§ 8011

It is the intent of the Legislature to do all of the following:

(a) Provide a seamless and consistent state policy to ensure that all California Indian human remains and cultural items be treated with dignity and respect.

(b) Apply the state’s repatriation policy consistently with the federal Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (25 U.S.C. Sec. 3001 et seq.), which was enacted in 1990, as subsequently amended, while considering the unique history of California towards California Indian tribes and the canon of construction regarding federal Indian law with respect to laws must be interpreted as the Indians would have understood them, be construed liberally in favor of the Indians, resolve all ambiguities in the law in favor of the Indians, and preserve tribal property rights and sovereignty unless a contrary intent is clearly stated.

(c) Facilitate the implementation of the federal Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act with respect to publicly funded agencies and museums in California.

(d) Encourage voluntary disclosure and return of Native American human remains and cultural items by a private institution or museum.

(e) Provide a process whereby lineal descendants and culturally or geographically affiliated California Indian tribes that file repatriation claims for Native American human remains and cultural items under the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (25 U.S.C. Sec. 3001 et seq.) or under this chapter with California state agencies and museums may request assistance from the commission in ensuring that state agencies and museums are responding to those claims in a timely manner and in facilitating the resolution of disputes regarding those claims.

(f) Provide a process whereby California Indian tribes that are not federally recognized may file claims with agencies and museums for repatriation of human remains and cultural items.

(Amended by Stats. 2020, Ch. 167, Sec. 3. (AB 275) Effective January 1, 2021.)