The Office on Tribal Relations shall assist state agencies in implementing tribal consultation and outreach activities. In doing so, each state agency shall:
- Develop and implement tribal consultation policies to guide the agency’s work and interaction with the tribal nations of this state.
- To the extent practicable and permitted by law, seek input from appropriate elected or appointed tribal officials before undertaking any action or policy that will, or is reasonably believed to, have the potential to affect a tribal community or its members.
- To the fullest extent possible and to the best of the agency’s ability, integrate the input generated from tribal consultation into the agency’s decision-making process to achieve mutually acceptable solutions.
- Designate a staff member to assume responsibility for the agency’s implementation of the tribal consultation policies and to act as the principal point of contact for tribal affairs.
- On or before, October 1 of each year, review the agency’s tribal consultation policies and submit an election progress report with performance measures to the Office. The Office shall make reports available to tribal leaders and legislators.
State Tribal Liaisons
Each state employee is expected to provide equal access to state services and programs for all state citizens, including American Indian tribes and their community members. State Tribal Liaisons are the designated point of contact selected by each cabinet level agency to ensure the work of the agency is performed and tribal outreach activities are reported at the end of each fiscal year.
STATE TRIBAL LIAISON DIRECTORY (revised 7/2022)
The State Tribal Liaisons meet collectively every other month to report out activities and apprise the group of highlights or other meaningful experiences. Each State Tribal Liaison is expected to have a baseline understanding of changes in U.S. policy which have led to current conditions faced by Tribal Nations and their community members. Depending on experience, each tribal liaison may choose to participate in a "Introduction to Tribal Relations" workshop to further gain this understanding. This workshop is also available by request to any group and/or individual who may wish to expand personal knowledge on cross cultural situations.
Presentation: Introduction to Tribal Relations
The 2-hour introduction is intended for any individual to provide a baseline understanding on the different policy decisions throughout U.S. History that have created the current conditions faced by American Indian Tribes and their community members. The discussion begins with an opportunity for participants to openly ask questions or clarify what they believe they know about American Indians. With continuous dialogue, the presentation explains how the challenges began and emphasizes how policy decisions have had a lasting impact for generations to come. The information received leads the participant to ask more probing questions that can only be answered with continuous education and personal research. At the conclusion, a renewed sense of self-awareness occurs and creates a shift in mindset on avoiding past mistakes and moving forward with a basic skillset on how to navigate interpersonal communication within the American Indian culture. This presentation is available by request to any group and/or individual who may wish to expand personal knowledge on cross cultural situations.
State Agency Tribal Consultation Policies
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND INFRASTRUCTURE
Administration, Department of - pending as of 10/8/21
Commerce Authority (FY22)
Financial Institutions, Department of
First Things First
Gaming, Department of (FY20)
Housing, Department of
Lottery, Arizona State (FY18)
Real Estate, Department of
Revenue, Department of - pending as of 10/8/21
Tourism, Office of
Transportation, Department of (FY21)
NATURAL RESOURCES
Agriculture, Department of (FY18)
Environmental Quality, Department of (Note: Pending changes and tribal consultation)
Forestry, Arizona State (Note: Pending)
Game and Fish, Department of (Note: Pending changes and tribal consultation)
Land Department (Note: Pending changes and tribal consultation)
Arizona State Parks (FY21)
Water Resources (Note: Pending changes and tribal consultation)
HEALTH AND HUMAN RESOURCES
Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System (AHCCCS) (Note: Pending technical changes)
Child Safety, Department of
Economic Security, Department of (Note: Pending technical changes)
Governor's Office of Youth Faith and Family (GOYFF)
Health Services, Department of (FY18)
Veteran Services, Department of (FY18)
PUBLIC SAFETY
Emergency and Military Affairs, Dept of (Note: Pending changes and tribal consultation)
Corrections, Department of
Governor's Office of Highway Safety (FY18)
Homeland Security (FY18)
Industrial Commission of Arizona (FY18)
Juvenile Corrections, Department of (FY18)
Liquor Licenses and Control, Department of (FY21)
Public Safety, Department of (FY18)
Registrar of Contractors