GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA
SESSION 2025
H 1
HOUSE BILL 600
Short Title: Recognition of the Tuscarora. (Public)
Sponsors: Representatives Goodwin, Stevens, Cunningham, and Penny (Primary
Sponsors).
For a complete list of sponsors, refer to the North Carolina General Assembly web site.
Referred to: Rules, Calendar, and Operations of the House
April 1, 2025
*H600 -v-1*
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED 1
AN ACT TO RESTORE OF FICIAL RECOGNITION TO THE TUSCARORA AND TO 2
PROVIDE THEM REPRESENTATION ON THE COMMI SSION OF INDIAN AFFAIRS. 3
Whereas, the passage of Senate Bill 642 by the 1971 General Assembly created the 4
North Carolina Commission of Indian Affairs, recognizing the existence within the State of 5
certain named Indian tribes and also acknowledged the fact that members of other Indian tribes 6
reside within the State; and 7
Whereas, the Tuscarora were recognized through treaties with the North Carolina 8
government, but were not among those tribes recognized in 1971; and 9
Whereas, the Tuscarora were a powerful tribe at the time of the English settlement of 10
the land that became North Carolina and Virginia and their prominent role in the early history of 11
both states is well documented; and 12
Whereas, the Tuscarora and the Cherokee are the only tribes to hold treaties with the 13
North Carolina government; and 14
Whereas, the King of the Tuscarora was the signatory of the 1712 General Articles of 15
Peace and the 1714 Sun and Moon Peace Treaty and these treaties helped establish a lasting and 16
prosperous peace between The Tuscarora and the government and citizens of North Carolina; 17
and 18
Whereas, the Tuscarora signed a stand-alone Treaty in 1717 with Governor Eden that 19
reserved 56,000 acres of historic Tuscarora territory in Bertie County exclusively for the 20
Tuscarora known as Indian Woods and in 1748 legislation reestablished the official boundaries 21
and drew a map of its proximities; and 22
Whereas, for two centuries, parcels of Indian Woods were allotted to descendants of 23
the Tuscarora Tribe and they have persisted as communities of Tuscarora People since that time 24
and have reorganized and incorporated into The Tuscarora Indians of Kahtenuaka Territories and 25
appointed a tribal council to represent all North Carolina Tuscarora; and 26
Whereas, a review of historical documents and testimony confirmed the current Tribal 27
Council of The Tuscarora Indians of Kahtenuaka Territories consists of descendants of the 28
historical Tuscarora Tribe; and 29
Whereas, the Tuscarora and its descendants contributed and continue to contribute to 30
the settlement and growth of the State of North Carolina, have maintained their ethnic 31
background, original language and culture and number among themselves families with names 32
well-known throughout the area and the State; Now, therefore 33
The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts: 34 General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2025
Page 2 House Bill 600-First Edition
SECTION 1. Chapter 71A of the General Statutes is amended by adding a new 1
section to read: 2
"§ 71A-7.3. The Tuscarora Indians of Kahtenuaka Territories; rights, privileges, 3
immunities, obligations, and duties. 4
The Indians who comprise The Tuscarora Indians of Kahtenuaka Territories, whose ancestors 5
signed treaties with the government of North Carolina and were granted the Indian Woods 6
Reservation on the Roanoke River in Bertie County, shall, from and after July 1, 2025, be 7
designated and officially recognized as The Tuscarora Indians of Kahtenuaka Territories, and 8
they shall continue to enjoy all their rights, privileges, and immunities as an American Indian 9
Tribe with a recognized tribal governing body carrying out and exercising substantial 10
governmental duties and powers similar to the State. The Tuscarora Indians of Kahtenuaka shall 11
be recognized as eligible for the special programs and services provided by the United States to 12
Indians because of their status as Indians. The Tuscarora shall maintain individual enrollment 13
criteria, providing an opportunity for all North Carolina Tuscarora descendants to enroll and shall 14
