Rhode Island House Bill H8194

Rhode Island 2022 Regular Session

• Introduced: 4/29/22
• Refer: 4/29/22

Caption

Narragansett Indian Land Management Corporation

Impact

The implications of H8194 extend to both legal recognition and state governmental authority over Indian lands. By granting the Narragansett Tribe sovereignty over these lands, the bill would delegate control from state to tribal hands, which could establish a new precedent in Rhode Island's colonial history. This transition aims to honor the Tribe as the original inhabitants of the area, acknowledging their ancestral claims and rights to self-governance in land management as stipulated by federal recognition processes and previous agreements.

Summary

House Bill H8194 proposes significant changes to the governance and management of land historically associated with the Narragansett Indian Tribe. The bill seeks to repeal certain sections of existing law regarding the Narragansett Indian Land Management Corporation and authorize the transfer of various state properties, including approximately 900 acres located in Charlestown, directly to the Narragansett Tribe. This transfer includes important areas such as the Indian Cedar Swamp management area and Indian Burial Hill, and retains public access to fishing areas around Deep Pond, ensuring continued community use of these lands.