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HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 2963 FILED ON: 1/16/2025
HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 3597
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
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PRESENTED BY:
David M. Rogers and David Biele
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To the Honorable Senate and House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in General
Court assembled:
The undersigned legislators and/or citizens respectfully petition for the adoption of the accompanying bill:
An Act to protect Native American heritage.
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PETITION OF:
NAME:DISTRICT/ADDRESS :DATE ADDED:David M. Rogers24th Middlesex1/16/2025David Biele4th Suffolk1/16/2025Natalie M. Blais1st Franklin1/25/2025Manny Cruz7th Essex2/4/2025Patrick Joseph Kearney4th Plymouth1/22/2025Erika Uyterhoeven27th Middlesex3/6/2025 1 of 2
HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 2963 FILED ON: 1/16/2025
HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 3597
By Representatives Rogers of Cambridge and Biele of Boston, a petition (accompanied by bill,
House, No. 3597) of David M. Rogers, David Biele and others relative to Native American
heritage. Tourism, Arts and Cultural Development.
[SIMILAR MATTER FILED IN PREVIOUS SESSION
SEE HOUSE, NO. 3248 OF 2023-2024.]
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
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In the One Hundred and Ninety-Fourth General Court
(2025-2026)
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An Act to protect Native American heritage.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority
of the same, as follows:
1 SECTION 1. As used in this section, the following words shall, unless the context
2otherwise requires, have the following meanings:–
3 "Native American" as defined in the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation
4Act in accordance with 25 U.S.C. 3001 et seq.
5 "funerary objects" as defined in the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation
6Act in accordance with 25 U.S.C. 3001 et seq.
7 "sacred objects" as defined in the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation
8Act in accordance with 25 U.S.C. 3001 et seq. 2 of 2
9 "objects of cultural patrimony" as defined in the Native American Graves Protection and
10Repatriation Act in accordance with 25 U.S.C. 3001 et seq.
11 SECTION 2. The penalties and requirements of the Native American Graves Protection
12and Repatriation Act in accordance with 25 U.S.C. 3001 et seq. shall be enforced if an agency,
13organization, entity, or department receiving funds of any kind from the Commonwealth or any
14local government therein; or a trust, unincorporated association, nonprofit corporation organized
15under Chapter 180 of the Massachusetts General laws or public charity duly registered with the
16Office of the Attorney General moves to deacquisition any Native American funerary objects,
17human remains, sacred objects, or objects of cultural patrimony.