A preliminary review found that some of the remains are likely Native American in origin.  A newly revised federal law protecting Indigenous human remains went into effect Friday.

As the law changes, the University of Minnesota is working on how best to approach a set of human remains held in its medical school for years. A preliminary review found that some of the remains are likely Native American in origin.

An updated version of the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act, or NAGPRA, went into effect Friday. The Act was passed over 30 years ago to facilitate the return of remains, funerary and sacred items to tribal nations.

Among other changes, the rule requires institutions like the University of Minnesota to rely on the expertise of tribal nations to guide the repatriation processes.