Lumbee Fairness Act

The Lumbee Fairness Act amends the existing Lumbee Act of 1956 to grant full federal recognition to the Lumbee Tribe of North Carolina. This recognition ensures that all laws and regulations of the United States generally applicable to Indians and Indian tribes will apply to the Lumbee Tribe and its members. Consequently, the Tribe and its members will become eligible for all services and benefits provided by the Federal Government to federally recognized Indian tribes, with members residing in Robeson, Cumberland, Hoke, and Scotland counties deemed to be on or near an Indian reservation for service delivery purposes. The bill mandates the Secretary of the Interior and the Secretary of Health and Human Services to determine the Tribe's needs for services after verifying the tribal roll, which must be completed within two years. It also authorizes the Secretary to take land into trust for the benefit of the Tribe, treating applications for land in Robeson County as "on reservation" trust acquisitions. Furthermore, the legislation specifies that the State of North Carolina will retain jurisdiction over criminal offenses and civil actions on tribal land, though it allows for the potential transfer of jurisdiction to the United States through an agreement between the Tribe and the State.