Swinomish Tribal Code

Most Recent Update Received : December 2023

Disclaimer: Although every effort is made to present current and accurate information, if you need an official version of the tribe’s laws, please contact the tribe.

Digitizer's note: Most recent date of enactment or amendment is given.

Table of Contents

Titles of the Swinomish Tribal Code (May 2012)

Index to Titles and Chapters of The Swinomish Tribal Code (2/21/2019)

Codification Table (Ord. 435, 8/15/23)

Treaty With the Dwamish, Suquamish, Etc., (1855) ("Treaty of Point Elliott") (proclaimed: 4/11/1859)


Title 1 - General Provisions:

Ch. 1 - Codification (5/6/03)

Ch. 2 - Repealer (1/27/04)

Title 2 - Tribal Government:

Ch. 1 - Elections (10/4/22)

Ch. 2 - The Senate, Senate Committees and Boards [Reserved]

Ch. 3 - Tribal Properties (7/6/21)

Ch. 4 - Sovereign Immunity (9/30/03)

Ch. 5 - Finance (11/5/03)

Ch. 6 - Charter of the Swinomish Development Authority (2/7/17)

Ch. 7 - Tribal Police (11/12/03)

Ch. 8 - Tribal Records (4/4/08)

Ch. 9 - Charter of Swinomish Fish Company (Repealed 4/3/18)

Ch. 10 – Division of Licensing (7/14/15)

Ch. 11 – Port Authority (3/9/20)

Title 3 - Tribal Court:

Ch. 1 - Establishment and Authority (3/16/21)

Ch. 2- Rules of Civil Procedure (8/3/10)

Ch. 3 - Rules of Criminal Procedure (10/6/20)

Ch. 4 - Rules of Appellate Procedure (10/24/03)

Ch. 5 - Exclusion (3/7/06)

Ch. 6 - Enforcement of Judgments (2/5/04)

Ch. 7 - Arbitration of Disputes (4/5/05)

Ch. 8 - Tort Claims (12/15/15)

Ch. 9 - Courts of Special Jurisdiction (9/11/18)

Appendix A - Swinomish Tribal Court Local Rules (7/12/05)

Title 4 - Criminal Code:

Ch. 1 - Preliminary Provisions (12/15/20)

Ch. 2 - Offenses Against Persons (12/15/20)

Ch. 3 - Sexual Offenses (3/7/06)

Ch. 4 - Offenses Involving Property (9/30/03)

Ch. 5 - Offenses Involving Weapons (9/30/03)

Ch. 6 - Offenses Involving Public Peace and Health (8/9/17)

Ch. 7 - Offenses Involving Children (8/9/17)

Ch. 8 - Offenses Involving Animals (9/30/03)

Ch. 9 - Offenses Involving Tribal Government (7/07/04)

Ch. 10 - Offenses Involving Controlled Substances (8/9/17)

Ch. 11 - Offenses Involving Drug Paraphernalia (9/30/03)

Ch. 12 - Sentencing (6/14/23)

Ch. 13 - Repealer and Severability (9/30/03)

Ch. 14 - Registration of Sex Offenders, Procedures, Sex Offense Defined, Penalties (11/3/04)

Appendix 1 - RCW [Revised Code of Washington ] Ch. 69-50. Uniform Controlled Substances Act

Title 5 - Traffic Code:

Ch. 1 - Civil Traffic Code (7/14/15, Updated Schedule of Fines for Civil Traffic Infractions 12/1/15)

Ch. 2 - Criminal Traffic Code (9/5/03)

Appendix 1 - Updated Schedule of Fines for Civil Traffic Infractions (12/1/15)

Title 6 - Citizenship:

Ch. 1 - Adoption and Membership (4/7/20)

Ch. 2 - Base Roll (9/30/03)

Title 7 - Domestic Relations:

Ch. 1 - General Provisions (11/10/03)

Ch. 2 - Marriage (11/10/03)

Ch. 3 - Dissolution of Marriage, Legal Separation and Declaration of Invalidity of Marriage (11/10/03)

