107th Tennessee General Assembly - session 2 / 2012
SB 2177  by Campfield HB 2284   by Shipley	State Government - establishes standards for state recognition of Native American Indian tribes; designates the Tennessee Native American Council [TNNAC] to review groups which seek state tribal recognition; recognizes 3 culture clubs as tribes.
107th Tennessee General Assembly - session 1 / 2011 -- none of the following proposals made it out of committee
SB 120  by Campfield HB 509  by Hardaway	Sunset Laws - As introduced, creates sunrise provision for commission of Indian affairs, June 30, 2012.
HB 2055  by Hardaway SB 1802   by Campfield	grants state tribal recognition to 6 culture clubs; appoints the previously defunct "Confederation of Tennessee Native Tribes" as the means for other wannabe groups to receive state recognition as tribes.
SB 140   by Watson HB 660   by Cobb	Sunset Laws - As introduced, deletes references to defunct commission of Indian affairs.

STATE OF TENNESSEE Office of the Attorney General ROBERT E. COOPER, JR. ATTORNEY GENERAL AND REPORTER NASHVILLE, TN 37202 August 27, 2010 Statement on Mark Greene v. Tennessee Commission of Indian Affairs After reviewing material submitted by its former members and other information, the Attorney General has concluded that the notice of the June 19, 2010, meeting of the now-defunct Tennessee Commission of Indian Affairs did not disclose the Commission's intent to deliberate about and approve the applications of the six Indian tribes seeking state recognition. The Attorney General has further concluded that members of the Commission discussed these matters prior to the June meeting. These actions could be found by a court to constitute violations of Tennessee's Open Meetings Act. A copy of the Answer filed today by the Attorney General reflects these conclusions and is available at www.tn.gov/attorneygeneral/cases/tcia/tcia.htm one misstatement: they were not "six Indian tribes seeking state recognition". they are: six culture clubs seeking state recognition as Native American Indian tribes. 1 july 2009: state Commission of Indian Affairs went into "sunset" (year-long wind-down period prior to termination). 10 june 2010: attempts to extend the Commission of Indian Affairs opposed by Native Americans; bill proposals failed; the state General Assembly adjourned. 19 june 2010: the TNCIA held its last legal meeting in Memphis, and violated state laws regarding open meetings, advance notice and fraud. 21 june 2010: Mark Greene, Nashville lobbyist for the Cherokee Nation of Oklahoma (two legislative sessions, 2009 and 2010), filed a complaint in Nashville's Davidson County court against the TNCIA for failing to comply with state regulations governing open meetings of public agencies. The Tennessee Commission of Indian Affairs was terminated on 30 June 2010. 27 august 2010: Tennessee Attorney General admitted that the state Commission of Indian Affairs violated the state's Open Meeting law. 7 september 2010: Davidson County Chancery Court Final Agreed Order found that the TNCIA violated the state Open Meetings Act and declared the TNCIA's action of 19 june 2010 "void and of no effect". As of 11 october 2010, leaders of four of the six groups - Lee Vest, James Meeks, Bonnie Knuckles & Alice Henry, including two who were commissioners (JM, AH), had filed five separate motions in Davidson County Chancery Court to Set Aside or Amend Judgment, to Intervene, and to Dismiss the agreement reached by Greene and the Attorney General who represented the State and the Commission as a state agency. A hearing on the motions was postponed indefinitely and the matter dropped.

