Tribal Code - Sitka Tribe of Alaska; National Indian Law Library, Native American Rights Fund

Sitka Tribe of Alaska - Tribal Code

Table of Contents Updated: September 2025

The Tribe makes their Tribal Law, Policies, and Procedures available online. The link below will take you to the version of the laws available on the Tribe's website. Please contact the library if you need assistance.

Tribal Law, Policies, and Procedures

TRIBAL LAW

Appellate Code
Section 1.1 Establishment
Section 1.2 Jurisdiction
Section 1.3 Court Rules
Section 1.4 Scope of Review
Section 1.5 Procedure

Baranof Island Housing Authority Ordinance
02.04.01 Purpose
02.04.02 Authority
02.04.04 Establishment of BIHA
02.04.05 Relationship with Sitka Tribe of Alaska
02.04.06 Board of Commissioners
02.04.07 Powers and Limitations of BIHA
02.04.08 Obligations
02.04.09 Conflict of Interest
02.04.10 Date of Enactment

Budget Ordinance
04.01.01 Purpose and Scope
04.01.02 Authority
04.01.03 Definitions
04.01.04 Finance Director
04.01.05 Annual Audit Requirements
04.01.06 Quarterly Review of Budget
04.01.08 Authorization to Sign Self-Governance Compact
04.01.09 Self-Governance Negotiations
04.01.10 Budget Development and Approval
04.01.11 Indirect Cost Proposal Development
04.01.12 Expenditures and Contracting
04.01.13 Modification of Dates
04.01.14 Date of Enactment and Amendment

Charitable Gaming Ordinance
Chapter 1 - Purpose, Rules of Construction and Definitions
Section 1.01 Purpose
Section 1.02 Rules of Construction
Section 1.03 Delegation of Authority
Section 1.04 Definitions
Seciton 1.05 Severability
Chapter II - Scope of Authority for Management and Decision Making
Section 2.01 Regulatory Authority
Section 2.02 Contracts
Section 2.03 Management of Department Staff
Section 2.04 Reports to Tribal Council
Section 2.05 Meetings and Responsibility to Review
Chapter III - Fund Management, Congracts and Property
Section 3.01 Fund Management
Section 3.02 Record Keeping
Section 3.03 Ownership of Property
Section 3.04 Reports
Chapter IV - Charitable Gaming Operations and Use of Funds
Section 4.01 General Rules of Operation
Section 4.02 Gaming Manager
Section 4.03 Authorized Expenses
Section 4.04 Donations to Public
Section 4.05 Supplemental Sitka Tribe of Alaska governmental programs
Section 4.06 Limitations on Broadcasting
Section 4.07 Advertising
Section 4.08 Door Prizes
Section 4.09 Ban on Sale, Service and Consumption of Alcohol
Seciton 4.10 Required Posting
Chapter V - Bingo Activities
Section 5.01 Prizes
Section 5.02 Persons Prohibited from Play
Section 5.03 Number of Sessions and Games
Chapter VI - Pull-Tabs
Section 6.01 Prizes
Section 6.02 Sales
Section 6.03 Persons Prohibited from Play
Chapter VII - Raffles and Lotteries
Section 7.01 Applicability
Section 7.02 Tickets
Section 7.03 Organization and Accountability
Section 7.04 Drawings
Section 7.05 Ownership and Possession of Prizes
Section 7.06 Records
Certification
Historical and Statutory Notes

