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7 LONG TITLE
8 Committee Note:
9 The Native American Legislative Liaison Committee recommended this bill.
10 Legislative Vote: 8 voting for 0 voting against 3 absent
11 General Description:
12 This bill permits qualifying students to wear tribal regalia during a high school
13 graduation ceremony.
14 Highlighted Provisions:
15 This bill:
16 ▸ provides that:
17 • a student who is enrolled, or is eligible to be enrolled, as a member of a tribe
18 (qualifying student) may wear tribal regalia during a high school graduation
19 ceremony; and
20 • a local education agency may not prohibit a qualifying student from wearing
21 tribal regalia during a high school graduation ceremony; and
22 ▸ defines terms.
23 Money Appropriated in this Bill:
24 None
25 Other Special Clauses:
26 None
27 Utah Code Sections Affected:
28 ENACTS:
29 53G-4-412, Utah Code Annotated 1953
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31 Be it enacted by the Legislature of the state of Utah:
32 Section 1. Section 53G-4-412 is enacted to read:
33 53G-4-412. Tribal regalia at high school graduation ceremonies.
34 (1) As used in this section:
35 (a) "Graduation attire" means attire that an LEA requires a student to wear as part of
36 the dress code for a graduation ceremony.
37 (b) "Graduation ceremony" means a high school graduation ceremony.
38 (c) "Qualifying student" means a student who is:
39 (i) enrolled as a member of a tribe; or
40 (ii) eligible to be enrolled as a member of a tribe.
41 (d) (i) "Tribal regalia" means a tribe's:
42 (A) traditional dress; or
43 (B) recognized objects of religious or cultural significance.
44 (ii) "Tribal regalia" includes the following items of cultural significance:
45 (A) tribal symbols;
46 (B) beads; and
47 (C) feathers.
48 (e) "Tribe" means a tribe, band, nation, or Alaskan Native village that:
49 (i) federal law recognizes; or
50 (ii) a state formally acknowledges.
51 (2) (a) A qualifying student may wear tribal regalia during a graduation ceremony.
52 (b) Wearing tribal regalia includes decorating graduation attire with tribal regalia.
53 (3) An LEA may not prohibit a qualifying student from wearing tribal regalia as
54 described in Subsection (2).
55 (4) Nothing in this section shall be construed to limit an LEA's authority related to
56 student expression under applicable federal and state law.