Digital Scholarship and Initiatives

A bill has passed the state House and has been sent to the Governor which will allow the state to hold land in trust for North Carolina's state-recognized Indian tribes. Since state-recognized tribes are run as private, nonprofit organizations, donors hesitate to give them land. In addition, nonprofits are not eligible for government grants which would fund construction projects and water and sewer improvements for the land. The new bill, sponsored by Rep. Ronnie Sutton (Lumbee), would allow the state to hold land in trust for Indian tribes. The tribes could not sell their land without approval from the North Carolina Commission of Indian Affairs. Note: The ratified bill is House Bill 363, “An act to authorize the North Carolina Commission of Indian Affairs to hold land in trust for state-recognized Indian tribes.”