Via Dakota Rural Action's Weekly Legislative Update, Bluestem learns that three bills related to Missing & Murdered Indigenous Women (MMIW) have been introduced in the South Dakota Legislature:
Recognizing the high rates of Missing & Murdered Indigenous Women (MMIW), and sharing information, resources and training on this epidemic came into the national spotlight with the introduction of Savanna’s Act in Congress last year. While that bill became mired in political maneuvering, it has been re-introduced this year on the national level.
On the state level, bills have been introduced in both houses in an effort to address the problems with education, training, reporting, and sharing of information about missing and murdered indigenous persons. DRA staff and members have themselves been educated by our Native allies on the issue, and how it is exacerbated by proximity to oil & gas development and pipeline construction. We encourage our members to support these important pieces of legislation and will use social media and other media outlets to announce hearing dates and times:
HB 1237 establish the duty to collect data and share information on missing and murdered indigenous persons.
HB 1238 revise provisions regarding training on missing and murdered indigenous persons.
SB 164 provide uniform procedures for the reporting of and investigation of missing and murdered indigenous women.
RepublicanTamara St. John, an enrolled member of the Sisseton-Wahpeton Oyate of Dakota and one of our state Representatives (South Dakotans elect two state reps at large per senate district) is chief house sponsor of Senate Bill 164, as well as a co-sponsor of House Bill 1237 (our other state rep, Democrat Steven D. McCleerey is also a co-sponsor) and House Bill 1238. Our state senator, Democrat Susan Wismer is a senate co-author of the two House bills. Our thanks to them.
The South Dakota legislature has joined lawmakers in Minnesota and North Dakota in pursuing this issue.
Photo: A MMIW billboard on I29 from a campaign tribes are sponsoring in the upper Midwest.
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