Community College District Compliance With the California Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act

The California Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (Cal-NAGPRA) provides for the repatriation and disposition of Native American human remains and associated funerary objects. Originally passed in 2001, Cal-NAGPRA (the state analogue to federal NAGPRA) requires all state-funded agencies (including community colleges) to provide a process for the identification and return of these items to the appropriate tribes.

AB 275, a state law which amended Cal-NAGPRA, went into effect on January 1, 2021. Among other things, the law requires all state-funded agencies to submit a preliminary inventory and summary to the Native American Heritage Commission ("NAHC," the authority charged with oversight of Cal-NAGPRA), strengthens the ability of nonfederally recognized tribes to engage in the repatriation process, and requires agencies with significant interaction with tribal issues to designate at least one liaison to engage and consult with California tribes. Notably, the NAHC is in the process of creating regulations which would allow the issuance of fines for noncompliance. As a result, community college districts should review their inventories and institutional knowledge to determine whether they have relevant collections and ensure that they are in compliance.

This webinar will focus on the obligations of state agencies and museums, with an emphasis on tribal consultation, decision-making as it relates to cultural affiliation, the publication of notices that must be submitted to California tribes and the NAHC, and civil penalties for noncompliance. We will also discuss best practices for ensuring compliance pursuant to Cal-NAGPRA and federal NAGPRA.

Who Should Attend? All levels of executive management, Chief Business Officers, Deans and Division Chairs whose work bears on Native American and anthropological issues.

Registration Information

$79 per person

$59 per person for 2 or more from same district

Make Check/Purchase Orders Payable to AALRR