Bill > S2335

This bill aims to protect Native American cultural heritage by enforcing penalties under the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA) when certain organizations seek to deacquisition (remove from their collections) Native American cultural items. The bill first defines key terms directly from NAGPRA, including "Native American," "funerary objects," "sacred objects," and "objects of cultural patrimony," which ensures a consistent understanding of these terms. Specifically, the bill mandates that any agency, organization, entity, department, trust, nonprofit corporation, or public charity receiving funds from the Commonwealth of Massachusetts or its local governments must adhere to NAGPRA's penalties and requirements if they intend to remove Native American human remains, funerary objects, sacred objects, or objects of cultural patrimony from their collections. This legislation provides an additional layer of protection for Native American cultural artifacts and ensures that such items are handled with appropriate respect and legal oversight.

Budget and Finance, Business and Industry

https://malegislature.gov/Bills/194/S2335