Cite as: 63 CNCA § 409

(a) Community and Citizens Emergency Response Fund: Beginning in Fiscal Year 2025, the Council authorizes a perpetual "Community and Citizens Emergency Response Fund," alternative known as the "Emergency Response Fund," to be utilized in response to an "Anticipated State of Emergency" or a "State of Emergency," or as otherwise provided for in this Section.

(b) Funding Sources; Authorized Amounts, Carry Over:

a. Sources: The Emergency Response Fund shall be funded by any available general fund revenue or federal fund revenue sources for which can be used within the meaning of this Section, including existing funds used for emergency response prior to this authorization.

b. Authorized Amounts: The Community and Citizens Emergency Response Fund is authorized not to exceed $5 million, but shall be funded at no less than $1 million by the end of fiscal year 2025.

c. Funds Carry Over: Funding authorized, appropriated by not expended in one fiscal year may be carried over to successive fiscal years, provided such carry over is allowed by the particular underlying funding source.

d. Limitations: Nothing herein shall compel the expenditure of authorized funds in a manner prohibited by a particular funding source or without following policies and procedures mandated by the particular funding source.

(c) Expenditures Permitted: The Principal Chief shall administer the funds appropriated pursuant to the authorization herein when the Principal Chief declares a "State of Emergency" or determines an "Anticipated State of Emergency" within the meaning of this Act or upon a determination that Cherokee Nation citizens living outside the Cherokee Nation reservation are experiencing a "State of Emergency" conditions in their community within the meaning of that term defined in this Act and the expenditure of funds can, as determined by the Principal chief, reasonably alleviate such conditions.

(d) Expedited Expenditures: When expenditures under the Community and Citizens Emergency Response Fund are permitted, the Principal Chief shall cause said expenditures to be made on an expedited basis without delay and shall communicate to the Speaker of the Council a single primary point of contact for inquiries into said expenditures.

(e) Categories of Expenditures: The Community and Citizens Emergency Response Fund may be utilized to:

a. Mitigate loss of basic necessities, including but not limited to food, by Cherokee Nation citizens.

b. Mitigate economic loss experienced by Cherokee Nation citizens.

c. Provide temporary shelter for Cherokee Nation citizens.

d. Provide forms of community wide of relief, including but not limited to temporary emergency shelters, community disaster cleanup, and community wide food security events.

e. Purchase equipment, supplies and fund training programs relating to emergency response.

f. Meet other needs as reasonably related warranted by the emergency conditions.

g. Grant funds to third parties for the administration of assistance to Cherokee Nation citizens or to communities within the Cherokee Nation Reservation or to communities outside the Cherokee Nation reservation where Cherokee Nation citizens are experiencing State of Emergency conditions.

(f) Attribution: Funds administered under this Section of the Act shall be referred to for all purposes as "Cherokee Nation Community and Citizens Emergency Response Funds" or alternatively "Funded by" or "Made Possible By," the "Cherokee Nation Community and Citizens Emergency Response Fund" with communications related to said expenditures bearing such reference.

Historical Data

LA 06-25, eff. February 12, 2025.