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Senate panel to hold hearing on probate bill
Tuesday, October 14, 2003

The Senate Indian Affairs Committee will hold a hearing Wednesday on the American Indian Probate Reform Act of 2003.

The bill seeks to stem the increasing fractionation of the Indian estate. It would create a uniform probate code for Indian Country and set procedures for how land is inherited by Indian descendants.

The original version of the bill was debated before the committee in May. It drew complaints from tribes and the Bureau of Indian Affairs.

The new version represents several months' worth of changes. But it includes some provisions for land inheritance that some organizations, like the Indian Land Working Group, continue to oppose.

The hearing will take place at 10 a.m. in room SR-485. A live video feed can be accessed at http://indian.senate.gov.

Get the Bill:
S.550

Relevant Links:
Trust Reform, NCAI - http://www.ncai.org/main/pages/
issues/other_issues/trust_reform.asp
Office of Special Trustee - http://www.ost.doi.gov
Indian Trust: Cobell v. Norton - http://www.indiantrust.com

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