Title
AN ACT AMENDING LEGISLATIVE ACT 20-20 TO CLARIFY THE OFFICIAL ARCHIVAL REPOSITORY OF THE CHEROKEE NATION
Body
Section 1. Title and Codification
This Act shall be known as the “Archives Repository Modernization Act of 2026” and shall be codified under Title 67, Section 7 of the Cherokee Nation Code Annotated, relating to records and archives.
Section 2. Purpose
The purpose of this Act is to give legal effect to Section 1006 of Legislative Act 20-20 by expressly amending the operative repository provision in Legislative Act 15-85, Section 7, so that the Cherokee Nation itself is the official archival repository in facilities managed and maintained by the Cherokee Nation, rather than on the grounds of the former state-chartered historical society.
Section 3. Legislative History
Legislative Act 15-85
Legislative Act 20-20
Section 4. Substantive Provisions
Amendment to LA-20-20, Section 1006, and LA-15-85, Section 7
A. Section 1006 of Legislative Act 20-20 is hereby amended to clarify that it expressly amends Section 7 of Legislative Act 15-85 and shall read as follows:
§ 1006. Archival Repository
Legislative Act 15-85 is hereby amended, and Section 7 thereof is stricken in its entirety and replaced with the following language:
‘Section 7. The Cherokee Nation shall be its own repository for the records and archives of the Cherokee Nation, to be located in facilities managed and maintained by the Cherokee Nation.’
The Cherokee Nation Archives and Records Commission shall retain its authority under Legislative Act 15-85, as amended, to govern the use and disposition of public records and archives consistent with this section.”
B. To the extent there is any conflict between the language of Section 7 of Legislative Act 15-85 as previously enacted and the language set forth in subsection A of this Section, the language in subsection A shall control.
Section 5. Provisions as cumulative
The provisions of this Act shall be cumulative to existing law, except where specifically amended herein.
Section 6. Severability
The provisions of this Act are severable, and if any part or provision hereof shall be held void, the decision of the Court so holding shall not affect or impair any of the remaining parts or provisions of this Act.
Section 7. Emergency Declared
It being immediately necessary for the welfare of the Cherokee Nation to clarify the official archival repository and ensure that records and archives are managed entirely within the current Tribal structure, the Council of the Cherokee Nation hereby declares that an emergency exists, by reason whereof this Act shall take effect and be in full force after its passage and approval.