Department of Transportation: contracts with federally recognized Indian tribes.

Existing law specifies the powers and duties of the Department of Transportation, and authorizes the department to make and enter into contracts that are required for performance of its duties, except that contracts with federally recognized Indian tribes are limited to certain activities and subject to certain conditions. This bill would delete those limitations and conditions. The bill would authorize the department to make and enter into contracts with the tribal government of a federally recognized Indian tribe in order to carry out its duties, including disbursement of state and federal transportation funds administered by the department that are designated for expenditure on eligible projects under the jurisdiction of the tribe.