CITIZEN POTAWATOMI NATION

CONSTITUTION OF THE

CITIZEN POTAWATOMI NATION

PREAMBLE

We, the Citizen Potawatomi Nation, sometimes designated as

the Potawatomi Tribe of Oklahoma, in furtherance of our inherent

powers of self-government, in order to take advantage of the

opportunities for economic independence and social advancement

offered by the Thomas-Rogers Oklahoma Indian Welfare Act of

June 26, 1936, (49 Stat. 1976), do hereby adopt this Constitution

pursuant to the Oklahoma Indian Welfare Act of June 26, 1936

(49 Stat. 1967) which shall supersede the constitution approved by

the Secretary of the Interior on October 17, 1938, and ratified on

December 12, 1938, and amended on September 27, 1956,

December 27, 1960, April 24, 1961, September 21, 1970, April 20,

1983, April 5, 1989, April 8, 1996, and August 16, 2007, with

ratification.

ARTICLE 1 – NAME

The official name of this Tribe shall be the Citizen Potawatomi

Nation.

ARTICLE 2 – OBJECTIVES

Section 1. The objective of the Citizen Potawatomi Nation in

organizing under this Constitution shall be:

(a)

To promote the general welfare of the Citizen

Potawatomi Nation and its members by exercising to the

fullest extent the inherent powers of self-government

vested in the Tribe since time immemorial and any

additional powers of self-government vested in the Tribe

by Federal or state law.

(b)

To secure for the Tribe and its members the powers,

benefits, rights, and privileges provided for in Article 1,

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Section 8 of the Constitution of the United States, the

Act of June 18, 1934 (48 Stat. 984) and the Oklahoma

Indian Welfare Act of June 26, 1936, (49 Stat. 1967).

(c)

To secure the powers, benefits, rights, and privileges as

provided by any laws of the United States now or

hereafter enacted for the benefit of Indians or other

citizens of the United States.

(d)

To secure, for the Citizen Potawatomi Nation, a Charter

of Incorporation from the Secretary of the Interior that

allows the tribe to enjoy, those powers specifically

mentioned in the Oklahoma Indian Welfare Act of June

26, 1936 (49 Stat. 1967).

ARTICLE 3 – MEMBERSHIP OF TRIBE

Section 1. The membership of the Citizen Potawatomi Nation

shall consist of the following persons:

(a)

All persons of Indian blood who were bona fide

members of the Citizen Potawatomi Nation and who

were enrolled or were entitled to be enrolled on the

official census roll of the Band on January 1, 1937.

(b)

Each child of Citizen Potawatomi Nation Indian blood

born since the date of said roll whose parents is, or was,

a member of the Tribe.

(c)

Each child of the Citizen Potawatomi Nation Indian

blood of a marriage between a member of the Tribe and

any other person.

(d)

As used in this Article, the term “a member of the Tribe”

means a member of the Tribe at the time of the child’s

birth, or, in the case of a posthumous child, if

membership rights are claimed through the deceased

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parent, the parent was a member of the Tribe at the time

of death.

(e)

The burden of proof as to eligibility for membership in

the Citizen Potawatomi Nation will be on the claimant

for membership in each case.

(f)

The Business Committee shall have power to prescribe

rules and regulations covering future membership

including adoptions and the loss of membership, subject

to confirmation by a majority of the votes cast for a

General Council referendum containing such rules and

regulations in a regular or special election.

(g)

No member of the Citizen Potawatomi Nation may hold

membership in any other Indian tribe.

ARTICLE 4 – TRIBAL JURISDICTION

Section 1. The jurisdiction and governmental powers of the

Citizen Potawatomi Nation shall, consistent with applicable

Federal law, extend to all persons and to all real and personal

property, including lands and natural resources, and to all waters

and air space within the Indian country, as defined in 18 U.S.C.

section 1151 or its successor, over which the Citizen Potawatomi

Nation has authority.

