North Dakota Lawmakers Strengthen Support for Tribal Communities
BISMARCK — Recent legislative efforts in North Dakota have made significant strides in addressing the high rates of missing and murdered Indigenous people (MMIP) within the state. Sponsored by Rep. Jayme Davis, D-Rolette, House Bill 1199 has established an MMIP task force aimed at bridging jurisdictional gaps between tribal and non-tribal law enforcement, which often delay response times in these critical cases.
The bill also mandates the Bureau of Criminal Investigation to enhance demographic data in its missing persons repository. Lawmakers noted that Indigenous women in North Dakota are ten times more likely to be murdered than the national average. Alongside this initiative, Davis sponsored House Bill 1535, creating a "Feather Alert" system intended to function like Amber Alerts, issuing emergency notifications for missing Indigenous persons believed to be in grave danger.
Additionally, House Bill 1603, introduced by Colette Brown, D-Warwick, aims to comply with federal laws for the repatriation of Native American human remains and sacred objects, allocating $500,000 to assist in this effort.
While legislators acknowledge the progress, they emphasize the ongoing need for tribal representation in state governance, as only four of 141 lawmakers are enrolled tribal members. Prairie Rose Seminole, who emceed a recent summit honoring MMIP Awareness Day, stated, "The fight is not over yet," highlighting that while victories have been achieved, many challenges remain.
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