Clayne Tyler, Clearwater County prosecutor, testifying on behalf of the Idaho Prosecuting Attorneys Association, spoke against HB 500, the Coeur d'Alene Tribe's law enforcement bill, but his comments riled Rep. Janice McGeachin, R-Idaho Falls. "'Yielding to a foreign government' - I have a problem with that," McGeachin told Tyler. "The Native Americans are people who were in this country far before any of us. ... I think we need to be respectful. I think that's an inflammatory statement." Tyler responded, "I apologize if you took that as inflammatory. What I'm talking about is the language utilized by the court system when it discusses tribal sovereignty. It is a quasi-dependent sovereign government, not the state of Idaho."

Rep. Raul Labrador, R-Eagle, asked Tyler why prosecutors haven't worked out the issue - since all parties share concerns about appropriate law enforcement. "Why haven't we solved this problem, instead of having a three-hour meeting today?" Labrador asked. Tyler responded, "This truly is a localized, one government to another government issue." He said he doesn't want to "change the fundamental basis of our relationship with the Nez Perce Tribe." Nez Perce Tribal Chairman Samuel Penney, however, testified in favor of the bill. "We do have a good working relationship with Clearwater County," Penney told lawmakers. But, he said, "As local elections take place, sheriffs can change over the years as well. ... We previously had a very difficult time with some of the previous sheriffs within our area."

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