Just after the November election, the New York Times' Maggie Astor invited readers to Meet the Native American Woman Who Beat the Sponsor of North Dakota’s ID Law.
Tuesday evening, the Bismarck Tribune's Amy Dalrymple reported in Bills introduced to improve response to missing, murdered indigenous people in North Dakota:
Two bills introduced in the North Dakota Legislature would require law enforcement training and data collection related to missing and murdered indigenous people.
The proposals, sponsored by Rep. Ruth Buffalo, D-Fargo, are mirrored after Savanna’s Act and prompted by discussions by a local task force following the 2017 death of Savanna LaFontaine-Greywind in Fargo.
“It’s unfortunate that it takes tragedy to sometimes bring people together to fix the gaps that exist,” Buffalo said Tuesday, Jan. 8. “Hopefully, moving forward, this can prevent further tragedies.”
House Bill 1311 would require the attorney general’s Human Trafficking Commission to promote law enforcement training on missing and murdered indigenous people.
House Bill 1313 would require the criminal justice data information sharing system to include data related to missing and murdered indigenous people.
In 2016, North Dakota had 125 cases of Native American women and girls reported missing to the National Crime Information Center. However, the actual figure likely is higher due to a lack of reporting. . . .
Buffalo said she received strong bipartisan support for the legislation, with 11 legislators from both parties listed as co-sponsors.
The proposals are the first bills introduced by Buffalo, the first Native American Democratic woman elected to the state Legislature. ..
Read the entire article here at the Grand Forks Herald.
Photo: Ruth Buffalo, an enrolled member of the Mandan, Hidatsa, and Arikara Nation. Recently elected Ruth Buffalo celebrates after being sworn in on Dec. 3 to serve the North Dakota House of Representatives. Photo courtesy of Lea Black Photography, Via Grand Forks Herald.
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