The bill amends Title 42 of the General Laws by adding a new chapter, Chapter 169, which officially recognizes the Seaconke Wampanoag tribe as a Native American Indian tribe. This recognition is limited to assisting the tribe in establishing eligibility for federal education, job training, and housing benefits, as well as federal protection for the sale of artwork. It also aims to support the tribe's traditional religious practices and ceremonies, the preservation and protection of burial sites and artifacts, and ensures that handicrafts made by tribal members may be sold as "Indian made."

The bill clarifies that this recognition does not confer any rights beyond those explicitly stated, including the ability to conduct gambling or engage in the sale of motor fuels or tobacco. Furthermore, it specifies that this limited state recognition does not affect the tribe's case for federal recognition and does not acknowledge any claims to ancestral, tribal, or other public or private lands. The act will take effect upon passage.