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H.B. 185 Enrolled

    

INDIAN AFFAIRS AMENDMENTS

    
1997 GENERAL SESSION

    
STATE OF UTAH

    
Sponsor: James R. Gowans

    AN ACT RELATING TO INDIAN AFFAIRS; REQUIRING REPORTS TO LEGISLATURE
    CONCERNING INDIAN ISSUES BE MADE TO THE NATIVE AMERICAN
    LEGISLATIVE LIAISON COMMITTEE; MAKING TECHNICAL CORRECTIONS;
    AND PROVIDING A COORDINATION CLAUSE.
    This act affects sections of Utah Code Annotated 1953 as follows:
    AMENDS:
         9-9-107, as renumbered and amended by Chapter 241, Laws of Utah 1992
         9-9-405, as last amended by Chapter 243, Laws of Utah 1996
         9-10-107, as enacted by Chapter 341, Laws of Utah 1995
         63-88-102, as last amended by Chapter 4, Laws of Utah 1993
         63-88-105, as last amended by Chapter 4, Laws of Utah 1993
    Be it enacted by the Legislature of the state of Utah:
        Section 1. Section 9-9-107 is amended to read:
         9-9-107. Annual report.
        The division shall submit [to the department, to the governor, and to the Legislature] an
    annual report of its operations and recommendations[.] to:
        (1) the department;
        (2) the governor; and
        (3) the Native American Legislative Liaison Committee created in Section 36-22-1.
        Section 2. Section 9-9-405 is amended to read:
         9-9-405. Review committee.
        (1) There is created a Native American Remains Review Committee.
        (2) (a) The review committee shall be composed of seven members[,] as follows:
        (i) four [of whom] shall be appointed by the division director from nominations submitted
    by Indian tribes[,]; and


        (ii) three [of whom] shall be appointed by the division director from nominations submitted
    by representatives of repositories.
        (b) Except as required by Subsection (2)(c), as terms of current committee members expire,
    the division director shall appoint each new member or reappointed member to a four-year term.
        (c) Notwithstanding the requirements of Subsection (2)(b), the division director shall, at the
    time of appointment or reappointment, adjust the length of terms to ensure that the terms of
    committee members are staggered so that approximately half of the committee is appointed every
    two years.
        (d) When a vacancy occurs in the membership for any reason, the replacement shall be
    appointed for the unexpired term.
        (e) (i) [Members] A member shall receive no compensation or benefits for [their] the
    member's services, but may receive per diem and expenses incurred in the performance of the
    member's official duties at the rates established by the Division of Finance under Sections
    63A-3-106 and 63A-3-107.
        (ii) [Members] A member may decline to receive per diem and expenses for [their] the
    member's service.
        (f) The review committee shall designate one of its members as [chairperson] chair.
        (3) The review committee shall:
        (a) monitor the identification process conducted under Section 9-9-403 to ensure a fair and
    objective consideration and assessment of all available relevant information and evidence;
        (b) review, upon the request of any affected party, any finding relating to:
        (i) the identity or cultural affiliation of remains; or
        (ii) the return of these remains;
        (c) facilitate the resolution of any disputes among Indian tribes or lineal descendants and
    state agencies relating to the return of remains, including convening the parties to the dispute if
    deemed desirable;
        (d) consult with Indian tribes on matters within the scope of the work of the review
    committee affecting these tribes;

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        (e) consult with the division in the development of rules to carry out this part;
        (f) perform other related functions as the division may assign to the committee; and
        (g) make recommendations, if appropriate, regarding future care of remains that are to be
    repatriated.
        (4) Any records and findings made by the review committee relating to the identity of or
    cultural affiliation of any remains and the return of any remains may be admissible in any action
    brought under this part.
        (5) The appropriate state agency having primary authority over the lands as provided in
    Chapter 8, Part 3, Antiquities, shall ensure that the review committee have reasonable access to
    Native American remains under review and to associated scientific and historical documents.
        (6) The division shall provide reasonable administrative and staff support necessary for the
    deliberations of the committee.
        (7) The review committee shall submit an annual report to the [Legislature] Native American
    Legislative Liaison Committee, created in Section 36-22-1, on the progress made, and any barriers
    encountered, in implementing this section during the previous year.
        Section 3. Section 9-10-107 is amended to read:
         9-10-107. Division to distribute monies -- Annual report -- Administration costs.
        (1) [At the end of each quarter, the] The division shall distribute[, upon approval of the
    board, payments to the recipients of loans and grants] loan and grant monies if the loan or grant is
    approved by the board [during that quarter].
        (2) The division shall make an annual report [to the Legislature and the governor]
    concerning the number and type of loans and grants made as well as a list of recipients of this
    assistance to:
        (a) the Native American Legislative Liaison Committee, created in Section 36-22-1; and
        (b) the governor.
        (3) The division, with board approval, may use fund monies for the administration of the
    fund, but this amount may not exceed 2% of the annual receipts to the fund.
        Section 4. Section 63-88-102 is amended to read:

