The proposed bill, referred to as the "Tribal Land Acknowledgment Act," seeks to amend the Arizona Revised Statutes by requiring that all public schools, universities, community colleges, state or local parks, libraries, and other state or local government buildings in Arizona display a Native American tribal land acknowledgment plaque. These plaques must be placed in a clearly visible location that is easily accessible to the public and are to be created in consultation with Native American tribes.
The bill clarifies that the land acknowledgment plaques do not confer any legal rights or privileges to non-federally recognized Native American tribes and that the acknowledgment process is purely a gesture of respect towards the indigenous people who historically occupied the land. The term "land acknowledgment" is defined as a statement recognizing Native American tribes as the traditional stewards of the land where these public institutions and facilities are located.
Statutes affected: Introduced Version: 1-802