Children's Code
Statement of the Rights of Children
Chapter I - Purpose, Jurisdiction, Rules of Construction and Definitions
Section 1.01 Purpose
Section 1.02 Jurisdiction
Section 1.03 Rules of Construction
Section 1.04 Definitions
Section 1.05 Out of Home Placement
Section 1.06 Severability
Chapter II - General Provisions, Administration, and Policy
Section 2.01 Reporting Child Abuse - Mandatory Reporting Requirements
Section 2.02 Role of the Social Services Department
Section 2.03 Role of the Staff of the Tribal Court
Section 2.04 Confidentiality of Records
Section 2.05 Confidentiality of Child Protection Cases
Section 2.06 Determination of Interested Parties
Section 2.07 Review and Approval of Forms by Judges
Section 2.08 Problem Solving
Chapter III - Guardianships
Section 3.01 Purpose
Section 3.02 Contents of Petition
Section 3.03 Filing of Guardianship Petition
Section 3.04 Notice of Petition for Guardianship
Section 3.05 Case History and Recommendations
Section 3.06 Hearing on Petition for Guardianship
Section 3.07 Order for Guardianship
Section 3.08 Review of Guardianship
Section 3.09 Dissolution of Guardianship
Chapter IV - Expedited Guardianships
Section 4.01 Expedited Petition for Guardianship
Section 4.02 Initial Notice and Hearings for Expedited Petition
Section 4.03 Inidial Order for Expedited Petition
Chapter V - Modification of Parental Rights
Section 5.01 General Provisions
Section 5.02 Petition for Modification of Parental RIghts
Section 5.04 Pre-Modification Report
Section 5.05 Notice and Hearing on Petition for Termination
Section 5.06 Order Modifying Parental Rights
Section 5.07 Descendancy
Chapter VI - Adoptions
Section 6.01 General Purpose
Section 6.02 Petition for Adoption
Section 6.03 Consent to Adopt
Section 6.04 Case History and Recommendations
Section 6.05 Notice and Hearing on Petition for Adoption
Section 6.06 Oder for Adoption
Section 6.07 Adoption Records
Chapter VII - Traditional Tlingit Law
Section 7.01 General Provisions

Code of Conduct
Chapter 1 - General Provisions
1.01 Purpose
1.02 Authority
1.03 Statement of Policy
1.04 Definitions
1.05 Severability
1.06 Computation of Time
Chapter 2 - Standards of Conduct
2.01 Conflict of Interest
2.02 Confidential Information
2.03 Use of STA Property
2.04 Public Statements
2.05 Use of Alcohol and Controlled Substances
2.06 Gifts or Favors
2.07 Favoritis and Nopotism
2.08 Timeline For Calling Tribal Council Meetings
2.09 Special Provisions: Tribal Council Members
Chapter 3 - Ethics Committee & Penalties
3.01 Ethics Committee
3.02 Penalties

Committee Ordinance
02.03.01 Purpose
02.03.02 Authority
02.03.03 Definitions
02.03.04 Standing Committees
02.03.05 Ad Hoc Committees
02.03.06 Committee Composition
02.03.07 Appointments and Removals
02.03.08 General Responsibilities
02.03.09 Committee Meetings
02.03.10 Committee Chairperson
02.03.11 Reports to Council
02.03.12 Ex-Officio Members
02.03.13 Vacancies
02.03.14 Date of Enactment and Amendment

Criminal Background Check Ordinance
01.04.01 Purpose
01.04.02 Authority
01.04.03 Definitions
01.04.04 Policy: Background Screening Required
01.04.05 Duty to Report: All Positions
01.04.06 Implementing Regulations
01.04.07 Date of Enactment and Amendment

Domestic Violence Ordinance
Chapter I - Purpose, Definitions, and Rules of Construction
1.01 Purpose
1.02 Rules of Construction
1.03 Definitions
1.04 Full Faith and Credit
1.05 Authority of the Tribal Court
1.06 Severability
1.07 Amendments to Code
Chapter II - Civil Protective Orders and Process
2.01 General Provisions
2.02 Petitions for Ex Parte Protective Orders
2.03 Petitions for Long Term Protective Orders
2.04 Terms of Protective Order
2.05 Modification or Dissolution of Protective Orders
2.07 Violation of Civil Protective Orders

Drug and Alcohol Free Workplace Ordinance
01.05.01 Purpose
01.05.02 Authority and Scope
01.05.03 Definitions
01.05.04 Policy
01.05.05 Enforcement of Policy (Disciplinary Action)
01.05.06 Grievance
01.05.07 Information Disclosure
01.05.08 Implementing Regulations
01.05.09 Date of Enactment of Amendments

