This bill would allow easier access of criminal records from other law enforcement agencies and allow those records to be shared with families, as well as require better communication between the Office of Liaison for Missing or Murdered Indigenous Relatives and the families it is serving. The bill permits the office to seek, accept, and expend gifts, grants, or donations in order to carry out the office's duties and to provide financial support to missing or murdered Indigenous relatives' families. It would also have victim advocates who serve as liaisons between the prosecutor or law enforcement and the victim or their family. These types of advocates are critical in the building of a case and supporting victims or their families in order to proceed in the investigation and prosecution of the crime. 

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Missing and Murdered Indigenous Relatives (MMIR) History:

In MMIR cases, there is a need to be sensitive to cultural norms and traditions in order to support families navigating their relative’s loss and/or trauma associated with their disappearance. There are historical layers of trauma that Indigenous families carry that need to be honored in the advocacy services they require. The root causes of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women (MMIW) include colonization and historical trauma, racism, and sexual objectification of Indigenous women and girls. Tribal-county-state relations and jurisdiction issues affect the investigation and prosecution of MMIW cases. Indigenous women get murdered and go missing at a higher rate than any other groups.

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