Section 2. The jurisdiction and governmental powers of the

Citizen Potawatomi Nation shall also, consistent with applicable

Federal law, extend outside the exterior boundaries of the Citizen

Potawatomi Nation to all tribal members. These powers shall also

extend to any persons or property which are, or as may hereafter

be, included with the jurisdiction of the Citizen Potawatomi Nation

under any laws of the Citizen Potawatomi Nation, any State, or the

United States.

Section 3. The jurisdiction and governmental powers of the

Citizen Potawatomi Nation shall be exercised by three separate

branches of Tribal Government: Legislative, Executive Officers

and Judicial. All legislative powers are embodied in the Tribal

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Legislature (also called the Business Committee), including

appropriation of all tribal moneys. All executive powers are

embodied in the Executive, including the management of the

business of the Tribe, supervision of tribal employees, enforcement

of tribal law, and expenditure of all tribal moneys. All judicial

powers are embodied in the Judiciary. Appropriate legislation

shall be adopted to provide for a tribal law enforcement agency

and other appropriate administrative agencies of the Tribe.

ARTICLE 5 – Citizen Potawatomi Nation Indian Council

Section 1. There shall be a Citizen Potawatomi Nation Indian

Council (Council). The membership of the Citizen Potawatomi

Nation Indian Council shall be all Citizen Potawatomi Nation

Indians, 18 years of age or older who have not been adjudged

incompetent by a court of competent jurisdiction.

Section 2. The Business Committee shall provide for the

Citizen Potawatomi Nation Indian Council rules of procedure,

subject to this Constitution, by appropriate legislation, and the

Citizen Potawatomi Nation Indian Council shall exercise such

authority and powers as are delegated to it by this Constitution.

Section 3. There is reserved to the Citizen Potawatomi Nation

Indian Council the authority to approve all actions of the Business

Committee, or to delegate specific authority to the Business

Committee to take particular actions, prior to any such action of

the Business Committee becoming effective, which results in:

(a)

The appropriation and budgeting of moneys of the

Council held in trust by the Tribe as the proceeds of any

claim against the United States, including interest earned

thereon for expenditure for the benefit of the tribe;

(b)

The sale of any land or interest in lands, and in

connection with the purchase of lands or interest in

lands, to authorize and cause to be executed a mortgage

or encumbrance covering or extending to property not

being purchased.

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(c)

Approval of any settlement of treaty claim of the Citizen

Potawatomi Nation against the United States.

ARTICLE 6 – EXECUTIVE OFFICERS

Section 1. The Executive Officers of the Tribe shall be the

Chairman, Vice-Chairman, and a Secretary/Treasurer who shall

serve for four year terms of office and until their successor shall be

qualified and installed in office.

Section 2. It shall be the duty of the Chairman to preside at all

meetings of the Council and the Business Committee and perform

all duties appertaining to the office, and the Chairman shall see that

the laws of the Tribe are faithfully enforced. The Chairman shall

have general supervision of the affairs of the Council and of the

Business Committee. The Chairman may veto acts of the Business

Committee, which can be overridden by a 10 vote majority of the

Business Committee, exclusive of the Chairman, within thirty (30)

days.

Section 3. The Vice-Chairman shall perform the duties of the

Chairman in his absence or during his incapacity to act as defined

by law, and shall undertake such other duties as may be assigned to

him by the Chairman or by law.

Section 4. The Secretary/Treasurer shall correctly record the

proceedings of all meetings. He shall have custody of the records

and all papers of the Council, which records and papers shall be

open to inspection during business hours, in his presence, by any

member of the Council desiring to read them. He shall keep a

correct list of all members of the Council and a correct list of all

enrolled members of the Tribe, shall authenticate all accounts or

orders of the Council and in the absence of the Chairman and ViceChairman, shall call the meetings to order until a Chairman pro

tem is selected. He shall render a written report at the annual

meeting, and at the expiration of his term of office, the records and

all papers in his possession shall be turned over to his successor.

He shall issue notices of all meetings and conduct all general

correspondence, as directed by the Council or the Business

Committee.

