water rights and other resources under appropriate contracts, leases, permits, loans or sale
agreements. In the sale or other transfer of Tribal lands, the Tribe and Business Council shall take
every precaution in appropriate cases so that the land does not go out of trust.
(c) To provide for taxes, assessments, permits, and license fees upon members and nonmembers of
all lands within the jurisdiction of the Spokane Tribe of Indians.4
(d) To employ legal counsel to assist in the protection and advancement of the Tribe. The choice of
counsel and the fixing of fees to be subject to the approval of the Secretary of the Interior or his
authorized representative as long as such approval is required by law.
(e) To negotiate with and represent the Tribe before Federal, State, and local governments and their
departments and agencies.
(f) To appoint necessary committees.
(g) To have and exercise such other powers and authority necessary to fulfill its obligations,
responsibilities, objectives, and purposes as the governing body of the Tribe.
(h) To foster, encourage and retain the arts, crafts, culture and traditions of the Tribe.
ARTICLE IX - BILL OF RESERVED POWERS
The Business Council and other Agencies of the Tribe are required to obtain the advice and consent of the
General Council prior to taking any action with regard to the following powers. The advice and consent of
the General Council shall be final when ratified by a majority vote of the membership of the Spokane Tribe
at the next general election.5
(a) The relinquishment of any Spokane Tribal criminal or civil jurisdiction to any agency, public or
private; provided, however, that this provision shall not prevent the Business Council from
commissioning non-Spokane or non-Bureau of Indian Affairs peace officers to enforce Spokane
Tribal law and order regulations.
(b) The termination or partial termination of the Spokane Indian Reservation.
(c) The sale of Tribal hunting, fishing or water rights.
(d) The Business Council may prescribe such compensation of members of the Business Council as it
deems advisable from funds as may be available, subject to the approval of the General Council.
Unless contrary action is taken by a General Council, yearly salary increase will be made, based on
the "National Consumer Price Index," published by the U.S. Department of Labor. The amount of
increase will be based on the percent of increase in cost of living from the previous year.
ARTICLE X - INITIATIVE AND REFERENDUM
Section 1. The Spokane Tribe's voting membership is empowered to exercise the legislative powers and
duties enumerated in Article VIII through either an initiative or referendum action.
Section 2. Initiative: An initiative shall be in the form of a petition, signed by at least 250 qualified voters of
the Spokane Tribe, setting out in clear language the legislative action to be taken. Such petition shall comply
with the petitioning procedures provided by Section 1, Article VI of this Constitution.17
Section 3. Referendum: A referendum is an action by the Business Council referring a legislative matter to
the Tribal members for enactment or rejection.
5
Revised Spokane Law & Order Code, 5/14/2013