Section 412 – Tribal regalia at high school graduation ceremonies.

• (1) As used in this section:
  • (a) “Graduation attire” means attire that an LEA requires a student to wear as part of the dress code for a graduation ceremony.
  • (b) “Graduation ceremony” means a high school graduation ceremony.
  • (c) “Qualifying student” means a student who is:
    • (i) enrolled as a member of a tribe; or
    • (ii) eligible to be enrolled as a member of a tribe.
  • (d)
    • (i) “Tribal regalia” means a tribe’s:
      • (A) traditional dress; or
      • (B) recognized objects of religious or cultural significance.
    • (ii) “Tribal regalia” includes the following items of cultural significance:
      • (A) tribal symbols;
      • (B) beads; and
      • (C) feathers.
  • (e) “Tribe” means a tribe, band, nation, or Alaskan Native village that:
    • (i) federal law recognizes; or
    • (ii) a state formally acknowledges.

• (2)
  • (a) A qualifying student may wear tribal regalia during a graduation ceremony.
  • (b) Wearing tribal regalia includes decorating graduation attire with tribal regalia.

• (3) An LEA may not prohibit a qualifying student from wearing tribal regalia as described in Subsection (2).

• (4) Nothing in this section shall be construed to limit an LEA’s authority related to student expression under applicable federal and state law.

Enacted by Chapter 197, 2022 General Session