Governor Ferguson sets new foundation for state agencies to foster partnerships with Tribal Nations

Executive order directs agencies to consult with tribes, train leadership and staff to improve state-tribal relations

RIDGEFIELD -Today, Governor Bob Ferguson signed an executive order setting out new requirements and steps for state agencies to improve Washington's government-to-government relationship with our state's tribes.

Governor Ferguson signed Executive Order 25-10 at his first Centennial Accord meeting, hosted by the Cowlitz Indian Tribe. It requires agencies to take a number of measures to engage with tribes, establishes training requirements for state leadership and employees, and requires agencies - including the Governor's Office - to establish Tribal consultation policies.

The order is informed by the Governor's long-standing engagements with Tribal Nations throughout his career and visits he and his administration have made during his first nine months in office.

The order also upholds the historical stance the Governor previously took as Attorney General in 2019, by defining tribal consultation on the principle of Free, Prior, and Informed Consent.

"I've visited Tribes across Washington, and I've heard from Tribal leaders about how we can improve our partnership with Tribal governments," Governor Ferguson said. "I'm putting that feedback into action and laying out my vision for fostering meaningful government-to-government relationships."

"For generations, Tribal Nations have sought relationships with state leaders built on mutual respect and a meaningful recognition of tribal sovereignty," said Cowlitz Indian Tribe Chairman, William (Bill) Iyall. "Governor Ferguson's executive order sets a new standard for engagement that will strengthen the relationship with Washington Tribes and lay the groundwork for stronger collaboration as we work to address the complex challenges before both Indian Country and the State of Washington."

Governor Ferguson's executive order directs cabinet agencies to:

• Proactively engage with Tribal Nations on a regular basis to explore opportunities to work together. This includes visiting Tribal reservations, attending Tribal events, and engaging with Tribal leaders and community members.
• Engage in timely consultation when any of the agency's policies, programs or actions may impact Tribes.
• Recognize and incorporate Indigenous Knowledge where appropriate. Cabinet agencies that make decisions or set standards based on "best available science" must account for available and Tribally accepted Indigenous Knowledge in doing so.
• Identify and foster opportunities to support Washington state Native art and culture.
• Operate with transparency and accountability by producing an annual report regarding activities that involve or impact Tribal Nations.
• Have each agency's Tribal liaison report directly to the agency head, and a member of the agency leadership team and included in agency decision making.

Governor Ferguson also directs the Governor's Office of Indian Affairs (GOIA) to develop Tribal consultation guidelines, in partnership with Tribal Nations, before the 2026 Centennial Accord. Cabinet agencies must incorporate and implement these guidelines in their consultation policies within one year of their release.

The order requires the heads of each executive and small cabinet agency, and each of the Governor's policy advisors and executive leadership team members to attend an in-person training developed by GOIA focused on fostering effective communication and collaboration between the state and Tribes. GOIA, in consultation with Tribal Nations and relevant state agencies, will develop an additional training for state employees.

The order acknowledges and honors the prior work led by generations of state and Tribal leaders, including the Centennial Accord (1989), and the Millennium Agreement (1999), which established frameworks for state-Tribal relationships.

Governor Ferguson has a long history of working with Tribal governments and honoring Indigenous communities. As Attorney General, Governor Ferguson established a first-of-its kind Tribal consent and consultation policy and appointed the Attorney General's Office's first Tribal liaison. He successfully requested legislation establishing the state's Missing Indigenous Person Alert system, and a cold case unit specializing in Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and People. He established the Attorney General's Missing and Murdered Indigenous People Task Force, and the Truth & Reconciliation Tribal Advisory Committee, which is studying how Washington state can address the harms caused by the government's historical role in the shameful legacy of Indian boarding schools.