Ch. 4 - Parenting Plans and Visitation (11/10/03)

Ch. 5 - Parent and Child (11/10/03)

Ch. 6 - Child Support (11/10/03)

Ch. 7 - Recognition of Foreign Spousal Support, Child Support and Child Custody Orders (11/10/03)

Ch. 8 - Domestic Relations [Reserved]

Ch. 9 - Change of Name (11/10/03)

Ch. 10 - Guardianship (11/10/03)

Ch. 11 - Domestic Violence (12/15/20)

Ch. 12 - Elder Protection (9/15/20)

Title 8 - Juveniles:

Ch. 1 - General Provisions (6/30/03)

Ch. 2 - Jurisdiction, Transfer of Jurisdiction and Comity (6/30/03)

Ch. 3 - Family Services Program (2/10/15)

Ch. 4 - Shelter Care, Foster Care, Detention and Other Placement Facilities (6/30/03)

Ch. 5 - Child Protection; Duty to Report (6/30/03)

Ch. 6 - Court Hearings, Parties and Mediation (9/7/04)

Ch. 7 - Youth in Need of Care (6/30/03)

Ch. 8 - Guardianship (6/30/03)

Ch. 9 - Termination of Parental Rights (6/30/03)

Ch. 10 - Adoption (6/30/03)

Ch. 11 - Emancipation (6/30/03)

Ch. 12 - Criminal and Other Court Proceedings Involving Youths (6/30/03)

Ch. 13 - Minors in Possession of Tobacco Products (2/4/20)

Ch. 14 - School Attendance (6/7/16)

Title 9 - Probate:

Ch. 1 - Determination of Heirs (6/30/03)

Ch. 2 - Land Consolidation [Reserved]

Title 10 - Community Health:

Ch. 1 - General Provisions (12/4/18)

Ch. 2 - Food Safety (12/4/18)

Ch. 3 - Dog Control (4/13/10)

Ch. 4 - Dangerous Dogs (6/30/03)

Ch. 5 - Livestock (6/30/03)

Ch. 6 - Enforcement (12/4/18)

Ch. 7 - Junk Vehicles and Abandoned Property (12/1/15)

Ch. 8 - Solid Waste (11/8/11)

Ch. 9 - Housing Safety (12/4/18)

Ch. 10 - Recreation and Special Event Safety (5/5/20)

Ch. 11 - Public Nuisance (12/4/18)

Ch. 12 - COVID-19 Communicable Disease (5/4/21)

Title 11 - Utilities:

Ch. 1 - General Provisions (3/2/21)

Ch. 2 - Tribal Utility Authority (11/8/11)

Ch. 3 - Reservation Utility Improvement Districts (11/5/03)

Ch. 4 - Reservation Sewer and Water Districts (11/5/03)

Ch. 5 - RUID [Reservation Utility Improvement District] Obligations (11/5/03)

Ch. 6 - Private Water and Sewer Systems (3/2/21)

Ch. 7 - Solid Waste (Repealed by Ordinance 300, 11/8/11)

Title 12 - Building and Construction:

Ch. 1 - Swinomish Building Code (11/17/20)

Ch. 2 - Swinomish Plumbing Code (5/8/18)

Ch. 3 - Swinomish Mechanical Code (5/8/18)

Ch. 4 - Swinomish Fire Code (5/8/18)

Ch. 5 - Stormwater Management (3/7/23)

Ch. 6 - Ventilation and Indoor Air (10/5/04)

Ch. 7 - Swinomish Fuel Gas Code (10/5/04)

Title 13 - Real Property and Housing:

Ch. 1 - Housing Authority (1/27/04)

Ch. 2 - Evictions (11/24/03)

Ch. 3 - Mortgage and Foreclosure (12/7/10)

Ch. 4 - Quiet Title (1/27/04)

Ch. 5 - Leasing of Tribal Lands (9/11/17)

Ch. 6 - Addressing and Road Naming Standards (5/8/18)

