Recognition of the Tuscarora.

GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA
SESSION 2025
H 2
HOUSE BILL 600
Committee Substitute Favorable 7/1/26

Short Title: Recognition of the Tuscarora. (Public)
Sponsors:
Referred to:
April 1, 2025
*H600-v-2*
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED 1
AN ACT TO RESTORE OF FICIAL RECOGNITION T O THE TUSCARORA AND TO 2
PROVIDE THEM REPRESENTATION ON THE COMMISSION OF INDIAN AFFAIRS. 3
Whereas, the passage of Senate Bill 642 by the 1971 General Assembly created the 4
North Carolina Commission of Indian Affairs, recognizing the existence within the State of 5
certain named Indian tribes and also acknowledged the fact that members of other Indian tribes 6
reside within the State; and 7
Whereas, the Tuscarora were recognized through treaties with the North Carolina 8
government, but were not among those tribes recognized in 1971; and 9
Whereas, the Tuscarora were a powerful tribe at the time of the English settlement of 10
the land that became North Carolina and Virginia and their prominent role in the early history of 11
both states is well-documented; and 12
Whereas, the Tuscarora and the Cherokee are the only tribes to hold treaties with the 13
North Carolina government; and 14
Whereas, the King of the Tuscarora was the signatory of the 1712 General Articles of 15
Peace and the 1714 Sun and Moon Peace Treaty and these treaties helped establish a lasting and 16
prosperous peace between the Tuscarora and the government and citizens of North Carolina; and 17
Whereas, the Tuscarora signed a stand-alone Treaty in 1717 with Governor Eden that 18
reserved 56,000 acres of historic Tuscarora territory in Bertie County exclusively for the 19
Tuscarora known as Indian Woods and in 1748, legislation reestablished the official boundaries 20
and drew a map of its proximities; and 21
Whereas, for two centuries, parcels of Indian Woods were allotted to descendants of 22
the Tuscarora Tribe and they have persisted as communities of Tuscarora People since that time 23
and have reorganized and incorporated into The Tuscarora Indians of Kahtenuaka Territories and 24
appointed a tribal council to represent all North Carolina Tuscarora; and 25
Whereas, a review of historical documents and testimony confirmed the current Tribal 26
Council of The Tuscarora Indians of Kahtenuaka Territories consists of descendants of the 27
historical Tuscarora Tribe; and 28
Whereas, the Tuscarora and its descendants contributed and continue to contribute to 29
the settlement and growth of the State of North Carolina, have maintained their ethnic 30
background, original language and culture and number a mong themselves families with names 31
well-known throughout the area and the State; Now, therefore, 32
The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts: 33
SECTION 1. Chapter 71A of the General Statutes is amended by adding a new 34
section to read: 35
General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2025
Page 2 House Bill 600-Second Edition
"§ 71A -7.3. The Tuscarora Indians of Kahtenuaka Territories; rights, privileges, 1
immunities, obligations, and duties. 2
The Indians who comprise The Tuscarora Indians of Kahtenuaka Territories, whose ancestors 3
signed treaties with the government of North Carolina and were granted the Indian Woods 4
Reservation on the Roanoke River in Bertie County, shall, from and after July 1, 202 6, be 5
designated and officially recognized as The Tuscarora Indians of Kahtenuaka Territories, and 6
they shall continue to enjoy all the ir rights, privileges, and immunities as an American Indian 7
Tribe with a recognized tribal governing body carrying out and exercising substantial 8
governmental duties and powers similar to the State . The Tuscarora Indians of Kahtenuaka 9
Territories shall be recognized as eligible for the special programs and services provided by the 10
United States to Indians because of their status as Indians. The Tuscarora shall maintain 11
individual enrollment criteria, providing an opportunity for all North Carolina Tuscarora 12
descendants to enroll and shall govern themselves in a manner that will benefit and unify all 13
Tuscarora that come under their governance." 14
SECTION 2. G.S. 143B-407 reads as rewritten: 15
"§ 143B-407. North Carolina State Commission of Indian Affairs – membership; term of 16
office; chairman; compensation. 17
(a) The State Commission of Indian Affairs shall consist of two persons appointed by the 18
General Assembly, the Secretary of Health and Human Services, the Assistant Secretary of 19