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The Secretary/Treasurer shall verify all moneys of the Council

for an accurate account of receipts and disbursements. The

Secretary/Treasurer shall verify all Council moneys entrusted to

his care in one or more tribal accounts as may be provided by

legislation of the Business Committee, and shall endorse all

disbursements therefrom. The Secretary/Treasurer shall require an

annual audit by a competent independent Certified Public

Accountant of all moneys of the Council - moneys formerly held in

trust by the Bureau of Indian Affairs and subsequent appreciation which shall be submitted to the General Council annually.

ARTICLE 7 – BUSINESS COMMITTEE

Section 1. There shall be a Business Committee, hereinafter

called Tribal Legislature, which shall consist of the Executive

Officers as provided in Article 6, five (5) Legislators elected from

Oklahoma, and eight (8) Legislators elected from Legislative

Districts equally apportioned, within 30%, by population in the

remaining States of the United States. Legislators shall serve four

(4) year terms of office and until their successors shall be qualified

and installed in office.

Section 2. Subject to any limitations in this Constitution, and

except for those powers expressly reserved to the Citizen

Potawatomi Nation Indian Council by this Constitution, or

delegated to another tribal entity by this Constitution, the

Legislature is empowered to enact legislation, transact business,

and otherwise speak or act on behalf of the Citizen Potawatomi

Nation in all matters on which the Tribe is empowered to act now

or in the future including the authority to hire legal counsel to

represent the Tribe, the choice of counsel and fixing of fees to be

subject to the approval of the Secretary of the Interior so long as

such approval is required by Federal law.

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ARTICLE 8 – RECALL

Section 1. The Legislature shall enact a law entitled: The

Recall and Removal Act. This legislation shall establish the

procedures to be followed in consideration of recall actions. Said

Recall and Removal Act shall contain the definitions of

misconduct in office which shall subject a tribal officer to a Recall

Election. Thereafter, this Act may be amended or repealed only by

the Citizen Potawatomi Nation Indian Council at an election

conducted pursuant to Articles 9 and 12 of this Constitution. Such

Act shall provide that not more than two recall proceedings may be

pending in the Tribal Court at any time. A recall proceeding shall

not include more than one official, unless the Court consolidates

two or more actions for a good cause shown. The Recall and

Removal Act shall include the following:

(a)

The Court, pursuant to the rules or civil procedure, shall

hear complaints brought by a person alleging misconduct

in office by members of the Legislature or Judicial

Officers of the Tribe The Court shall require, prior to

hearing any such action, that the complaining party post

a bond in such amount as the Court shall deem proper to

guarantee the costs, damages, and attorney fees of the

person complained of in the event that the recall action

was filed without probable cause to believe misconduct

in office had occurred or that the recall action was

otherwise filed in bad faith.

(b)

In any such recall action, the Court shall have power, to

hear the evidence of the complaining party or parties and

to determine whether the act or acts of misconduct in

office have been shown by clear and convincing

evidence so that a recall election should be held. If the

Court determines that a Recall Election should be held, a

two-thirds (2/3) majority of those voting in an election

held pursuant to Article 12, Section 9, shall be necessary

to recall the officer from his office. Any appeal taken of

the judgment of the Trial Court ordering a recall election

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shall be expedited by the Supreme Court.

Section 2. No person may be recalled pursuant to this Article

unless at least 5% of the members of the Citizen Potawatomi

Nation Council cast ballots in the Recall Election.

ARTICLE 9 — REMOVAL AND FORFEITURE

Section 1. The Legislature, and the Supreme Court in the case

of any judicial officers, shall remove any of its members, or a

member of the Executive branch, from office for misconduct in

office, as defined in the Recall and Removal Act, or upon

conviction of such member by any Court of competent jurisdiction

of a felony or other offense involving dishonesty or moral

turpitude, or if such member becomes ineligible to hold his office

under this constitution, by a unanimous vote of the remaining

members of that body.

