Bill to recognize six groups in Tennessee put off for a year

Wednesday, April 11, 2012  

A bill to recognize six groups in Tennessee has been delayed a year, The Chattanooga Times Free Press reports.

The Senate State and Local Government narrowly voted 5-4 last week to advance the bill. But the House State and Local Government Committee voted to put the bill to a study, delaying it until the next legislative session in 2013.

Federally recognized tribes in Oklahoma have opposed the bill, saying the groups in Tennessee can't document their Indian ancestry. One of the groups is the Central Band of Cherokee, whose petition for federal recognition was rejected by the Bureau of Indian Affairs due to lack of evidence.

Get the Story:
House bill recognizing six groups as Indian tribes shuttled off for summer study (The Chattanooga Times Free Press 4/10)

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BIA issues final decision against Central Band of Cherokees (03/26)
WPLN: Tribal recognition bill in Tennessee draws complaints (3/21)