FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Jan 17, 2020
volunteer board helps identify and protect indigenous antiquities; Republicans voted this week to sunset.
PHOENIX, State Capitol - Rep. Myron Tsosie introduced a bill Thursday to save the Governor's Archeology Advisory Commission, tow days after a House committee voted to sunset the commission. The party-line vote by members of the House Natural Resources, Energy and Water Committee was an affront to Arizona tribes because of the commission's valualbe advisory role in identifying and protecting indigenous antiquities and archeological sites from destruction. Tsosie's House Bill 2570 would extend the commission for another three years.
Tsosie is a member of the Natural Resources committee and tried, along we other Democratic members, to stop the motion to sunset the commission. The following day, Wednesday, twas Indian Nations and Tribal Day at the Capitol, where tribal leaders learned that the commission's future was in jeopardy. A Senate panel has since voted to renew the commission, but it will require a bill to pass both the House and Senate to continue the commission.
"This issue of protecting our sacred archeological sites is vitally important to all indigenous communities in this state," said Tsosie, D-Chinle. "This Commission is an essential guiding voice for the State Historic Preservation Officer, providing invaluable insight in the officers role to protect sacred indigenous antiquities and archeological sites from destruction. The Republicans in the committee failed to understand or respect the need to protect these sacred sites. I made a motion to delay the vote so the committee could hear testimony from the tribal leaders, but that motion was rejected along party lines. The timing of this decision could not be worse. Also on Tuesday, members of the Indigenous Peoples Caucus learned that the Attorney General is conducting a criminal investigation into the destruction of indigenous artifacts by the Arizona Parks Department under former director Sue Black. We clearly need more oversight and protections, not less."
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