Section 8016 Of Article 2. State Cultural Affiliation And Repatriation From California Health And Safety Code >> Division 7. >> Part 2. >> Chapter 5. >> Article 2.
8016
. (a) If there is more than one request for repatriation for
the same item, or there is a dispute between the requesting party and
the agency or museum, or if a dispute arises in relation to the
repatriation process, the commission shall notify the affected
parties of this fact and the cultural affiliation of the item in
question shall be determined in accordance with this section.
(b) An agency or museum receiving a repatriation request pursuant
to subdivision (a) shall repatriate human remains and cultural items
if all of the following criteria have been met:
(1) The requested human remains or cultural items meet the
definitions of human remains or cultural items that are subject to
inventory requirements under subdivision (a) of Section 8013.
(2) The state cultural affiliation of the human remains or
cultural items is established as required under subdivision (f) of
Section 8012.
(3) The agency or museum is unable to present evidence that, if
standing alone before the introduction of evidence to the contrary,
would support a finding that the agency or museum has a right of
possession to the requested cultural items.
(4) None of the exemptions listed in Section 10.10(c) of Title 43
of the Federal Code of Regulations apply.
(5) All other applicable requirements of regulations adopted under
the federal Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act
(25 U.S.C. Sec. 3001 et seq.), contained in Part 10 of Title 43 of
the Code of Federal Regulations, have been met.
(c) Within 30 days after notice has been provided by the
commission, the museum or agency shall have the right to file with
the commission any objection to the requested repatriation, based on
its good faith belief that the requested human remains or cultural
items are not culturally affiliated with the requesting California
tribe or are not subject to repatriation under this chapter.
(d) The disputing parties shall submit documentation describing
the nature of the dispute, in accordance with standard mediation
practices and the commission's procedures, to the commission, which
shall, in turn, forward the documentation to the opposing party or
parties. The disputing parties shall meet within 30 days of the date
of the mailing of the documentation with the goal of settling the
dispute.
(e) If, after meeting pursuant to subdivision (d), the parties are
unable to settle the dispute, the commission, or a certified
mediator designated by the commission in accordance with paragraph
(2) of subdivision (n) of Section 5097.94 of the Public Resources
Code, shall mediate the dispute.
(f) Each disputing party shall submit complaints and supporting
evidence to the commission or designated mediator and the other
opposing parties detailing their positions on the disputed issues in
accordance with standard mediation practices and the commission's
mediation procedures. Each party shall have 20 days from the date the
complaint and supporting evidence were mailed to respond to the
complaints. All responses shall be submitted to the opposing party or
parties and the commission or designated mediator.
(g) The commission or designated mediator shall review all
complaints, responses, and supporting evidence submitted. Within 20
days after the date of submission of responses, the commission or
designated mediator shall hold a mediation session and render a
decision within seven days of the date of the mediation session.
(h) When the disposition of any items are disputed, the party in
possession of the items shall retain possession until the mediation
process is completed. No transfer of items shall occur until the
dispute is resolved.
(i) Tribal oral histories, documentation, and testimonies shall
not be afforded less evidentiary weight than other relevant
categories of evidence on account of being in those categories.
(j) If the parties are unable to resolve a dispute through
mediation, the dispute shall be resolved by the commission. The
determination of the commission shall be deemed to constitute a final
administrative remedy. Any party to the dispute seeking a review of
the determination of the commission is entitled to file an action in
the superior court seeking an independent judgment on the record as
to whether the commission's decision is supported by a preponderance
of the evidence. The independent review shall not constitute a de
novo review of a decision by the commission, but shall be limited to
a review of the evidence on the record. Petitions for review shall be
filed with the court not later than 30 days after the final decision
of the commission.