The actions taken by the TCIA at its 19 June 2010 meeting in adopting Standing Rule 14 and in awarding state recognition as an Indian Tribe to the recently created six culture clubs that call themselves: "Remnant Yuchi Nation" aka "Appalachian Confederated Tribes" of Kingsport TN; "United Eastern Lenape Nation" aka "Upper Cumberland Cherokee" of Winfield TN; "Chikamaka Band" aka "Chikamaka-Cherokee Band of the South Cumberland Plateau" of Tracy City TN; "Central Band of Cherokee" aka " Cherokee of Lawrence County" of Lawrenceburg TN; "Cherokee Wolf Clan" of Yuma TN; and "Tanasi Council" aka "Tanasi Council of the Far Away Cherokee" of Memphis TN, formerly known collectively as "Confederation of Tennessee Native Tribes", are declared void and of no effect by the Tennessee Attorney General in Davidson County (Nashville) Chancery Court on 7 September 2010, pursuant to the state Open Meetings Act, TCA 8-44-105. Other violations of state law committed by the TCIA, including conspiracy, fraud, and violations of the state Open Meeting, Open Records, and Uniform Administrative Procedures Acts, have not been prosecuted at this time. Be advised that these groups are similar in legitimacy to the "tribes" of the Mardi Gras Indian Nation. The six pro-bogus-recognition 2010 TNCIA commissioners (Hicks, Henry, Meeks, Goddard, Lawson, Thigpen) tried to convince the state legislature during its January to June 2010 term to extend the Commission of Indian Affairs for another couple of years AND support several bogus recognition criteria bills. The TNCIA failed to get their bills through a single committee, but succeeded in scaring legislators such that the legislators added a 60-day stay onto the TNCIA's Rule 0785-1 Recognition Criteria For Native American Indian Tribes which would go into effect 17 may july 2010, 17 days after the Commission's expiration date of 30 june 2010. This put the recognition criteria beyond the six commissioners' ability to legally implement the rule and review the applications of the six culture clubs that wanted to be state-defined as tribes. So at their last official meeting on 19 june 2010 in Memphis, the TNCIA created, approved and adopted a new "Standing Rule 14" of recognition criteria specifically designed to bypass the State's statutory rulemaking process, followed immediately by a private review of their own 6 culture clubs' applications in 30 minutes, returned the applications to the applicant culture clubs in order to avoid any state "Open Records" paper trail, then approved their culture clubs as the State of Tennessee's new tribes, and received a standing ovation from their 50+ supporters in attendance. (The link to the state web site that temporarily contained the announcement of the illegal action, www.state.tn.us/environment/boards/tcia/pdf/tcia_recognized_tribes_i.pdf, is now dead.) new in-state code word: "Tennessee Indigenous Indians" = White Republicans who claim to be 5th-generation descendants of indians who were too afraid to claim their heritage, who "hid out" for the past 172 years, who have no more connection to the original tribe than they do to their european heritage. A racial prejudice used to distinguish Whites born in Tennessee from Indians born elsewhere. the final TN Commission of Indian Affairs meetings: • 13 february 2010 - Chattanooga Rules Committee (no report yet) • 20 february 2010 - Nashville & Recognition Review Committee* - agenda (incorporated within the meeting itself)               • 20 march 2010 - Oak Ridge Zach Wamp Auditorium in the New Hope Center at the Y-12 National Security Complex • 24 april 2010 - Chattanooga State Office Building . 540 McCallie Avenue & Recognition Review Committee* * can't legally be created without statutory authority that won't exist until the new recognition Rule 0785-1 becomes effective 17 may july 2010. • 22 may 2010 - Nashville Nashville State Community College S-118 (pdf campus map) 120 White Bridge Pike • 19 june - Memphis   (last meeting) failed statutory meeting notice, failed advance notice of meeting content approved new Standing Rule 14, "Procedures to provide for legal recognition by the state of presently unrecognized tribes, nations, groups, communities or individuals (TCA §4-34-103)", in violation of TCA Title 4, Chapter 5 Uniform Administrative Procedures Act. illegally approved recognition of 6 culture clubs as Tennessee State Recognized Tribes. 