Section 2. Such removal action shall be taken only upon proof

by clear and convincing evidence at a formal hearing during which

a verbatim transcript and record of the proceeding is made, and at

which the party complained of shall have the right to not less than

thirty (30) days notice, the right to counsel at his own expense, the

opportunity to cross examine witnesses against him, introduce any

evidence in his favor, and to otherwise be accorded due process of

law.

Section 3. A person removed in such a proceeding shall have

the right to appeal the removal directly to the Supreme Court upon

the record established at the hearing. During such appeal, which

shall be expedited by the Court, the officer shall be deemed

suspended but not removed from office until a final decision of the

Court. For purposes of this Article, removal of an Executive

Officer from the Legislature shall also be deemed a removal from

his Executive Office whether or not specifically stated in the

removal action.

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ARTICLE 10 – INITIATIVE AND REFERENDUM

Section 1. The members of the Citizen Potawatomi Nation

shall have the authority to enact legislation, consistent with this

Constitution’s delegation of specific powers, by petition to the

Legislature bearing the language of the proposed tribal law, the

signatures, roll numbers, and current address of at least ten percent

(10%) of the Citizen Potawatomi Nation Indian Council, provided,

that in the general election upon such proposed legislation which

shall be called by the Legislature within ninety (90) days of the

receipt of a valid petition, a majority of the voters who cast ballots

in such election vote in favor of the proposed legislation. Notice

of such referendum election shall be given to the registered voters

at least fifteen (15) days prior to such election. The Legislature

shall be bound by a vote enacting such proposed legislation into

law from the date of the election at which such legislation was

enacted until it expires by its own terms or until changed by voters

at a subsequent election.

Section 2. The members of the Citizen Potawatomi Nation

shall have the authority to reject any legislation action taken by the

Legislature by referendum petition to the Legislature bearing the

language of the tribal law sought to be rejected, the signatures, roll

numbers, and current address of at least ten percent (10%) of the

Citizen Potawatomi Nation Indian Council, provided, that in the

general election upon such legislation, which shall be called by the

Legislature within ninety (90) days of the receipt of a valid

petition, a majority of the voters who casts ballots in such election

vote against the legislation as enacted by the Legislature. Notice

of such initiative election shall be given to the registered voters at

least fifteen (15) days prior to such election. If the legislation is

rejected by such vote, that enactment is null and void as of the date

of referendum.

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ARTICLE 11 – COURT

Section 1. The judicial power of the Citizen Potawatomi

Nation is hereby vested in one Supreme Court consisting of seven

(7) Justices and such inferior courts as may be established by

Tribal law.

Section 2. The Courts of the Citizen Potawatomi Nation shall

be courts of general jurisdiction and shall further have jurisdiction

in all cases arising under the constitution, laws, and treaties of the

Citizen Potawatomi Nation. The Supreme Court shall have original

jurisdiction in such cases as may be provided by law, and shall

have appellate jurisdiction in all cases.

Section 3. The Tribal Courts, in any action brought before

them, shall have the power of judicial review, in appropriate cases,

in order to declare that legislative enactments of the Legislature or

the Council, are unconstitutional under this Constitution or

prohibited by Federal statutes and void. In such cases, the Court

shall have the authority to declare such act void and to issue

injunctive relief. In cases initiated by the Tribal Chairman prior to

enforcement of a legislative act, the court shall rule presuming a

case in controversy.

Section 4. The Supreme Court Justices and Tribal Court

Judges shall be selected by the Legislature and confirmed by the

Citizen Potawatomi Nation Indian Council at a general election

called for that purpose, and shall serve six (6) year terms and until

their successor be duly confirmed and installed. At the expiration

of such term, each Justice or Judge may, at his option, be

considered for reconfirmation to a new term by the Council.

Section 5. Vacancies in Tribal Judicial Offices may be filled

by appointment of the Legislature for the remainder of the

unexpired term. Such appointment shall be valid for not more than

one hundred twenty (120) days unless the Citizen Potawatomi

Nation Indian Council confirms the appointee to complete the

remainder of the unexpired term. If no Citizen Potawatomi Nation

Indian Council election is called to act upon such appointment

within the one hundred twenty (120) day period, the appointment

of that person shall not be renewed.

