1. (1) An "Indian Tribe, Band, or Group" is a population of Indian people related to one another by blood through their Indian ancestry, tracing their heritage to an Indian tribe, band, or group indigenous to Alabama. No splinter groups, political factions, communities or groups of any character which separate from the main body of a tribe, band, or group currently recognized by the State of Alabama may be considered for recognition by the Commission.

   1. (a) Splinter groups are ineligible to make application for state recognition. Splinter groups are defined in the Glossary for the recognition criteria as “an individual member/former member or group of members/former members who have relinquished membership in a federal or state recognized Indian entity to start or participate in a parallel or similar Indian entity.”
   2. (b) A group, as a religious sect or a political faction, that has broken away from a parent group.

Author: Criteria Committee Draft modified and adopted by Alabama Indian Affairs Commission.

Statutory Authority: Code of Ala. 1975, §41-9-702.

History: Filed April 5, 1985. Amended: Filed April 5, 1995; effective May 10, 1995. Amended: Filed June 13, 2003; effective July 18, 2003.