Bill Text: VA HR26 | 2024 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Smithsonian; return of human bodily remains to Virginia descendants, review, compensation.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 2-0)
Status: (Introduced) 2024-02-13 - Left in Rules [HR26 Detail]
Download: Virginia-2024-HR26-Introduced.html
WHEREAS, the Smithsonian agrees that it has collections of human bodily remains that were acquired through unethical practices, such as stealing and duress, which it would not have acquired under present-day standards; and
WHEREAS, the Smithsonian created a group in 2021 of its own curators and collections specialists to consider whether the Smithsonian should develop a formal policy to allow shared stewardship arrangements and to return collections that were acquired through unethical means; and
WHEREAS, the Smithsonian's collections management policy now includes an ethical returns policy; and
WHEREAS, the Smithsonian's continued possession of human bodily remains that were acquired through unethical means perpetuates the harm done to the families of such persons, especially its possession of bodily remains of persons of color that were acquired to assist the anthropologist Aleš Hrdlicka in creating a "racial brain collection" to promote racist, eugenic practices; and
WHEREAS, many Virginia citizens are unaware whether any of their ancestors', descendants', or other relatives' bodily remains are held as Smithsonian property due to the unethical practices that led to its acquisition of such remains; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED by the House of Delegates, That the Smithsonian be requested to complete a full review, using the methodology of sequencing, of all human bodily remains within its care, to return the bodily remains of all ancestors, descendants, or other relatives of Virginia citizens that are within its care due to unethical practices, and to compensate families for the reasonable funeral and burial expenses related to such return. Upon completion of such review, the House of Delegates calls on the Smithsonian to publicly publish such review, including the circumstances resulting in its acquisition of such human bodily remains and any records that might assist in the identification of the descendants of the individuals whose human bodily remains are included in any of the Smithsonian's collections; and, be it
RESOLVED FURTHER, That the Clerk of the House of Delegates transmit a copy of this resolution to the Smithsonian in order that it may be apprised of the sense of the General Assembly in this matter.
