The 9th Osage Nation Congress will convene for its 5th Special Session starting on Friday, May 16, at 10 a.m. Congress will consider legislation, including postponed items from the recent Hun-Kah Session.
Eight of the 12 Congress members signed a May 1 legislative proclamation calling for the special session as allowed by the Osage Constitution, with two-thirds requesting. Special sessions can be called by executive (issued by the Principal Chief) or legislative proclamations and can last up to 10 days or an additional three days, if needed.
According to the proclamation, items of consideration include:
- ONCR 25-14 (sponsored by Congressman Scott BigHorse) is “A Resolution to request the placement of fee lands into trust by the Secretary of the Interior.” The resolution received initial consideration during the spring session, but is still subject to further discussion at the Congressional committee level.
According to ONCR 25-14, the intention is to place fee lands near the current Osage Casino properties at Skiatook and Tulsa into trust for economic development and gaming purposes. During an April 25 Government Operations Committee discussion, the committee motioned to postpone the bill for further review in a special session.
- ONCA 24-81 (Whitehorn) is “An Act to amend the Osage Nation Health Benefit Act to increase the benefit of members under (age) 65 up to $1,000.” Whitehorn filed the bill during the 2024 Tzi-Sho Session, but it was postponed after consideration and discussion by the Health and Social Services Committee during that session, as well as the 2025 Hun-Kah Session.
- Amendment to ONCA 24-73, which is the Executive Branch operations’ current fiscal year budget, largely with tribal funding set at $64.6 million.
- Tax code amendments, which include legislation also considered at the committee level during the Hun-Kah Session, which ended April 28. The Congress considered tax-related legislative bills at the committee level, and one of those bills is ONCA 25-64 (sponsored by Congresswoman Whitney Red Corn) titled “An Act to amend Chapter 1 of the Osage Nation Revenue and Taxation Act.”
The Legislative Branch will schedule select and standing committee meetings for initial legislation consideration during session.
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
