GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA
SESSION LAW 2001-344
AN ACT TO AUTHORIZE THE NORTH CAROLINA COMMISSION OF INDIAN AFFAIRS TO HOLD LAND IN TRUST FOR STATE-RECOGNIZED INDIAN TRIBES.
The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:
SECTION 1. G.S. 143B-405 reads as rewritten:
"§ 143B-405. North Carolina State Commission of Indian Affairs - purposes for creation.
The purposes of the Commission shall be as follows:
(1) to To
deal fairly and effectively with Indian affairs;affairs.
(2) to To
bring local, State, and federal resources into focus for the implementation
or continuation of meaningful programs for Indian citizens of the State of
North Carolina;Carolina.
(3) to To
provide aid and protection for Indians as needs are demonstrated; to
prevent undue hardships;hardships.
(4) To hold land in trust for the benefit of State-recognized Indian tribes. This subdivision shall not apply to federally recognized Indian tribes.
(5) to To
assist Indian communities in social and economic development; and development.
(6) to To
promote recognition of and the right of Indians to pursue cultural and
religious traditions considered by them to be sacred and meaningful to Native
Americans."
SECTION 2. G.S. 143B-406 reads as rewritten:
"§ 143B-406. North Carolina State Commission of Indian Affairs - duties; use of funds.
(a)
The Commission shall have the following duties: It shall be the
duty of the Commission
(1) to To
study, consider, accumulate, compile, assemble and disseminate information
on any aspect of Indian affairs;affairs.
(2) to To
investigate relief needs of Indians of North Carolina and to provide
technical assistance in the preparation of plans for the alleviation of such needs;needs.
(3) to To
confer with appropriate officials of local, State and federal governments
and agencies of these governments, and with such congressional committees that
may be concerned with Indian affairs to encourage and implement coordination of
applicable resources to meet the needs of Indians in North Carolina;Carolina.
(4) to To
cooperate with and secure the assistance of the local, State and federal
governments or any agencies thereof in formulating any such programs, and to
coordinate such programs with any programs regarding Indian affairs adopted or
planned by the federal government to the end that the State Commission of
Indian Affairs secure the full benefit of such programs;programs.
(5) To act as trustee for any interest in real property that may be transferred to the Commission for the benefit of State-recognized Indian tribes in accordance with a trust agreement approved by the Commission. The Commission shall not hold any interest in real property for the benefit of federally recognized Indian tribes.
(6) to To
review all proposed or pending State legislation and amendments to existing
State legislation affecting Indians in North Carolina;Carolina.
(7) to To
conduct public hearings on matters relating to Indian affairs and to
subpoena any information or documents deemed necessary by the Commission;Commission.
(8) to To study
the existing status of recognition of all Indian groups, tribes and communities
presently existing in the State of North Carolina;Carolina.
(9) to To
establish appropriate procedures to provide for legal recognition by the
State of presently unrecognized groups;groups.
(10) to To provide
for official State recognition by the Commission of such groups; and groups.
(11) to To initiate
procedures for their recognition by the federal government.
(b) The Commission may adopt rules to implement the provisions of subdivision (a)(5) of this section."
SECTION 3. This act is effective when it becomes law.
In the General Assembly read three times and ratified this the 24th day of July, 2001.
s/ Beverly E. Perdue
President of the Senate
s/ James B. Black
Speaker of the House of Representatives
s/ Michael F. Easley
Governor
Approved 11:39 a.m. this 3rd day of August, 2001