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ARTICLE 12 – ELECTIONS

Section 1. The Chairman, Vice Chairman and

Secretary/Treasurer shall be elected to a four (4) year term of

office and until their successors be qualified and installed in office

by a majority vote at an election to be conducted by secret ballot,

with absentee voting, on the date of the annual Citizen Potawatomi

Nation Indian Council meeting. All elections shall be conducted

pursuant to an Election Ordinance adopted by the appropriate

legislation of the Citizen Potawatomi Nation Legislature. At the

time of their election they shall be not less than thirty-five (35)

years of age, and residents of the State of Oklahoma not less than

six (6) months prior to taking office, and not have been convicted

of a felony or other serious crime involving incarceration for moral

turpitude in any court of competent jurisdiction, or have been

incarcerated for a crime for more than six (6) months within ten

(10) years previous to the date of the election, unless pardoned.

Section 2. No person shall be allowed to run for, or hold, more

than one (1) elected tribal position at any one time.

Section 3. The Legislature serving at the time of this

Amendment shall adopt legislation within ten (10) days of

adoption of this Amendment describing eight (8) Legislative

Districts of equal proportion, within 30%, of members of the

Citizen Potawatomi Nation Indian Council living outside of

Oklahoma. They shall be numbered one (1) through eight (8) for

those Legislative Districts outside of the State of Oklahoma and

nine (9) through thirteen (13) for those Legislators within the State

of Oklahoma.

Section 4. In order to provide for staggered terms of office, in

a special election held within 120 days of the adoption of this

Amendment in which eleven (11) Legislators will be elected, one

(1) Legislator’s first term shall coincide respectively with the term

of office of the former Councilman #1 and both of whom shall, at

the time of their election and thereafter, be residents of the State of

Oklahoma. Two (2) Legislators’ first term shall coincide

respectively with the terms of office of the former Councilman #2

and all three of whom shall, at the time of their election and

thereafter, be residents of the State of Oklahoma. Four (4)

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Legislators’ first term of office shall coincide with the term of

office of the Tribal Chairman and all four (4) Legislators shall, at

the time of their election and thereafter, not be residents of the

State of Oklahoma. Four (4) Legislators’ first term of office shall

coincide with the terms of office of the Vice Chairman and the

Secretary/Treasurer, and all four (4) Legislators shall, at the time

of their election and thereafter, not be residents of the State of

Oklahoma. Business Committee members in office at the time of

this Amendment will serve out their terms of office and may stand

for reelection at the next regular election.

Section 5. Legislators whose first term of office expires at

the same time as the Tribal Chairman shall reside, one each, in

Legislative Districts 1,2,3 and 4. Legislators whose first term of

office shall expire at the same time as the term of office as the

Tribal Vice Chairman and Secretary/Treasurer shall reside, one

each, in Legislative Districts 5,6,7 and 8. Legislators who live in

Oklahoma shall be Legislators 9, 10, 11, 12 and 13.

Section 6. Apportionment of the Legislative Districts and any

boundary changes necessary to reflect reapportionment shall occur

every ten (10) years, after the initial apportionment and boundary

descriptions set by appropriate legislation of the Legislature

serving at the time of the adoption of this Amendment.

Section 7. The newly elected officers shall be installed

immediately upon their election or at such time as may be provided

in the Election Ordinance approved by the Council, or as soon

thereafter as any period provided by law for a challenge to the

election has expired or as soon thereafter as any dispute regarding

the election be finally resolved as provided by law.

Section 8. The incumbent officers as of the date of adoption of

this Constitution shall continue to serve until the normal expiration

of their terms as provided for in Section 3 of this Article, and the

election held upon expiration of those terms shall be the first

regular election held pursuant to this Constitution.

