Shivwits Band of Paiutes Jurisdictional Clarity Act

Senate Bill

S. 1508

119th Congress

Shivwits Band of Paiutes Jurisdictional Clarity Act

In Committee

Introduced:Dec 17, 2025

Primary Sponsor

John Curtis

R - UT

Cosponsors

0

Quick Stats

Policy Area

Native Americans

Summary

This bill would give the state of Utah civil jurisdiction over any lawsuits involving the Shivwits Band of Paiutes on the Shivwits' tribal lands. It would also establish that any contracts or agreements related to the Shivwits' lands fall under federal court jurisdiction.

Latest Action

Committee on Indian Affairs. Hearings held.

Introduced12/17/2025

StatusCommittee on Indian Affairs. Hearings held.

ChamberSenate

Data from Congress.gov

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Vote Prediction

Shivwits Band of Paiutes Jurisdictional Clarity Act

This bill would give the state of Utah civil jurisdiction over any lawsuits involving the Shivwits Band of Paiutes on the Shivwits' tribal lands. It would also establish that any contracts or agreements related to the Shivwits' lands fall under federal court j

Community Breakdown

Pass

0%

Fail

0%

0 predictions

This bill would give the state of Utah civil jurisdiction over any lawsuits involving the Shivwits Band of Paiutes on the Shivwits' tribal lands. It would also establish that any contracts or agreements related to the Shivwits' lands fall under federal court jurisdiction.

Bill Number: 1508
Introduced: 12/17/2025
Status: Committee on Indian Affairs. Hearings held.
Policy Area: Native Americans

Data from Congress.gov

AI-generated summary

Fact Sheet

Title: Shivwits Band of Paiutes Jurisdictional Clarity Act
Bill Number: 1508
Sponsor: No sponsor
Status: Committee on Indian Affairs. Hearings held.
Introduced: 12/17/2025
Summary: This bill would give the state of Utah civil jurisdiction over any lawsuits involving the Shivwits Band of Paiutes on the Shivwits' tribal lands. It would also establish that any contracts or agreements related to the Shivwits' lands fall under federal court jurisdiction.

Data from Congress.gov

AI Summary

Plain-English explanation of this bill

This bill would give the state of Utah civil jurisdiction over any lawsuits involving the Shivwits Band of Paiutes on the Shivwits' tribal lands. It would also establish that any contracts or agreements related to the Shivwits' lands fall under federal court jurisdiction.

Last updated: 12/26/2025

Official Summary

Congressional Research Service summary

Shivwits Band of Paiutes Jurisdictional Clarity ActThis bill confers legal jurisdiction to the State of Utah over certain civil cases involving the Shivwits Band of Paiutes. It also allows the tribe to lease its land held in trust. The tribe is located in southwestern Utah.Specifically, the bill confers jurisdiction to the State of Utah over any civil cause of action (1) to which the Shivwits Band of Paiutes is a party, and (2) that arises on or within Indian lands. Under the bill, Indian lands are lands of the tribe that are (1) held in trust for the benefit of the tribe, or (2) subject to restrictions by the United States against alienation (i.e., sale or transfer).Additionally, the bill specifies that any cause of action arising from any contract or agreement (including a lease) to which the tribe is party or that affects or arises on these Indian lands shall be deemed a civil cause of action. Therefore, this bill allows the tribe and third parties to resolve contract disputes in state court.The bill also authorizes the tribe to lease its land held in trust for a term of up to 99 years.

Key Points

Main provisions of the bill

The bill would give the state of Utah civil jurisdiction over lawsuits involving the Shivwits Band of Paiutes on their tribal lands.
It would establish that any contracts or agreements related to the Shivwits' lands fall under federal court jurisdiction.
The bill would not affect the Shivwits Band's sovereign immunity or their ability to waive it.

How This Impacts Americans

Potential effects on citizens and communities

If this bill becomes law, it would change the legal jurisdiction over civil cases involving the Shivwits Band of Paiutes on their tribal lands. This could impact the Shivwits Band's ability to resolve civil disputes and negotiate contracts. The bill would not affect the tribe's sovereign immunity protections.

Policy Areas

Primary Policy Area

Native Americans

Related Subjects

Federal-Indian relations

Indian lands and resources rights

Jurisdiction and venue

Utah

Scope & Jurisdiction

Jurisdiction Level

federal

Congressional Session

119th Congress

Citation Reference

1508, 119th Congress (2025). "Shivwits Band of Paiutes Jurisdictional Clarity Act". Source: Voter's Right Platform. https://votersright.org/bills/119-s-1508