Title 14 - Employment:

Ch. 1 - Tribal Employment Rights (8/6/19)

Ch. 2 - Workers Compensation (10/24/03)

Ch. 3 - Labor Organizations (05/01/12)

Title 15 - Business Regulations:

Ch. 1 - Child Day-Care Center Licensing and Standards (6/5/12, reposted 2023)

Ch. 2 - Fireworks (5/2/17)

Ch. 3 - Tobacco (2/4/20)

Ch. 4 - Liquor (effective 8/4/2012)

Ch. 5 - Uniform Commercial Code [Reserved]

Ch. 6 - Business Licensing Code (3/18/11)

Ch. 7 - Lodges and Restaurants (2/23/12)

Ch. 8 - Cannabis (10/25/17)

Ch. 11 - Dental Health Provider Licensing (11/8/22)

Title 16 - Gaming:

Ch. 1 - General Provisions (2/5/13)

Ch. 2 - The Federal Act (IGRA) [Indian Gaming Regulatory Act] (6/30/03)

Ch. 3 - Licenses for Key Employees and Primary Management Officials (5/02/12)

Ch. 4 - Swinomish Gaming Commission (6/30/03)

Ch. 5 - Swinomish Gaming Enterprise (2/23/12)

Ch. 6 - Authorized and Prohibited Activities (5/11/10)

Ch. 7 - Enforcement (6/30/03)

Ch. 8 - Penalties for Violations (2/5/13)

Ch. 9 - Repealer, Severability and Effective Date (6/30/03)

Title 17 - Tax:

Ch. 1. Administration [Reserved]

Ch. 2. Utility Business Activity Tax (9/30/03)

Ch. 3. Retail Food and Beverage Tax (2/23/12)

Ch. 4. Tobacco Tax (5/30/12)

Ch. 5. TERO Tax (Repealed 6/4/14)

Ch. 6. Fish Tax (Repealed 6/7/11)

Ch. 7. Fuel Sales Tax (7/13/05)

Ch. 8. Room Occupancy Tax (2/23/12)

Ch. 9. Liquor Tax (5/30/12)

Ch. 10. Interim Trust Improvement Use and Occupancy Tax (10/15/14)

Ch. 11. Trust Improvement Use and Occupancy Tax (11/13/19)

Title 18 - Natural Resources:

Ch. 1 - General Provisions (11/13/19)

Ch. 2 - Administration (10/12/06)

Ch. 3 - Fishing (11/17/21)

Ch. 4 - Hunting and Gathering (11/2/21)

Ch. 5 - Firewood and Timber [Reserved]

Ch. 6 - Enforcement (12/1/15)

Ch. 7 - Procedure (9/1/15)

Ch. 8 - Penalties (9/1/15)

Ch. 9 - Commercial Float Dock Facility (6/7/05)

Ch. 10 - Appeals (6/7/05)

Ch. 11 - Swinomish Treaty Hunters  and Gatherers  Association (10/12/06)

Title 19 - Environmental Protection:

Ch. 1 - Environmental Policy Act (7/9/18)

Ch. 2 - Clean Air Act (8/4/20)

Ch. 3 - Herbicides and Pesticides (9/5/03)

Ch. 4 - Shorelines and Sensitive Areas (4/20/21)

Ch. 5 - Land Clearing (8/2/05)

Ch. 6 - Water Quality (4/8/19 with Reviser's Note)

Title 20 - Land Use and Zoning:

Ch. 1 - Planning Commission (9/5/03)

Ch. 2 - Land Use Planning Advisory Board (9/5/03)

Ch. 3 - Zoning (5/4/21)

Ch. 4 - Subdivisions and Binding Site Plans (9/11/18)

Title 21 - Archaeological and Cultural Resources:

Ch. 1 - Archaeological Excavation and Removal (11/5/03)

Title 22 - Water [Reserved]

Title 23 - Tidelands

Ch. 1 - Tribal Tidelands (8/15/23)

Title 24 - Administrative Procedures Act [Reserved]