Section 9. Special elections for the Recall of Tribal Officials

shall be conducted on order of the court by an independent

Election Board to be established pursuant to a Recall Election

Ordinance prescribed by the Legislature and concurred on by the

Council, provided that at least 5% of the members of the Citizen

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Potawatomi Nation Indian Council, must vote in order for the

Recall Election to be valid. Other special elections shall be

conducted by the Election Board as required in Article 9 or Article

12, or upon request by resolution of the Legislature.

ARTICLE 13 – MEETINGS OF THE COUNCIL

Section 1. Annual meetings of the Citizen Potawatomi Nation

Indian Council shall be held on the last Saturday of June of each

year for receiving reports and any other business which may come

regularly before the Council. The purpose of the Citizen

Potawatomi Nation Indian Council meetings shall be to give

information and to discuss any matter pertaining to the Citizen

Potawatomi Nation. Any actions taken with respect to the authority

reserved to the Council by this Constitution shall be made only by

a subsequent election held in accordance with, and within the time

specified in the Election Ordinance, which election shall be open

to all members of the Council.

Section 2. Such meeting shall be held at the Tribal Office

Building designated for that purpose at the Citizen Potawatomi

Nation Capital Complex south of Shawnee, Oklahoma, unless

some other point under the jurisdiction of the Citizen Potawatomi

Nation is specifically designated in the call.

Section 3. Special meetings of the council may be called at the

discretion of the Chairman, and shall be called by him upon the

written request of the majority of the Legislature or the written

request of five percent (5%) of the members of the Council.

Section 4. The principal object of the special meeting must be

stated in the call for same and may include the words “and for the

discussion of other business that may be presented.” Unless these

words are added, no other business can be discussed except for the

object stated in the call. Any actions taken with respect to the

authority reserved to the Council by this Constitution shall be

made only by a subsequent election held in accordance with, and

within the time specified in, the election ordinance, which election

shall be open to all members of the Council.

Section 5. Notice of meetings of the Citizen Potawatomi

Nation Indian Council shall be given through all appropriate means

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by the Secretary/Treasurer of the Nation at least ten (10) days prior

to the date of such meeting.

Section 6. The agenda for each meeting of the Citizen

Potawatomi Nation Indian Council shall be compiled by the Tribal

Chairman. Following completion of discussion on all agenda

items other tribal business may be discussed, subject to the

requirements of Section 4 of this Article.

Section 7. As required, following the meetings of the Citizen

Potawatomi Nation Indian Council, the election board shall

conduct an election pursuant to the election ordinance to decide the

issues approved by the Council.

ARTICLE 14 – MEETINGS OF THE LEGISLATURE

Section 1. The regular meetings of the Legislature shall be

held the last Thursday in February, May, August, and November

unless otherwise provided by resolution.

Section 2. Special meetings of the Legislature may be called

by the Chairman at his discretion, and shall be called by him upon

the written request of nine (9) members of the Legislature.

ARTICLE 15 – VACANCIES

Section 1. The Chairman, subject to the approval of the

majority of the remaining members of the Legislature, whether or

not the number of remaining members would constitute a quorum

shall have the authority to appoint persons to fill any vacancies in

any elective office on an interim basis until the next regular

election at which time a person shall be elected to serve the

remainder of the unexpired term or for a new term in its regular

order as the case may be.

Section 2. In case of vacancy in the office of Chairman, the

Vice-Chairman shall succeed at once to the office of the Chairman

until the next regular election at which the office of Chairman shall

be filled for the remainder of the unexpired term or for a new term

in its regular order as the case may be.

Section 3. During the period in which the Vice-Chairman

serves as Chairman under these circumstances, the Vice14

Chairman’s office shall not be considered vacant and he/she shall

return to serve the unexpired portion of his/her own term of office

(if any) upon election and installation of a Chairman. Should the

Vice-Chairman be elected, to the chairmanship, his vacancy shall

be filled according to Article 12, Section 1.

ARTICLE 16 – RIGHTS OF PERSONS

Section 1. The Citizen Potawatomi Nation shall not:

(a)

Make or enforce any law prohibiting the free exercise of

religion, or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the

press, or the right of the people peaceable to assemble or

to petition for a redress of grievances.

