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8C8900D16573077D87258B79005F46BE Hearing Summary




PUBLIC
BILL SUMMARY For PRESENTATION BY COLORADO COMMISSION OF INDIAN AFFAIRS

INTERIM COMMITTEE  AMERICAN INDIAN AFFAIRS INTERIM STUDY COMMITTEE
Date Aug 14, 2024      
Location Old Supreme Court



Presentation by Colorado Commission of Indian Affairs - Committee Discussion Only


11:21:33 AM  
Kathryn Redhorse,
Executive Director, representing the Colorado Commission of Indian Affairs
(CCIA),  introduced herself and began her presentation (Attachment
C). Ms. Redhorse discussed the history and members of the commission, their
role in improving government-to-government relations, examples of how the
commission engages with tribal communities, and summarized the findings
of various reports.




Ms. Redhorse stated
that the Colorado General Assembly created CCIA in 1976 to serve as an
official liaison between the state and Southern Ute Indian Tribe and the
Ute Mountain Ute Tribe. She discussed that the CCIA meets quarterly as
an opportunity for commissioners to provide updates, make announcements
and requests, exchange information, and vote on action items.




Ms. Redhorse also
discussed how CCIA holds routine events and meetings with tribal communities
including a monthly call and an annual day at the State Capitol. Ms. Redhorse
discussed state-tribal agreements that CCIA has helped to develop, including
the Brunot Hunting Agreement allows for tribes to establish their own hunting
season. She discussed how the CCIA also helped the state and tribes in
establishing their own Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation
Act process. Ms. Redhorse stated that this process is designed to ensure
that tribes are consulted when ancestral remains or cultural artefacts
are discovered.




Ms. Redhorse also
discussed the most recent reports CCIA staff have produced, including the
Tribal Governments Included in State Programs Report as part of Senate
Bill 22-104. Ms. Redhorse stated that the report explored and made recommendations
concerning the inclusion of Tribal Governments in State programs.




Ms. Redhorse discussed
the Federal Indian Boarding Schools in Colorado, 1880-1920 report, which
was required by House Bill 22-1327 and directed History Colorado to investigate
the lived experiences of students at the one-time federal Native American
boarding school in Hesperus, Colorado.




Ms. Redhorse also
discussed the Tribal Health and Colorado Medicaid Report. Ms. Redhorse
stated that the goals of this report was to support the Department of Health
Care Policy and Financing, Colorado’s Tribal Nations, and interested stakeholders
by providing a set of recommendations for Health First Colorado that can
improve the state of Tribal health and advance Tribal Health priorities.




Finally, Ms. Redhorse
discussed the Indian Education Needs Assessment, in which the Colorado
Department of Education partnered with CCIA to conduct a needs

assessment
to examine key indicators, multiple groups’ perspectives, and programmatic
challenges. Ms. Redorse stated that the evaluation's goal was to provide
a comprehensive analysis of how well the Title VI program meets its goals
in Colorado and what changes may be needed to supplement and improve upon
efforts to support Indigenous student

11:57:20 AM  
Committee members asked Ms. Redhorse questions.
12:08:59 PM  
The committee recessed.