24 june - ten former TCIA commissioners denounced TCIA actions of 19 june 26 june - saturday Oak Ridge 10am canceled due to lack of quorum. • 30 june - Mark Greene (CNO) v. TN Commission of Indian Affairs filed in Chancery Court, Davidson County (Nashville)             TNNAC Convention             12 september 2009 - Humboldt : CANCELLED due to T.Hicks v. TNNAC lawsuit rescheduled & held 5 december 2009 Memphis with only "Confederation" participation (TNNAC gave Tammera Hicks 'Indian Preference', restraining order lifted. cost to TNNAC $234.50) next TNNAC meeting: 30 january 2010 - CANCELLED due to weather forecast of snow Election Fraud by TNNAC failure to disqualify Tammera Hicks as a candidate based on her invalid and false information. TNNAC SOP §4.f, p40: Invalid or false information will invalidate a nomination. fraudulent 1997 TNCIA individual recognition, fraudulent Cherokee genealogy anti-indian 'Confederation' has taken over TNNAC & TNCIA • improperly invalidated 1 August 2009 Memphis caucus results • unqualified 14 November 2009 Memphis caucus candidates • failure to follow its own election rules / SOP • secret & unreported TNNAC Board meetings now moving to takeover or kill ACTIA state Sunshine law: formation of public policy & decisions is public business and shall not be conducted in secret. TCA 8-44-101 2010 Legislative Watch        :the 6 Fake Tribes of Tennessee still pushing for Recognition   search this year's legislation                         ... now in charge of the Commission & ready to Self-Anoint as "Tennessee's Real Indian Tribes™" 2009 HB 186 / SB 136 Casada & Ketron Holidays and Days of Special Observance: redesignates the 2nd Monday in September each year as American Indian Day instead of the 4th Monday in September each year. *caption bill, true purpose unknown* HB 239 Mumpower / State Government: "grants state recognition to certain Indian tribes, bands, and groups [the "Confederation of TN Native Tribes"); provides means for other Indian tribes, bands, and groups to receive state recognition" through them. *essentially the same as HB3299 last year* HB 333 Mumpower / Naming and Designating: "extends state Native American Indian recognition with full legal rights and protections to the Remnant Yuchi Nation in the counties of Sullivan, Carter, Greene, Hawkins, Unicoi, Johnson, and Washington". 2008 HB3299 Grants state Indian recognition to 6 groups; appoints "Confederation of Tennessee Native Tribes" to review other groups to receive state Indian recognition. Vaughn failed in Senate State & Local Gov't Cte 2-2-3; amendment never submitted. SB2477 Repeals commission of Indian affairs & eliminates statutory authority. amended to extend termination date to 30 June 2009. Harper passed Senate & House, signed by Gov. SB3450 Extends commission on Indian affairs termination date to 30 June 2009 Marrero SB2477 amended to same, passed. taken off notice. 2007 SJR0002 Urges the TNCIA and the BIA to recognize the Cherokee Wolf Clan as Native American Indians. Jackson Withdrawn. SB0162 Prohibits state agencies from prohibiting use of American Indian symbols, names, and mascots. Bunch Passed: Pub. Ch. 371. SB1681 Authorizes TDEC to issue recognition to certain Indian tribes; grants recognition to Cherokee Wolf Clan. Herron No House bill. Died in committee. SB1371 Exempts bona fide Indian organizations from payment of $50 charitable solicitations registration fee. Haynes Passed: Pub. Ch. 474. SB1307 Authorizes issuance of Native American cultural license plates. Watson Held in House subcommittee. SB2121 extends TNCIA to 2011. Harper, Kernell Amended to 2008. Passed: Pub. Ch. 516. 2006 2004 HB2644/SB2732 8 feb 2006 Pat Cummins AAC/ Hensley, Favors; Henry Expands criminal offense of abuse of a corpse to include offering sale or purchase of buried human skeletal remains without legal authority to do so; clarifies that colleges and universities may import or export human remains for education or research purposes; increases fine amount for grave robbing. Amends TCA 11-6-118 & 39-17-312. Passed, Pub. Ch. 896 HJR 877 28 feb 2006. Hensley A RESOLUTION to urge the Tennessee Commission of Indian Affairs and the United States Bureau of Indian Affairs to take action regarding applications to be recognized as a Native American tribe filed by the Cherokee of Lawrence County. 104th General Assembly SJR 657 13 jan 2004. McLeary A RESOLUTION to recognize the Cherokee Wolf Clan as an official Native American Indian body in the State of Tennessee. 103rd General Assembly TN Archaeological Advisory Council - mandated 3 Native American representatives • Michael Lynch, West Tennessee (2008-12) *member, Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma 73 Baseline Road, Dyer 38330 731. 643.6655 • Pat Cummins, Middle Tennessee (2004-08) descendant, Cherokee Hermitage 37076 615. 874.1435 • Corky Allen, East Tennessee (2006-10) *member, Muscogee (Creek) Nation of Oklahoma 1055 Hillcrest Road, Chattanooga 37343 423. 