Title
A LEGISLATIVE ACT AMENDING TITLE 42 "LANGUAGE" OF THE CHEROKEE NATION CODE ANNOTATED; ADDING PROVISIONS RELATING TO THE CHEROKEE SYLLABARY
Body
BE IT ENACTED BY THE CHEROKEE NATION:
SECTION 1. Title and Codification
This act shall be known as the "Cherokee Syllabary Act" and codified as Title 42, Section ___________ of the Cherokee Nation Code Annotated.
SECTION 2. PURPOSE
The purpose of this act is to create a uniform standard for the Cherokee Syllabary. This act will codify the Cherokee Syllabary and the implementation of the act for Cherokee Nation Language programs.
SECTION 3. Legislative History
No prior legislation, however, title 42 has been reserved in the code book for future use for Language provisions. The Cherokee Language Advisory Committee has endorsed the concepts and goals of this legislation.
SECTION 4. Definitions
Title 42 CNCA is hereby amended to add the following:
§1 Cherokee Syllabary is the original syllabary created by Sequoyah consisting of one-hundred and seven (107) characters.
§ 2 Cherokee Nation Language Programs are educational programs that teach the Cherokee Language and are funded by the Cherokee Nation including but not limited to the following: Sequoyah High School, Immersion Programs, Employee Classes, Cherokee Nation incentive Programs, Community Language Classes.
§ 3 Cherokee Nation entities are defined as follows: any political subdivision thereof or any entity/corporation wholly or majority owned by the Nation, its parent, subsidiary, and/or affiliate companies, and further any non-profit entities affiliated with the Cherokee Nation.
§ 4 Cherokee Nation Administrative Departments will include but, not be limited to Health Care programs, Community Services, Human Services, Career Services, Communication, Environmental Programs, Real Estate Services and Education Services.
SECTION 5. Substantive Provisions of law
Title 42 CNCA is hereby amended to add the following:
§ 5 The purpose of this Law is to ensure:
a) the maintenance, protection and development of the Cherokee Syllabary;
b) the maintenance of the cultural and historic heritage of the Cherokee Nation;
c) the increased influence of the Cherokee language in the cultural environment of the Cherokee Nation, to promote a more rapid integration of the Cherokee Syllabary into society.
§ 6 The Cherokee Syllabary as defined by this act is as follows:
§7 The Cherokee Syllabary is an essential element of the life, culture and identity of the Cherokee People. The Cherokee Nation recognizes the importance of preserving and perpetuating the language to the survival of the Cherokee Nation. Instruction in the Cherokee Syllabary shall be made available for all grade levels in all schools serving the Cherokee Nation. Cherokee Syllabary instruction shall include to the greatest extent practicable: thinking, speaking, comprehension, reading and writing skills and study of the formal grammar of the language.
§8 The Cherokee Syllabary as defined by this title shall be used by the Cherokee Nation, including all Cherokee Nation Administrative Departments and entities. The Cherokee Nation shall integrate the Cherokee Syllabary over a period of time in the most cost affective and efficient manner as they see fit.
§9 The Cherokee Nation shall continue to utilize documents written with variants of the Cherokee Syllabary. The Cherokee Nation shall honor and preserve all documents written with variants of the Cherokee Syllabary.
§10 All documents produced by the Cherokee Nation Language Programs hereinafter shall use the Cherokee Syllabary as defined in this title.
Section 6. Provisions as cumulative
The provisions of this act shall be cumulative to existing law.
Section 7. Severability
The provisions of this act are severable and if any part of 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 8. Effective Date
The provisions of this act shall become effective thirty (30) days from and after the date of its passage and approval.
Section 9. Self-Help Contributions
To the extent that this Act involves programs or services to citizens of the Nation or others, self-help contributions shall be required, unless specifically prohibited by the funding agency, or a waiver is granted due to physical or mental incapacity of the participant to contribute.