Lake County officials look for answers on Public Law 28 withdrawal from U.S. Attorney
County commissioner Bill Barron and sheriff Don Bell discussed the merits and issues with Public Law 280 during one of several public meetings held at the Lake County Courthouse prior to the county's decision to step out of the agreement. (Kristi Niemeyer/Lake County Leader)
Frustration seemed to be the tenor this week at the Lake County Courthouse as public officials contemplate their withdrawal from Public Law 280, which has given the county felony jurisdiction over tribal members on the Flathead Reservation for nearly 60 years.
The county announced in November that it was pulling out of the agreement, and in a letter dated March 1, Gov. Greg Gianforte acknowledged that decision on behalf of the State – which is the other signatory in the law enforcement agreement, along with the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes and Flathead, Missoula and Sanders counties.
That means Lake County’s participation in PL 280 jurisdiction ends in just over two months, on May 20, with no clear plan in place for proceeding, at least from Lake County’s perspective.
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