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Susanville Indian Rancheria [Ordinances]


Last amended: March 13, 2003

TRIBAL ADOPTION ORDINANCE

Ordinance No. 2001-002


A. Title. This Ordinance shall be entitled "Tribal Adoption Ordinance."


B Purpose. The purpose of this Ordinance is to allow individuals, who promote and develop the Susanville Indian Rancheria and who are not otherwise eligible to apply for regular membership with the Susanville Indian Rancheria, the opportunity to apply for adoptive membership.


C. Authority. The Susanville Indian Rancheria Tribal Business Council, by the authority vested in them by the Susanville Indian Rancheria General Council on February 8, 1992, has determined that it is in the best interest of the Tribe to allow individuals who promote and develop the Rancheria the opportunity to become adopted members of the Susanville Indian Rancheria.


D Definitions.

(1) "Adopted child" means a person whose natural parent's parental rights has been give to others to exercise by court order.

(2) "Descendants(s)" means those persons who are the issue of the ancestor through whom enrollment rights are claimed; namely, the children, grandchildren, etc. It does not include collateral relatives such as brothers, sisters, nieces, nephews, cousins, etc. or adopted children, grandchildren, etc.

(3) "Enrollee(s)" means persons who have met specific requirements for enrollment and whose names appear on a particular roll of Indians.

(4) "Enrollment Committee" means the body of a federally recognized tribal entity vested with final authority to act on enrollment matters.

(5) "Lineal ancestor" means an ancestor, living or deceased, who is related to a person by direct ascent; namely, the parent, grandparent, etc. It does not include collateral relatives such as brothers, sisters, aunts, uncles, etc., or adopted parents, grandparents, etc.

(6) "Tribal Governing Document" means the written organizational statement governing the tribe, band, or group of Indians and/or any valid document, enrollment ordinance, or resolution enacted thereunder.

E. Regulations.

 Section 1: Regulating Authority. The Tribal governing document for membership shall be the Tribe's current Constitution approved by the general membership and the Bureau of Indian Affairs.

Section 2: Enrollment Committee. On February 6, 1998, the General Council vested the Tribal Business Council as the body with final authority to act on enrollment matters.

Section 3: Regular Membership. Any Native American of not less than one-fourth (1/4)degree of California Indian blood who holds or has held a valid assignment on the Susanville Indian Rancheria may be enrolled as a member of the Susanville Indian Rancheria. Any Native American who is a lineal descendant of an enrolled member may be enrolled as a member of the Susanville Indian Rancheria.

Section 4: Adoption. Any Native American or adopted child of an enrolled tribal member who has applied for adoption and who will help to promote and develop the Susanville Indian Rancheria for all members may be adopted into membership by a vote of the Enrollment Committee. The names of the applicants for adoption shall be presented to the Enrollment Committee by the Secretary/Treasurer of the Tribal Business Council. Individuals duly adopted under the provisions of this section shall not become voting members of the General Council.

The Tribal Business Council's decision shall be final.

CERTIFICATION


We, hereby certify that the Tribal Adoption Ordinance was adopted by the Susanville Indian Rancheria Tribal Business Council at a duly called meeting held March 2, 2001 with a vote of 7 for, 0 against, 0 abstain.


ATTEST;

          /s/                                                                            /s/          
Doyle Lowry                                                             Ike Lowry
Secretary/Treasurer                                                   Tribal Chairman

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