842.7960 TN Historical Commission - mandated inclusion of person/s of Native American ancestry • Brent Cox, teaches Native American history at UT-Martin (2008-12) *member, Cherokee Tribe of Northeast Alabama 444 Cades Atwood Road, Milan 38358 o 731. 881.7539, h 731. 723.9994 TN Title VI Compliance Commission • John Hedgecoth, former TNCIA member descendant, Cherokee 448 Deep Water Road, Crossville 38571 931. 277.5452 list of NA-related organizations in Tennessee healthcare for Native American Indians in Tennessee TN Dept of Health Division of Minority Health and Disparity Elimination Medicaid/TennCare TN Dept of Human Services Adult and Family Services Chattanooga-Hamilton County Health Department Community Health Services meetings 1 : 31 january 2004 Nashville 2 : 10 july 2004 Chattanooga 3 : 18 september 2004 Knoxville 3a: 23 october 2004 Nashville: Committee of the Whole: Recognition Criteria 4 : 4 december 2004 Memphis 5 : 12 march 2005 Nashville 5a: 30 april 2005 Nashville: Committee of the Whole: Recognition Procedures 6 : 4 june 2005 Chattanooga 7 : 8 october 2005 Knoxville - only 3 commissioners, no quorum 8 : 3 december 2005 Memphis 9 : 4 march 2006 Nashville 9a: 20 may 2006 Nashville: Rulemaking Public Hearing on Rules for Recognition Criteria for Native American Indians 10: 10 june 2006 Chattanooga - TDEC's Recognition Criteria proposed, adopted 3-1 11: 5 august 2006 Knoxville - TDEC's Recognition Criteria withdrawn 2-1, ACTIA's Recognition Criteria (tribes only) proposed, adopted 3-0 11a: 21 october 2006 Nashville: Rulemaking Public Hearing on Rules for Recognition Criteria for Native American Indians 12: 2 december 2006 Memphis 13: 17 march 2007 Nashville - ACTIA's Recognition Criteria (tribes only) adopted 5-1, became TNCIA Rule 0785-1 14: 9 june 2007 Chattanooga 15: 21 july 2007 Nashville: special: sunset questionnaire response only 16: 25 august 2007 Knoxville 16a: 17 november 2007 Nashville: Rulemaking Public Hearing on Rules for Recognition Criteria for Native American Indians re. proposed repeal of TNCIA Rule 0785-1 vis-à-vis TCA 4-34-103 §6 17: 1 december 2007 Memphis - no quorum due to Shelley Allen's walkout 17: 29 december 2007 Memphis - rescheduled from 1 december - TNCIA's Recognition Rule 0785-1 rescinded at legislative Rules Cte's request 18: 29 march 2008 Nashville 19: 21 june 2008 Knoxville 20: 13 september 2008 Chattanooga 22 september 2008 Tennessee American Indian Day october 2008 Tennessee American Indian Month ? october 2008 Tennessee Day of Healing 20a: 12 october 2008 Committee of the Whole: teleconference / Strategic Planning - no quorum 21: 8 november 2008 Bartlett (Memphis): cancelled 21: 17 january 2009 Bartlett (Memphis) 22: 21 february 2009 Nashville - bills reviewed 23a: 7 march 2009 administrative teleconference (Knoxville) 23b: 4 april 2009 Cte of the Whole/strategic planning teleconference (Knoxville) 23: 16 may 2009 Knoxville - approved state recognition criteria for tribes 30 june 2009 Commission sunset date 1 august 2009 TNNAC caucuses 23a: 8 august 2009 Nashville: Public Rulemaking Hearing on Recognition Criteria for Native American Indian Nations, Tribes or Communities, re-proposal of former TNCIA Rule 0785-1: vis-à-vis TCA 4-34-103 §6 24: 10 october 2009 Chattanooga - final approval of Rule 0785-1 State Tribal Recognition Criteria 25: 23 january 2010 Memphis - final approval of Rule 0785-1 State Tribal Recognition Criteria goal: to get as many fake tribes recognized in the state in the next 150 days as possible 26: 13 february 2010 Chattanooga - Rules Committee 27: 20 february 2010 Nashville + Recognition Review Cte 28: 20 march 2010 Oak Ridge 29: 24 april 2010 Chattanooga + Recognition Review Cte 30: 22 may 2010 Nashville 31: 19 june 2010 Memphis - fraudulent recognition of 6 groups as tribes XXX 30 june 2010 Tennessee Commission of Indian Affairs terminated. CNO lawsuit against Commission filed.     highlights                                                                               Chairwoman Van Lynch's response to SB 162, 17 april 2007 to prohibit state agencies from prohibiting use of American Indian symbols, names, and mascots. approved Policy Statement regarding Display of Indian Remains 12 march 2005 Indian Mascot Removal - adopted (unanimous) 3 december 2005 Protection of Pinson Mounds site (1) NA-related state parks need NA-approved mgmt plans - adopted (unanimous), 3 december 2005 Protection of Pinson Mounds site (2) legislative proposal - adopted (unanimous) 3 december 2005 Protection of Little Cedar Mountain - recommend HJR 84 to legislature - adopted (unanimous) 3 december 2005 approved Recognition of the Historic Indian Tribes of Tennessee, 4 march 2006 approved Tribal Recognition Criteria rules, 17 march 2007 2003 TCA 4-34-101: Commission of Indian Affairs "A Broader Commission" 5-year, 10-committee plan for the new Proposed Commission including the creation of the TN Indian Affairs Advisory Council approved by the 2001 TNNAConvention (in .pdf format)