Election Ordinance
Chapter 1 - General Provisions
1.01 Purpose
1.02 Scope of the Ordinance
1.03 Term of Office
1.04 Vacancy on Tribal Council
1.05 Computation of Time
1.06 Definitions
1.07 Severability
Chapter 2 - Scheduling of Elections
2.01 Scheduling General Elections
2.02 Scheduling Special Elections
2.03 Procedure for re-scheduling an Election
Chapter 3- Qualifications
3.01 Voter Qualifications
3.02 Candidate Qualifications
3.03 Employees Seeking Election to Tribal Council
3.04 Election Officials Qualifications
Chapter 4 - Filing for Tribal Office
4.01 Filing Candidacy Materials
4.02 Withdrawing Candidacy
4.03 Testing Eligibility of candidates
Chapter 5 - Ballots
5.01 Form
5.02 Sample Ballot
5.03 Final Ballots
Chapter 6 - Absentee or Advanced Voting
6.01 Absentee Ballots
6.02 Absentee Voter Eligibility
6.03 Application for Early Voting
6.04 Absentee Voting by Mail
6.05 Absentee Voting in Person Prior to Election
6.06 Mailing of Absentee Ballot
6.07 How Absentee Ballots are Marked and Returned
6.08 Cut-Off for Delivery of Absentee Ballots to the Election Supervisor
6.09 Record of Absentee Ballots
6.10 Delivery of Absentee Ballots to Polling Place
Chapter 7 - STA General Manager Responsibilities
7.01 Duty to Solicit Election Supervisor Bids
7.02 Duty to Solicit Interested Tribal Citizens to Serve as Election Judges
7.03 Duty to prepare candidacy materials
7.04 Duty to prepare voter list
7.05 Duty to Publish Sample Ballot
7.06 Duty to Prepare Timeline Prior to General Election
7.07 Duty to Prepare Timeline for Special Election
Chapter 8 - Tribal Council Responsibilities
8.01 Designation of Election Officials & Polling Places
8.02 Election Proclamation
Chapter 9 - Election Officials
9.01 Membership, Duties and Powers of the Election Committee
9.02 Duties of Election Workers
9.03 Duties of Election Judges
9.04 Dutues of Election Supervisor
9.05 Compensation of Election Officials
Chapter 10 - Conduct of Election
10.01 Notice of Election
10.02 Posting of Eligible Voter List
10.03 Ballot Boxes
10.04 Polling Place Procedures
10.05 Canvassing the Votes; Delivery of Ballots; Canvass of Results
10.06 Recounts
10.07 Intent, Purpose, and construction of this Chapter 10
Chapter 11 - Prohibited Practices
11.01 Prohibition on Political Persuasion
11.02 Prohibition on Use of Force
11.03 Prohibition on Undue Influence
11.04 STA Employees Prohibition on Campaigning During Working Hours or with STA Resources
11.05 STA Tribal Council Members Prohibition on Campaigning with STA Resources
Chapter 12 - Certification of Election
12.01 Tribal Council Certifies Election
12.02 Public Certification
12.03 Release of Unofficial Election Results
Chapter 13 - Election Protest Guidelines
13.01 Challenge of Candidates
13.02 Ruling of Challenges of Candidates
13.03 Grounds for Challenging Election Results
13.04 Process and Ruling on Challenges of Election Results
13.05 Duty to prepare and post guidelines regarding process under Section 13.04
13.06 Duty of Tribal Council to appoint the person to represent Sitka Tribe in the event of an Election Protest, the person who will serve as Clerk to Judge, and a person to assist protestors with documents related to protest
13.07 Partial Invalidity
Chapter 14 - Initiatives and Referendums
14.01 Initiatives
14.02 Referendums
Chapter 15 - Recall Elections
15.01 Recall Procedure

Enrollment Ordinance
03.01.01 Purpose and Scope
03.01.02 Definitions
03.01.03 Enrollment Committee
03.01.04 Enrollment Manager
03.01.05 Enrollment Regulations and Rulemaking Authority
03.01.06 Base Roll
03.01.07 Official Citizenship Roll of 1991
03.01.08 Children of Citizens
03.01.09 Lineal Descendants of Tribal Citizens
03.01.10 New Citizens
03.01.11 Enrollment Procedures
03.01.12 Review of Tribal Rolls, Disapproval of Citizenship Applications, and Relinquishment
03.01.13 Confidentiality of Records and Access
03.01.14 Date of Enactment and Amendment

Kayaani Commission Ordinance and Traditional Plant Gathering Guidelines
Chapter 1: Findings
Chapter 2: Purposes
Chapter 3: Definitions
Chapter 4: Scope
Chapter 5: Plant Gathering / Intellectual Property Rights
Chapter 6: Kayaani Commission
Sectinon 6.01 Commission Membership
Section 6.02 Term of Office
Section 6.03 Election of Commissioners
Section 6.04 Removal from the Commission
Section 6.05 Duties of Commissioners
Section 6.06 Meetings
Chapter 7: Development of Plant Gathering Guidelines
Chapter 8: Sanctions
Chapter 9: Enforcement
Chapter 10: Severability
Chapter 11: Civil Rights
Chapter 12: Amendments
Chapter 13: Reserved Section