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         63-88-102. Trust Fund -- Creation -- Oversight.
        (1) There is created an expendable trust fund entitled the "Navajo Trust Fund."
        (2) The fund consists of:
        (a) revenues received by the state that represent the 37-1/2% of the net oil royalties from the
    Aneth Extension of the Navajo Indian Reservation required by [Public Law] P.L. 403, 47 Stat. 1418,
    to be paid to the state;
        (b) monies received by the trust administrator or Dineh Committee from any contracts
    executed by:
        (i) the trust administrator[,];
        (ii) the board[,]; or
        (iii) the Dineh Committee;
        (c) appropriations made to the fund by the Legislature, if any;
        (d) income as defined in Subsection 63-88-101(5); and
        (e) other revenues received from other sources.
        (3) The Division of Finance shall account for the receipt and expenditures of fund monies.
        (4) (a) The state treasurer shall invest fund monies by following the procedures and
    requirements of Title 51, Chapter 7, State Money Management Act.
        (b) (i) The fund shall earn interest.
        (ii) The state treasurer shall deposit all interest or other revenue earned from investment of
    the fund back into the fund.
        (5) The state auditor shall:
        (a) conduct an annual audit of the fund's finances, internal controls, and compliance with
    statutes, rules, policies, and regulations according to the procedures and requirements of Title 67,
    Chapter 3, Auditor; and
        (b) deliver a copy of that audit report to the:
        (i) board;
        (ii) trust administrator;
        (iii) Dineh Committee;

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        (iv) Office of Legislative Research and General Counsel for presentation to the [Legislature's
    State and Local Affairs Interim] Native American Legislative Liaison Committee, created in Section
    36-22-1;
        (v) governor's office;
        (vi) Division of Indian Affairs;
        (vii) U.S. Bureau of Indian Affairs;
        (viii) Navajo nation; and
        (ix) U.S. Secretary of the Interior.
        Section 5. Section 63-88-105 is amended to read:
         63-88-105. Trust administrator -- Duties.
        (1) Under the direction of the board, the trust administrator shall:
        (a) review the documents and decisions highlighting the history of the trust fund, including:
        (i) the Nelson report, prepared as part of the Bigman v. Utah Navajo Development Council
    Inc. C77-0031;
        (ii) the November 1991 performance audit of the Utah Navajo Trust Fund by the legislative
    auditor general;
        (iii) Sakezzie v. Utah Indian Affairs Commission, 198 F. Supp. 218 (1961);
        (iv) Sakezzie v. Utah Indian Affairs Commission, 215 F. Supp. 12 (1963); and
        (v) the September 8, 1977, consent decree, the stipulation dated November 29, 1984,
    modifying the consent decree, and the court's memorandum opinion dated September 25, 1978, in
    Bigman v. Utah Navajo Development Council, Inc., C77-0031;
        (b) review all potential sources of trust fund revenues and prepare annual projections of
    monies that will be available for Navajo programs;
        (c) identify all property owned by the trust and establish and maintain a record system to
    retain records relating to the trust's property;
        (d) review all existing and proposed programs financed by the trust fund and evaluate
    whether or not they are the most practical and cost-efficient means to provide the desired benefit to
    Utah Navajos;

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        (e) consult regularly with the administrators of all programs financed by the trust fund to
    obtain at least quarterly progress reports on all programs;
        (f) attend all meetings of the Dineh Committee;
        (g) establish written policies identifying expenses payable from the fund for Dineh
    Committee members;
        (h) certify that all expenditures from the trust fund comply with the state's fiduciary
    responsibilities as trustee of the fund and are consistent with this section;
        (i) make an annual report to the board, the governor, and the [State and Local Affairs
    Interim] Native American Legislative Liaison Committee, created in Section 36-22-1, that:
        (i) identifies the source and amount of all revenue received by the fund;
        (ii) identifies the recipient, purpose, and amount of all expenditures from the fund;
        (iii) identifies specifically each of the fund's investments and the actual return and the rate
    of return from each investment; and
        (iv) recommends any necessary statutory changes to improve administration of the fund or
    to protect the state from liability as trustee;
        (j) establish, in conjunction with the state treasurer, the state auditor, and the Division of
    Finance, appropriate accounting practices for all trust fund receipts, expenditures, and investments
    according to generally accepted accounting principles;
        (k) provide summary records of trust fund receipts, expenditures, and investments to the
    board and to the Dineh Committee at each of their meetings;
        (l) pay administrative expenses from the fund;
        (m) report monthly to the board about [his] the trust administrator's activities and the status
    of the trust fund; and
        (n) call additional meetings of the Dineh Committee when necessary.
        (2) In conjunction with the Dineh Committee and under the direction of the board, the trust
    administrator shall:
        (a) before the beginning of each fiscal year, conduct an annual assessment of the needs of
    Navajos in the areas of health, education, and general welfare;

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        (b) based upon the annual assessment, develop, before the beginning of each fiscal year, a
    prioritized list of the needs of Navajos for that year;
        (c) before the beginning of each fiscal year, develop and approve an annual budget for the
    trust fund;
        (d) develop an ethics and conflict of interest policy for the trust administrator, [his] the
    administrator's employees, and the Dineh Committee that emphasizes the need to avoid even the
    appearance of conflict of interest or impropriety;
        (e) require the trust administrator, each of [his] the administrator's employees, and each
    Dineh Committee member to sign and keep on file written documentation that acknowledges their
    receipt of the ethics and conflict of interest policy and their willingness to abide by its provisions;
    and
        (f) make expenditures from the fund "for the health, education, and general welfare of the
    Navajo Indians, residing in San Juan County" as required by:
        (i) [Public Law] P.L. 72-403, 47 Stat. 1418 (1933);
        (ii) [Public Law] P.L. 90-306, 82 Stat. 121 (1968); and
        (iii) this chapter.
        (3) The trust administrator, under direction of the board, may:
        (a) contract with public and private entities; and
        (b) unless prohibited by law or the requirements of this chapter, acquire and hold monies
    and other property received in the administration of the trust fund.
        Section 6. Coordination clause.
        If this bill and H.B. 181, Reduction and Summarization of Annual Reports, both pass, the
    amendments to Section 9-10-107 in this bill supersede the amendments to Section 9-10-107 in H.B.
    181.
    

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