Tribal leaders and advocates say they will keep pushing for a bill that would give two Maine tribes jurisdiction over some domestic violence cases.
Currently, tribal courts in Maine cannot prosecute non-tribal members for domestic violence against members, creating a situation that leaders say makes families unsafe.
The 2013 reauthorization of the federal Violence Against Women Act gave tribal courts limited authority to prosecute non-tribal members for domestic violence. But the wording of a 1980 settlement of tribal claims has kept that law and many federal laws from automatically applying to Maine tribes.
Lawmakers passed a bill this year to rectify that, but Democratic Gov. Janet Mills held it. Her office says she is working to clarify the rights of non-tribal members in the legislation but hopes to eventually sign it.