A. Program assistance for minor beneficiaries will be physically provided to the minor’s authorized representative to distribute to the minor, act on behalf of the minor, and/or act in the best interest of the minor in a manner that is categorized as part of the minor’s annual assistance limit and not the authorized representative’s annual assistance limit, unless the minor and the authorized representative are the same individual.

B. Minors, or individuals acting on behalf of minors, shall designate one (1) authorized representative on the application forms.

C. If the minor’s application forms submit only one (1) authorized representative, the Tribe shall accept the authorized representative as the correct representative for the minor without the need for further due diligence or investigation, unless the Program Administrator determines that concerns are apparent on the face of the application forms. Concerns that are apparent on the face of the application forms include, but are not limited to, the preexisting knowledge of the Program Administrator that the authorized representative has no custodial or care-taking relationship with the minor.

D. If the minor’s application forms submit multiple authorized representatives or the Program Administrator determines that concerns are apparent on the face of the application forms, the Program Administrator shall forward the application forms to the Chairperson for review. The Chairperson shall be empowered to conduct an appropriate investigation for the purposes of selecting one authorized representative, which includes, but is not limited to, requesting and reviewing additional documentation and information. The Chairperson shall select one (1) authorized representative and, where appropriate, shall provide preference to the selection of the minor.

E. Minors may designate and serve as their own authorized representative if the minor is an emancipated minor or is at least fourteen (14) years of age.

F. No minor, nor any person claiming to be the appropriate authorized representative, shall be entitled to compel the designation of an individual as the authorized representative. No individual may assert a claim against the Tribe or any of the Tribe’s officers, agents, or employees arising out of the improper designation of an authorized representative or improper disbursements to an authorized representative, whether such disbursements have been made in the past or will be made in the future. The Tribal Court may hear an appeal of any selection of an authorized representative by the Chairperson; provided, that the claim was brought by the minor, the authorized representative, or an individual seeking to be the authorized representative, and any remedy shall be limited to the appropriate designation of an authorized representative. The decision of the Tribal Court pursuant to this section may be appealed to the Appellate Panel. Thereafter, any decision shall be final and not subject to further appeal in any state or federal forum.

G. Nothing in this section shall be interpreted to provide program assistance in the name of the authorized representative, unless the minor and the authorized representative are the same individual. Disbursements to minors shall be made in accordance with Section 13-306(C), including the requirement that tribal checks be made payable to the minor. (Res. 2023-44 Exh. A)