Commerce in charge of the Divisio n of Employment Security, the Secretary of Administration, 20
the Secretary of Environmental Quality, the Commissioner of Labor or their designees and 21 23 21
representatives of the Indian community. These Indian members shall be selected by tribal or 22
community consent from the Indian groups that are recognized by the State of North Carolina 23
and are principally geographically located as follows: the Coharie of Sampson and Harnett 24
Counties; the Eastern Band of Cherokees; the Haliwa Saponi of Halifax, Warren, and adjoining 25
counties; the Lumbees of Robeson, Hoke and Scotland Counties; the Meherrin of Hertford 26
County; the Waccamaw -Siouan from Columbus and Bladen Counties; the Sappony; the 27
Occaneechi Band of the Saponi Nation of Alamance and Orange Counties, The Tuscarora Indians 28
of Kahtenuaka Territories, and the Native Americans located in Cumberland, Guilford, Johnston, 29
Mecklenburg, Orange, and Wake Counties. The Coharie shall have two members; the Eastern 30
Band of Cherokees, two; the Haliwa Saponi, two; the Lumbees, three; the Meherrin, one; the 31
Waccamaw-Siouan, two; the Sappony, one; the Cumberland County Association for Indian 32
People, two; the Guilford Native Americans, two; the Metrolina Native Americans, two; the 33
Occaneechi Band of the Saponi Nation, one, one; the Triangle Native American Society, one. 34
one; The Tuscarora Indians of Kahtenuaka Territories, two. Of the two appointments made by 35
the General Assembly, one shall be made upon the recommendation of the Speaker, and one shall 36
be made upon recommendation of the President Pro Tempore of the Senate. Appointments by 37
the General Assembly shall be made in accordance with G.S. 120-121 and vacancies shall be 38
filled in accordance with G.S. 120-122. 39
…." 40
SECTION 3. G.S. 143B-135.5 reads as rewritten: 41
"Part 30A. American Indian Heritage Commission. 42
"§ 143B-135.5. American Indian Heritage Commission established. 43
… 44
(b) Members. – The Commission shall consist of 12 members. The initial board shall be 45
selected on or before February 1, 2022, as follows:13 members, as follows: 46
(1) One representative recommended by each of the following tribes: Coharie, 47
Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians, Haliwa -Saponi, Lumbee, Meherrin, 48
Occaneechi Band of the Saponi Nation, Sappony, The Tuscarora Indians of 49
Kahtenuaka Territories, and Waccamaw-Siouan. 50
General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2025
House Bill 600-Second Edition Page 3
(2) One representative recommended by each of the following organizations: 1
Cumberland County Association for Indian People, Guilford Native American 2
Association, Metrolina Native American Association, and the Triangle Native 3
American Society. 4
(c) Terms. – The members recommended by the Coharie, Eastern Band of Cherokee 5
Indians, Haliwa-Saponi, and Lumbee Tribes and the members recommended by the Cumberland 6
County Association for Indian People and the Guilford Native American Association shall serve 7
initial terms of two years expiring on June 30, 2023. The members recommended by the 8
Meherrin, Occaneechi Band of the Saponi Nation, Sappony, and Waccamaw-Siouan Tribes and 9
the members recommended by the Metrolina Native American Association and the Triang le 10
Native American Society shall serve initial terms of three years expiring on June 30, 2024. The 11
member recommended by The Tuscarora Indians of Kahtenuaka Territories shall serve an initial 12
term of three years expiring on June 30, 202 9. Upon the expiration of the terms of the initial 13
members of the Commission, each member shall be appointed to terms for three years and shall 14
serve until a successor is appointed. 15
…." 16
SECTION 4. There is appropriated from the General Fund to the Department of 17
Administration the sum of five thousand dollars ($5,000) in nonrecurring funds to assist the North 18
Carolina Commission of Indian Affairs with updating its website, materials, and other 19
documentation to reflect the new membership of the Commission. 20
SECTION 5. There is appropriated from the General Fund to the Department of 21
Natural and Cultural Resources the sum of five thousand dollars ($5,000) in nonrecurring funds 22
to assist the American Indian Heritage Commission with updating its website, materials, and 23
other documentation to reflect the new membership of the Commission. 24
SECTION 6. Sections 4 and 5 of this act become effective July 1, 2026. The 25
remainder of this act is effective when it becomes law. 26