Legislative Act 16-02
Title
AN ACT AMENDING THE CHEROKEE NATION MEMBERSHIP ACT TO
MAKE TECHNICAL CORRECTIONS AND TO ESTABLISH RULES AND
PROCEDURES APPLICABLE TO THE RE-ENROLLMENT OF PERSONS
WHO RELINQUISH THEIR TRIBAL CITIZENSHIP, AND DECLARING AN
EMERGENCY
Body
BE IT ENACTED BY THE CHEROKEE NATION:
Section 1. Title.
This Act shall be known as the Tribal Citizenship Relinquishment and Technical Amendments Act of 2002.
Section 2. Purpose.
The purpose of this Act is to make certain technical and substantive amendments to the Cherokee Nation Membership Act, L.A. 6-92, as amended by L.A. 2-93 (11 CNCA ?? 1, et seq.), including amendments establishing rules and procedures applicable to the re- enrollment of certain persons who have relinquished their Tribal citizenship; and to declare an emergency.
Section 3. Findings.
The Tribal Council of the Cherokee Nation makes the following findings:
A. Prior to the adoption of this Act, Cherokee Nation Tribal citizens have been permitted to relinquish their Tribal citizenship and then re-enroll at any time. As a consequence, some persons have engaged in the abusive practice of relinquishing their Tribal citizenship in order to garner the benefits of services or programs offered by another Indian tribe, and then re-enrolling as citizens of Cherokee Nation in order to obtain the benefits of services or programs offered by the Nation.
B. A system of laws that allows the practice of frequent "switching" of citizenship between or among two or more Indian tribes, simply in order to obtain multiple financial and other benefits, leads to an inequitable distribution of services among citizens of the Cherokee Nation and other Indian people, creates the possibility of duplicative Tribal and federal
services, imposes undue burdens and administrative costs on the Nation and the office of the Registrar, and undermines the traditional cultural and political values of all Cherokees.
C. It is in the best interest of the Nation to adopt provi...
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