MA INDIGENOUS
LEGISLATIVE AGENDA
Updates and Action Alerts
We have an October 11 hearing date for H.529/S.344 “An Act to teach Native American cultures and histories“ AND H.536/S.318 “An Act providing for the creation of a permanent commission relative to the education of American Indian and Alaska Native residents of the Commonwealth.”
1. Join us at the hearing, Wednesday, October 11, 11 AM in the Gardner Auditorium in the Statehouse. RSVP to come to the hearing in person and help us pack the room. Wear purple to show your support! Share our facebook event to spread the word: https://fb.me/e/
2. Write the committee and submit written testimony in support! There are two options.
- Take 10 minutes to write a personal email testimony to the committee. Template here. Fact sheet here.
- OR Take 2 minutes to send email testimony to the committee. You can use the language that is provided, or modify it if you wish.
You can also sign up to testify in person or via Zoom: https://malegislature.
The Indigenous Peoples Day bill had a committee hearing on October 3. Please continue to help us to get this important legislation voted favorably out of committee by going to this link and sending an email to the committee. Just fill in your MA address and the letter will be sent to the committee as well as to your own state rep and senator. You can also personalize the text of the email if you wish.
The Protect Native American Heritage bill had a committee hearing in September. Please help us to get this voted favorably out of committee by using this email letter. Just fill in your MA address and the letter (you can modify the text if you want) will be sent to the committee as well as to your own state rep and senator: https://actionnetwork.org/letters/join-us-in-protecting-native-heritage-and-getting-our-bill-reported-out-of-commitee-favorbly
About
We are working to support legislation currently before the Massachusetts State Legislature that will benefit Indigenous Peoples.
Our current Agenda includes five bills in the 2023-2024 session that reflect some of the key concerns within Massachusetts.
From time to time, we will also ask supporters to lend a hand with other legislation in the region and nationally.
The Agenda
These are the bills we are supporting in the 2023-2024 MA legislative session
Replace Columbus Day with Indigenous Peoples Day to celebrate Indigenous resilience and survival. The change acknowledges the true histories of colonialism, genocide and racism that Native peoples have experienced and continue to face.
Learn more
Ensure Native American funerary objects, sacred objects, and objects of cultural patrimony held in governmental or non-profit collections are not sold for profit.
Improve educational outcomes and opportunities for American Indian and Alaska Native students.