Phil Drake

pdrake@greatfallstribune.com

HELENA — A House committee on Wednesday reviewed a proposed bill that would prohibit the sale or commercial transaction of Native American items of cultural importance.

The House Business and Labor Committee heard House Bill 114 introduced by Rep. George Kipp III, D-Heart Butte. The committee held a hearing but took no action.

The bill does not allow a person to buy, sell, exchange, distribute, market or sell commercially an item of cultural patrimony or a sacred object. Cultural patrimony is defined has having ongoing historical, traditional, or cultural importance central to an Indian tribe.

A person who violates the law is guilty of a misdemeanor and could be fined an amount equal to the value of the object and/or six months in jail, according to the bill.

Kipp told lawmakers there is an extensive market for Native American items and there has been an exchange of items that Native Americans have held sacred.

He said there is “no meat” is some federal laws and he hopes HB 114 will give it teeth.

He said about five years ago there were some Native American items duplicated and put on the market. They were confiscated at the Canadian border.

Kipp said among them was a thunder pipe, adding it was more than 100 years old.

Another item he mentioned was a shirt that was taken and sold for $27,000 in Texas. He said it took two years for the owners to get it back.

He said his bill discourages the actual sale, adding many of the items considered sacred were made from endangered species.

Kipp said items can still be made, but not be sold.

Siri Smillie, Gov. Steve Bullock’s policy adviser for education, said the governor supported the bill, saying he believed it was important to protect items of cultural importance to tribes.