Bill Summary: SB1257

• Creates the position of Oklahoma Native American Liaison appointed by the Governor, who shall serve as Secretary of Native American Affairs or successor cabinet position.

• Modifies qualification requirements from "American Indian of at least one-fourth (1/4) blood" to "a member of a federally recognized American Indian tribe or nation that has its primary tribal headquarters located in this state."

• Establishes 12 specific duties for the Liaison including negotiating cooperative agreements with tribes, monitoring compacts, overseeing state agency consultation policies, and ensuring coordination between state agencies and tribal governments.

• Requires the Liaison to submit an annual report on state-tribal interactions to the Governor, Speaker of the House, and President Pro Tempore of the Senate.

• Becomes effective November 1, 2012.