govern themselves in a manner that will benefit and unify all Tuscarora that come under their 15
governance." 16
SECTION 2. G.S. 143B-407 reads as rewritten: 17
"§ 143B-407. North Carolina State Commission of Indian Affairs – membership; term of 18
office; chairman; compensation. 19
(a) The State Commission of Indian Affairs shall consist of two persons appointed by the 20
General Assembly, the Secretary of Health and Human Services, the Assistant Secretary of 21
Commerce in charge of the Division of Employment Security, the Secretary of Administration, 22
the Secretary of Environmental Quality, the Commissioner of Labor or their designees and 21 23 23
representatives of the Indian community. These Indian members shall be selected by tribal or 24
community consent from the Indian groups that are recognized by the State of North Carolina 25
and are principally geographically located as follows: the Coharie of Sampson and Harnett 26
Counties; the Eastern Band of Cherokees; the Haliwa Saponi of Halifax, Warren, and adjoining 27
counties; the Lumbees of Robeson, Hoke and Scotland Counties; the Meherrin of Hertford 28
County; the Waccamaw-Siouan from Columbus and Bladen Counties; the Sappony; the 29
Occaneechi Band of the Saponi Nation of Alamance and Orange Counties, The Tuscarora Indians 30
of Kahtenuaka Territories, and the Native Americans located in Cumberland, Guilford, Johnston, 31
Mecklenburg, Orange, and Wake Counties. The Coharie shall have two members; the Eastern 32
Band of Cherokees, two; the Haliwa Saponi, two; the Lumbees, three; the Meherrin, one; the 33
Waccamaw-Siouan, two; the Sappony, one; the Cumberland County Association for Indian 34
People, two; the Guilford Native Americans, two; the Metrolina Native Americans, two; the 35
Occaneechi Band of the Saponi Nation, one, one; the Triangle Native American Society, one. 36
one; The Tuscarora Indians of Kahtenuaka Territories, two. Of the two appointments made by 37
the General Assembly, one shall be made upon the recommendation of the Speaker, and one shall 38
be made upon recommendation of the President Pro Tempore of the Senate. Appointments by 39
the General Assembly shall be made in accordance with G.S. 120-121 and vacancies shall be 40
filled in accordance with G.S. 120-122. 41
…." 42
SECTION 3. G.S. 143B-135.5 reads as rewritten: 43
"Part 30A. American Indian Heritage Commission. 44
"§ 143B-135.5. American Indian Heritage Commission established. 45
… 46
(b) Members. – The Commission shall consist of 12 13 members. The initial board shall 47
be selected on or before February 1, 2022, as follows: 48
(1) One representative recommended by each of the following tribes: Coharie, 49
Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians, Haliwa-Saponi, Lumbee, Meherrin, 50 General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2025
House Bill 600-First Edition Page 3
Occaneechi Band of the Saponi Nation, Sappony, The Tuscarora Indians of 1
Kahtenauaka Territories, and Waccamaw-Siouan. 2
(2) One representative recommended by each of the following organizations: 3
Cumberland County Association for Indian People, Guilford Native American 4
Association, Metrolina Native American Association, and the Triangle Native 5
American Society. 6
(c) Terms. – The members recommended by the Coharie, Eastern Band of Cherokee 7
Indians, Haliwa-Saponi, and Lumbee Tribes and the members recommended by the Cumberland 8
County Association for Indian People and the Guilford Native American Association shall serve 9
initial terms of two years expiring on June 30, 2023. The members recommended by the 10
Meherrin, Occaneechi Band of the Saponi Nation, Sappony, and Waccamaw-Siouan Tribes and 11
the members recommended by the Metrolina Native American Association and the Triangle 12
Native American Society shall serve initial terms of three years expiring on June 30, 2024. The 13
member recommended by The Tuscarora Indians of Kahtenauaka Territories shall serve an initial 14
term of two years expiring on June 30, 2027. Upon the expiration of the terms of the initial 15
members of the Commission, each member shall be appointed to terms for three years and shall 16
serve until a successor is appointed. 17
…." 18
SECTION 4. This act is effective when it becomes law. 19