Minnesota’s new Free State Park Permits for Indians, signed into law by Gov. Walz in last June, went into effect Jan. 1 of this year. Under the new law any member of the 11 federally recognized tribes in Minnesota is eligible for an annual state park permit for no charge.
Apparently, this new law has legs. By December, Wisconsin’s Sporting Heritage Council heard concerns about tribal members having to pay access fees to enter state parks. A member of the Ho Chunk tribe, which hosted a gathering at Copper Falls State Park, was upset that tribal members had to pay to enter the state park. Although park staff were able to waive fees for that event, he asked that fees be waived year-round. His reasoning, “It creates problems for tribe members because the land, until recently was theirs and they find it discomforting to have to pay to visit their own land.”
In South Dakota: I’ll see your free park permit and raise you free licenses to hunt and fish on non-tribal land.
A South Dakota House committee early February killed a proposal to grant tribal members free access to the state’s parks and recreation areas and to provide free licenses to hunt and fish on non-tribal land.
The proposal came from a state Representative, who was also a member of the Rosebud Sioux Tribe. He said he got the idea from similar legislation in Minnesota. His reasoning was that tribal governments got “raked over the coals” in the 1970s when the U.S. Supreme Court ruled the U.S. government owed them $105 million for taking the Black Hills.
The House committee voted 11-2 to kill it. A representative of the South Dakota Dept. of Game, Fish and Parks, said the agency opposed the legislation. “This is a user pay, user benefit system,” he said.
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S.D. panel kills bill to give tribes free licenses
Outdoor News February 18, 2022
Associated Press, Pierre, S.D. — A South Dakota House committee Feb. 7 killed a proposal to grant tribal members free access to the state’s parks and recreation areas and to provide free licenses to hunt and fish on non-tribal land.
The State Affairs Committee considered legislation offered by Rep. Shawn Bordeaux, a member of the Rosebud Sioux Tribe who said he got the idea from similar legislation in Minnesota.
The committee merged Bordeaux’s two proposals into one bill and voted 11-2 to kill it, KELO-TV reported.
Tribal governments got “raked over the coals” when the U.S. Supreme Court in the 1970s decided the U.S. government owed them $105 million for taking the Black Hills, the Mission Democrat said.
Bordeaux said the free access and licenses would be limited to the nine tribes that have treaties with the U.S. government connected to land in South Dakota. He said tribal members’ spouses and children would also have free access and licenses.
Scott Simpson, of the South Dakota Department of Game, Fish and Parks, said the agency opposed the legislation.
“This is a user pay, user benefit system,” Simpson said.
