BILLS LED
52
ACTION TIMELINE
3 EVENTSDEC 17
Committee on Indian Affairs. Hearings held.
APR 29
Introduced in Senate
APR 29
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Indian Affairs.
BILL INFO
TypeSenate Bill
NumberS 1508
Congress119th
StatusIn Committee
IntroducedApr 29, 2025
Last actionDec 17, 2025
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IN COMMITTEE· 119TH CONGRESS · INDIAN AFFAIRS COMMITTEE · INTRODUCED APR 29, 2025
Senate BillS 1508Federal-Indian relationsUtah
Shivwits Band of Paiutes Jurisdictional Clarity Act
INTRODUCED APR 29, 2025· LAST ACTION DEC 17, 2025
PASSAGE CHANCES
—%
READING
3 min
COSPONSORS
0
COMPLEXITY
Moderate
