(a) Upon receiving a written request for repatriation of an item on the inventory, the commission shall forward a copy of the request to the agency or museum in possession of the item, if the criteria specified in subdivision (a) of Section 8016 have been met. At this time, the commission shall also publish the request for repatriation on its internet website.
(b) This section does not prohibit a requesting lineal descendent or California Indian tribe, an agency, or a museum from coordinating directly with each other on repatriation. The commission shall receive, for their records, copies of all repatriation agreements and shall have the power to enforce these agreements.