Arizona Senate forms ad-hoc Committee on Indian Affairs
Sen. Carlyle Begay
PHOENIX (AP) — The Arizona Senate is forming a committee to better communication with Native American communities across the state.
Senate President Andy Biggs announced this week that the Senate will form an ad-hoc Committee on Indian Affairs.
The committee will serve as a liaison with tribal governments in Arizona with the hope of fostering more cooperation.
The Senate says the committee can review any legislation that pertains to state-tribal relations.
Sen. Carlyle Begay, a Democrat who grew up on the Navajo Nation, will chair the committee.
A bipartisan group of senators will sit on the committee as well as a member of four different tribal communities.
The four communities include the Tohono O’Odham Nation, the San Carlos Apache Tribe, the Gila River Indian Community and the Salt River-Pima Maricopa Indian Community.