Legislation Ordinance
01.01.01 Purpose
01.01.02 Authority
01.01.03 Definitions and abbreviations
01.01.04 Policy
01.01.05 Procedure for enacting ordinances
01.01.06 Procedure for amending ordinances
01.01.07 Procedure for codifying ordinances
01.01.08 Organization of Sitka Tribal Code
01.01.09 Record Keeping
01.01.10 Certification of Ordinances
01.01.11 Date of Enactment and Amendment

Take of Marine Mammals Ordinance
Section 1 Findings
Section 2 Purposes
Section 3 Definitions
Section 4 Scope
Section 5 Take of Marine Mammals
Section 6 Sitka Marine Mammal Commission
Section 7 Sanctions
Section 8 Enforcement
Section 9 Severability
Section 10 Civil Rights
Section 11 Amendments
Section 12 Reserved Section

Tribal Court Rules and Civil Procedure
Chapter I - General Provisions and Tribal Court Bar
Section 1.1 Jurisdiction
Section 1.2 Judiciary
Section 1.3 Duties and Powers of Judges
Section 1.4 Tribal Court Bar
Section 1.5 Requirements for Admission
Section 1.6 Rules of Discipline for Members of the Court Bar
Section 1.7 Sanctions
Chater II - Civil Procedure Code
Section 2.1 Application
Section 2.2 Constructinon: Means to Carry Jurisdiction into Effect
Section 2.3 Form of Action
Section 2.4 Parties
Section 2.5 Multiple Liability
Section 2.6 Relief Allowed
Section 2.7 Limitation of Actions
Section 2.8 Survival of Actions
Section 2.9 Sovereign Immunity
Section 2.10 Commencement of Action
Section 2.11 Complaint Contents
Section 2.12 Service of Notice
Section 2.13 The Summons - Form and Content
Section 2.14 The Summons - Proof of Service
Section 2.15 Defendant's Answer, Defenses and Counterclaims
Section 2.16 Filing Fees
Section 2.17 Certification of Service
Preliminary Restraining Orders
Section 2.18 Temorary Restraining Orders
Section 2.19 Preliminary Injunction
Section 2.20 Bond
Motions
Section 2.21 Motions
Section 2.22 Modification of Existing Orders
Section 2.23 Orders to Show Cause
Discovery
Section 2.24 Discovery - General Policy
Section 2.25 Methods of Discovery
Section 2.26 Privileges
Section 2.28 Subpoenas
Section 2.29 Failur to Comply with Subpoena or Other Court Order
Trial
Sectoin 2.30 Juries
Section 2.31 Order of Trial
Section 2.32 Burden of Persuasion
Section 2.34 Voluntary Dismissal
Section 2.35 Involuntary Dismissal
Judgment
Section 2.36 Entry of Judgment
Section 2.37 Judgment - Contents
Section 2.38 Judgment - Preparation
Section 2.39 Default
Section 2.40 Default Set Aside
Section 2.41 Reconsideration
Enforcement of Judgment
Section 2.42 Execution - When Allowed
Section 2.43 Foreign Judgments - Registration
Section 2.44 Types of Execution
Section 2.45 Application for Order
Section 2.46 Issuance of Order
Section 2.47 Sale Procedure - Notice
Section 2.48 Exemptions
Section 2.49 Claim or Exemption - Waiver

Tribal Employment Rights Office Ordinance
1. [Establishment of Sitka Tribe of Alaska Tribal Empllyemnt Rights Office]
2. [Authorization]
3. Reporting and On-site inspections
4. Compliance and Hearing Procedures
5. Sanctions
6. Appeals
7. Individual Complaint Procedure
8. [Severability]

Tribal Reserve Fund Ordinance
04.03.01 Authority
04.03.02 Fund Established
04.03.03 Purpose
04.03.04 Deposity to the fund
04.03.05 Management of fund
04.03.06 Income and distribution
04.03.07 Principal
04.03.08 Date of Enactment

POLICIES AND PROCEDURES

Boat Policy
Canoe Use Policy
Community RIDE Title VI Program Policy
Consultation Policy
Financial Conflict of Interest
Grant Policy
Indian Child Wefare Act Statement of Policy
Procurement Policy and Procedure
Research Policy
Research Misconduct
The RIDE Drug Policy and Alcohol Policy
Traditional Foods Policy

[Table of Contents created by NILL in September 2025 based on materials on the Tribe's website.]