Tennessee American Indian Heritage Day & Month
september 27, october & november 2004

TN Commission of Indian Affairs legislation - signed by governor, 13 june 2003 • Public Chapter 344 .pdf • Public Chapter 344 .text • HB1530-SB704 bill history 2004: HB2415, text pdf / HB3418, commentary, pdf 2003: november - 7 new commissioners appointed. june - Commission of Indian Affairs approved by legislature, signed by Governor Bredesen. january - SB704 & HB1530 introduced to 103rd General Assembly      pdf version of Senate Bill 704 to establish a state Indian commission 2003 calendar 1978 TN gubernatorial tribal recognition & 1991 TDEC Opinion 1982 proposal to create the TN Commission of Indian Affairs 1983 & 1984 legislative bills to create & amend the TN Commission of Indian Affairs info on the old Commission 1984-2001 original 1990 TNCIA Recognition Criteria for Native American Indians (6 pages, .pdf) 1999 list of 89 TN State-Recognized Indians amended 1991 TNCIA Recognition Criteria for Native American Indians (3 pages, .pdf) 1991 TNCIA Recognition Criteria administrative history (1 page, .pdf) TNCIA Recognition Procedure 1997 TNCIA dismantling recognition criteria TCIA chair response to TNNAC inquiry on THicks' 1997 TCIA recognition TCIA Reform History & Proposal & Ad Hoc TNCIA Reform Committee 1999-2002 1st 2000 Sunset Hearing 23 august 2000 transcript 2nd 2000 Sunset Hearing 19 october 2000 transcript 2001 & 2003 TN Native American Convention information 2004 Reedy-Mangrum endorsement of 'Cherokee Wolf Clan' 2004 Nashville/Davidson County recognition of the 'Cherokee Wolf Clan' and repeal 2006 withdrawn Lawrence County recognition of the 'Cherokee of Lawrence County' 2007 list of petitioners for federal tribal recognition - page 42: 'Cherokee of Lawrence County' Letter of Intent to Petition 9/14/2000 TN Uniform Administrative Procedures Act (UAPA) useful Tennessee maps Advisory Council on Tennessee Indian Affairs TN Native American Convention TN Archaeological Advisory Council agenda Federally Recognized Tribes / First Nations with historical ties to Tennessee Federal tribal recognition Other States Alabama tribal recognition criteria     Kawita Creeks struggle for recognition 2008 North Carolina tribal recognition criteria Georgia (no criteria or rules) Virginia state tribal recognition Pennsylvania proposed state tribal recognition 1995/Teri-Lee Rhoades Governors' Interstate Indian Council (GIIC) National Conference of State Legislatures • State-Tribal Relations • State Committees and Commissions on Indian Affairs • Indian Tribes in the States Alabama Indian Affairs Commission Georgia Council on American Indian Concerns Kentucky Native American Heritage Commission North Carolina Commission of Indian Affairs South Carolina Indian Affairs Commission South Carolina Commission for Minority Affairs Virginia Council on Indians Mississippi - no commission Arkansas - no commission Missouri - no commission state Attorney General Opinions re. Native American Indians in Tennessee 2000-blq - informally, on the validity of requiring 'blood lineage'/quantum as a requirement for Indian commissioner 2001-019 - State Lottery - Impact of Federal Indian Gaming Regulatory Act/IGRA 2001-064 - State Lottery and the IGRA 2004-032 - Implementation of 2003 Pub. Ch. 344 (Tennessee Commission of Indian Affairs) 2004-138 - Legal Relationship Between Commission and TNNAC and ACTIA 2005-005 - Public Exhibition or Display of Native American Indian Human Remains 2005-066 - Tennessee Commission on Indian Affairs Tribal Recognition Criteria; status of                Cherokee of Lawrence County's petition for recognition with the Tennessee Commission on Indian Affairs 2006-080 - Casino Gambling on Land Held by the Eastern Band of Cherokee Under Lease Agreement with the TVA 2006-165 - Tennessee Commission of Indian Affairs - Individual and Organizational Recognition Criteria;                status of individuals and organizations recognized by the                previous Commission of Indian Affairs terminated on June 30, 2001 2007-021 - State of Tennessee's Authority to Recognize Indian Tribes 2007-132 - Chapter 371 (anti-anti-mascot law) prohibits the state Human Rights Commission (THRC)                from seeking to prohibit or limit the use of a name, symbol or mascot 2008-090 - Ability of Federally Recognized Indian Tribes to Conduct Gambling Activities In Tennessee