The 9th Osage Nation Congress is slated to convene for its third special session starting Tuesday, Jan. 14 at 10 a.m. to consider a new tobacco tax compact with the State of Oklahoma.
Principal Chief Geoffrey Standing Bear issued a Dec. 26 executive proclamation calling for the special session with the sole listed item of consideration: Tobacco Products Excise Tax Compact between the Osage Nation and the State of Oklahoma. This will be the first special session of Congress for the 2025 calendar year.
The proposed special session comes one year after the then-8th ON Congress approved a one-year extension on the Nation’s 10-year tobacco tax compact with the state that started in 2013.
During a December 2023 special session, ON Congress passed resolution ONCR 24-07 (sponsored by Congressional Second Speaker Pam Shaw) “to support and affirm the supplemental term to the Tobacco Products Excise Tax Compact between the Osage Nation and the State of Oklahoma until Dec. 31, 2024.”
Since then, the Nation’s Tax Commission has met with state government officials to renegotiate a new tobacco tax compact. On Nov. 7, the Congressional Commerce, Gaming and Land Committee met for a 2025 tobacco tax compact review in executive session with no action taken afterward.
According to the meeting minutes, the commerce committee met with the Tax Commission’s legal counsel, which are attorneys Wilson Pipestem and Joe Keene of Tulsa-based Pipestem Law, P.C. As allowed by Osage law and with notice to the public, executive sessions may be held by public bodies to discuss topics including legal advice, intergovernmental relations and proprietary business matters.
On Dec. 30, the Executive Branch issued an amended proclamation to include consideration of “Appropriation(s) to the Osage Minerals Council” and “A resolution to repeal and restate ONCR 23-22,” which is a resolution sponsored by Congressman Scott BigHorse, “to support the Minerals Council’s request to the Principal Chief of the Osage Nation to request the balance of the IIM account in the name of the Osage Nation to make it available for appropriation to the Minerals Council.” This resolution was passed by the then-8th ON Congress in September 2023.
On Jan. 9, a second amended proclamation was issued to include consideration of “Appropriation to the Storm Shelter Assistance Program” and “Appropriation to Executive Branch IT Department for a fiber ring on campus.” The Nation’s IT department has had continuing problems with the Nation’s server, losing email and phone access for weeks at a time during two different stints. The latest stint was in December.
According to Osage law, a proclamation by the Principal Chief or a request by the Congressional Speaker to convene a Special Session must be in proper form and filed with the Clerk of Congress at least 10 business days before the first day of the Special Session. After the Special Session is commenced, the proclamation may only be amended by affirmative vote of consent by two-thirds of the members. Notice of the vote on amending the Proclamation must be provided to the members two days in advance of the vote.
For more information regarding ON Congressional sessions, filed legislation and Congressional committee meetings, visit the Legislative Branch website at www.osagenation-nsn.gov/who-we-are/legislative-branch
