Letter to the Editor - Stand in favor of the children

The governor had made the claim of preserving the government-to-government consultation with the tribes in Montana. In the 2023 Legislature, the governor signed HB 317 — Montana Indian Child Welfare Act — in to law. If the governor of the state of Montana is true to his word of preserving the government-to-government consultation, he would have brought this issue to the tribes’ attention. I have no idea if he did or not. I’m not privy to the governor’s meetings with the tribes, or if he even met with any during this interim yet or not. 

History has not shown good results to the treatment of the tribes. Especially our most vulnerable population in our community. Our children. 

What I do know are the laws pertaining to our children in the court realm have not been good. On both sides of the international border. I’m skeptical, that this process is not to the best interest of the children, or the tribes when non-Natives attempt to intervene in cases involving our children. By all means, the tribes should be involved in this process. 

As the sponsor of the Montana Indian Child Welfare Act. It was imperative that the state of Montana did proactive steps to protect our children in the midst of the federal ICWA law being challenged in the U.S. Supreme Court a year ago, a legal challenge that would have had tremendous negative impacts on our systems across the state. Thank you for you attention on this pressing matter, as I will stand in favor of our children.

Rep. Jonathan Windy Boy,

D-Box Elder, House District 32