AL SJR62

Alabama Legislature encourages the National Congress of American Indians (NCAI) to restore Tribal Membership eligibility to Alabama's state-recognized tribes after NCAI recently denied their continued membership

Alabama officially recognizes nine tribes: Poarch Band of Creek Indians, Echota Cherokee Tribe, Cherokee Tribe of Northeast Alabama, Machis Lower Creek Indian Tribe, Southeastern Mvskoke Nation, Cher-O-Creek Intra Tribal Indians, Mowa Band of Choctaw Indians, Piqua Shawnee Tribe, and United Cherokee Ani Yua Wiya

Only the Poarch Band of Creek Indians holds both state and federal recognition; the remaining eight tribes are state-recognized only

The Alabama Indian Affairs Commission, established in 1984 under the Davis-Strong Act, administers a scholarship program distributing more than $100,000 annually and coordinates state grants to recognized tribes

A copy of the resolution will be sent to NCAI for consideration