101ST GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2019 and 2020
HB3716

 

Introduced , by Rep. Kelly M. Cassidy

 

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:
 
New Act

    Creates the Vinyard Indian Settlement of Shawnee Indians Recognition Act. Provides that the State recognizes the Vinyard Indian Settlement as a tribe of Indians. Provides that the Tribe and each member shall be eligible for any services and benefits provided by the United States and State agencies to Indians that are otherwise available to State-recognized tribes. Contains provisions concerning the membership roll of the Tribe. Contains legislative findings. Defines "member" and "Tribe".


LRB101 09563 RJF 54661 b

 

 

A BILL FOR

 

HB3716LRB101 09563 RJF 54661 b

1    AN ACT concerning government.
 
2    Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
3represented in the General Assembly:
 
4    Section 1. Short title. This Act may be cited as the
5Vinyard Indian Settlement of Shawnee Indians Recognition Act.
 
6    Section 5. Findings. The General Assembly finds that:
7    (1) the Vinyard Indian Settlement of Shawnee Indians have
8lived in southern Illinois since time immemorial and are direct
9lineal descendants of Chief Sedowii's (Setteedown) Band of the
10Kispokofa Shawnee Indians;
11    (2) while many Shawnee Indians were removed to the Oklahoma
12Indian Territory in the 1800s, the members of the Vinyard
13Indian Settlement continued to live in southern Illinois as
14recorded in oral history and as documented, for example, in
15Colonel William M. Cockrum's 1907 "Pioneer History of Indiana,"
16in which he records the Wabash and Ohio River Shawnee community
17areas near Shawneetown, Illinois, 1807-1811;
18    (3) through the present day, the Vinyard Indian Settlement
19continues to live as a distinct, Indian community in southern
20Illinois, holding cultural and community events and
21ceremonies, maintaining a governing body over its members, and
22providing assistance to its members; and
23    (4) the State's recognition of the Tribe will improve the

 

 

HB3716- 2 -LRB101 09563 RJF 54661 b

1economic and social opportunities of the Tribe, its members,
2and southern Illinois through the availability of federal
3programs and funding to assist with job creation, education,
4housing, health care, and elder care.
 
5    Section 10. Definitions. As used in this Act:
6    "Member" means an individual who is enrolled in the Tribe
7under Section 25 of this Act.
8    "Tribe" means the Vinyard Indian Settlement of Shawnee
9Indians who are direct lineal descendants of Chief Sedowii's
10(Setteedown) Band of the Kispokofa Shawnee Indians.
 
11    Section 15. Recognition; applicability of State and
12federal laws.
13    (a) The State recognizes the Vinyard Indian Settlement as a
14tribe of Indians.
15    (b) All State and federal laws, including rules and
16regulations, which would be applicable to the Tribe as a
17State-recognized tribe, shall apply to the Tribe and its
18members.
19    (c) This Act does not:
20        (1) create a right of ownership or any other right to
21    land;
22        (2) create a benefit or entitlement of any kind;
23        (3) confer any criminal or civil jurisdictional
24    authority to the Tribe;

 

 

HB3716- 3 -LRB101 09563 RJF 54661 b

1        (4) impair existing rights, benefits, or entitlements
2    belonging to the Tribe, its members, or other Indians
3    living in the State; or
4        (5) alter or affect any legal or equitable claim of the
5    Tribe to enforce any right or privilege reserved by, or
6    granted to, the Tribe that was wrongfully denied to, or
7    taken from, the Tribe before the effective date of this
8    Act.
9    (d) The authority to establish standards for membership of
10the Tribe is reserved by the Tribe, as described in Section 25
11of this Act.
12    (e) An act or failure to act by the State under this
13Section does not create a private cause of action under State
14law.
15    (f) This Act does not confer any special rights or benefits
16to the Tribe to conduct gaming activities under the authority
17of any federal law, including the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act.
18This Act does not affect or impair any rights or benefits to
19conduct gaming activities that are available to the Tribe or
20its members under State law.
 
21    Section 20. Services and benefits.
22    (a) Beginning on the effective date of this Act, the Tribe
23and each member shall be eligible for any services and benefits
24provided by the United States to Indians and by State agencies
25that are otherwise available to State-recognized tribes,

 

 

HB3716- 4 -LRB101 09563 RJF 54661 b

1without regard to:
2        (1) the existence of a reservation for the Tribe; or
3        (2) the location of the residence of any member on or
4    near an Indian reservation.
5    (b) For purposes of the delivery of available services and
6benefits to members, the service area of the Tribe shall be
7considered to be the area comprised of the counties of Hardin,
8Pope, Saline, Gallatin, and White in this State.
 
9    Section 25. Membership roll.
10    (a) As a condition of receiving recognition, services, and
11benefits under this Act, the Tribe shall maintain a membership
12roll consisting of the name of each individual enrolled as a
13member of the Tribe.
14    (b) The qualifications for inclusion on the membership roll
15of the Tribe shall be determined in accordance with Article 11
16of the bylaws of the Tribe dated January 24, 2001, or as may be
17amended.
18    (c) For purposes of the delivery of State and federal
19services, the tribal roll in effect on the effective date of
20this Act shall define the service population of the Tribe;
21however, the service population of the Tribe may be modified
22over time as members are added to or withdrawn from the
23membership roll in accordance with Article 11 of the bylaws of
24the Tribe dated January 24, 2001, or as may be amended.