(b)

Violate the rights of the people to be secure in their

persons, houses, papers, and effects against unreasonable

searches and seizures, nor issue warrants, but upon

probable cause, supported by oath or affirmation, and

particularly describing the place to the searched and the

person or thing to be seized.

(c)

Subject any person for the same offense to be twice put

in jeopardy.

(d)

Compel any person in any criminal case to be a witness

against himself.

(e)

Take any private property for a public use without just

compensation.

(f)

Deny to any person in a criminal proceeding the right to

a speedy and public trial, to be informed of the nature

and cause of the accusation, to be confronted with the

witnesses against him, to have compulsory process for

obtaining witnesses in his favor, and at his own expense

to have the assistance of counsel for his defense.

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(g)

Require excessive bail, impose excessive fines, or inflict

cruel and unusual punishment.

(h)

Deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal

protection of its laws or deprive any person of liberty or

property without due process of law.

(i)

Pass any bill of attainder or ex post facto law.

(j)

Deny to any person accused of an offense punishable by

imprisonment the right, upon request, to a trial by jury of

not less than six (6) persons.

ARTICLE 17 – QUORUM

Section 1. Nine (9) members of the Legislature shall constitute

a quorum at any meeting.

Section 2. Five percent (5%) of the members of the Citizen

Potawatomi Nation Indian Council shall constitute a quorum to

transact business at a meeting. Should a quorum not be achieved

at a duly-called meeting of the Council, the Legislature may

initiate a referendum election on any agenda items which require

action by the Council under the authority reserved to it by this

constitution.

Such referendum election shall be conducted

pursuant to the provisions of the election ordinance.

ARTICLE 18 – TRIBAL ENACTMENTS

Section 1.

All final decisions of the Council on

constitutionally delegated matters shall be embodied in resolutions

approved by a referendum election to be held within ninety (90)

days. Every resolution of the Council shall begin with the words,

“Now, therefore be it resolved by the Council of the Citizen

Potawatomi Nation”.

Section 2. All final decisions of the Legislature on matters of

temporary interest or matters relating to particular circumstances,

officials, or individuals shall be embodied in resolutions. Every

resolution of the Legislature shall begin with the words, “Now,

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therefore be it resolved by the Legislature of the Citizen

Potawatomi Nation”.

Section 3. All final decisions of the Council of the Citizen

Potawatomi Nation upon ongoing matters necessary to the orderly

administration of its delegated powers and authority shall be

embodied in ordinances, which may be called statutes, approved

by a referendum election held within ninety (90) days. Every

ordinance shall begin with the words, “Be it enacted by the

Council of the Citizen Potawatomi Nation”.

Section 4. All final decisions of the Legislature of the Citizen

Potawatomi Nation upon ongoing matters necessary to the orderly

administration of tribal affairs, or having general or continuing

application shall be embodied in ordinances, which may be called

statutes. Every ordinance shall begin with the words, “Be it

enacted by the Legislature of the Citizen Potawatomi Nation”.

ARTICLE 19 – AMENDMENTS

Amendments of this Constitution may be proposed by a

unanimous vote of the Legislature or by a petition signed by thirty

percent (30%) of the members of the Tribal Council, shall be

submitted to a referendum vote of the members of the Tribe, and

shall be effective if ratified by a 2/3 majority vote of those

registering and voting in an election called for that purpose under

the supervision of the Election Committee.

ARTICLE 20 – SAVINGS CLAUSE

Any previous ordinances or resolutions enacted by the Tribe

shall continue in full force and effect to the extent they are not in

conflict with this Constitution unless revoked or amended in the

future.

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ARTICLE 21 – RATIFICATION

This Constitution, when ratified by a majority vote of the

qualified voters of the Citizen Potawatomi Nation voting at an

election called for that purpose, in which at least thirty percent

(30%) of those entitled to vote shall cast their ballots, shall be

effective from the date of ratification.

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