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HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 1916 FILED ON: 1/15/2025
HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 628
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
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PRESENTED BY:
Jack Patrick Lewis
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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 relative to celebrating and teaching Native American culture and history.
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PETITION OF:
NAME:DISTRICT/ADDRESS :DATE ADDED:Jack Patrick Lewis7th Middlesex1/15/2025Erika Uyterhoeven27th Middlesex3/12/2025 1 of 2
HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 1916 FILED ON: 1/15/2025
HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 628
By Representative Lewis of Framingham, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No. 628) of
Jack Patrick Lewis relative to the teaching of Native American culture and history. Education.
[SIMILAR MATTER FILED IN PREVIOUS SESSION
SEE HOUSE, NO. 529 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 relative to celebrating and teaching Native American culture and history.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority
of the same, as follows:
1 The third paragraph of section 1D of chapter 69 of the General Laws, as appearing in the
22018 Official Edition, is hereby amended by inserting after the second sentence the following
3sentence:- The standards shall provide for instruction in: (i) tribal history and current issues of
4the Aquinnah Wampanoag, Mashpee Wampanoag and other Wampanoag tribes, the
5Massachuset, the Nipmuc and other Native American tribes that exist within Massachusetts; (ii)
6information about tribes and confederacies that have historic ties to Massachusetts, such as the
7Wabanaki Confederacy; (iii) tribal history of Native Americans throughout the United States;
8(iv) tribal sovereignty and governance, treaty rights, genocide, Native American cultures,
9languages and socioeconomic experiences; and (v) ongoing issues common to contemporary
10Native Americans throughout Massachusetts; provided, that to develop these standards the board 2 of 2
11shall consult consistently with the special relationship between the Commonwealth and Native
12Americans as molded by Treaty and Agreement, Legislative Act and Executive Order.