Senate Passes Danielson Bill to Prevent Crime, Create State-level Response to Missing & Murdered Indigenous Relatives
SB22-150 will improve coordination and raise awareness of MMIR cases
DENVER, CO – The Senate today passed a bill sponsored by Senator Jessie Danielson, D-Wheat Ridge, that aims to improve the state’s response to missing and murdered Indigenous individuals to help prevent crime and improve public safety.
The bill, SB22-150, would create an Office of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Relatives (MMIR) to improve coordination, response, communication, and awareness of MMIR cases.
“Indigenous women and children are at particularly high risk for violent crime,” Danielson said. “We must stop looking the other way and address the crisis of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Relatives with a comprehensive and strong response. This bill will do just that.”
More than 4 out of 5 Indigenous people in the United States experience violent crime during their lifetime, a rate disproportionately higher than any other segment of the population.
SB22-150 aims to improve responses to MMIR cases, provide better support for Indigenous communities, and better serve families of MMIR. It would establish an MMIR alert system and improve data tracking regarding MMIR cases while ensuring interagency coordination, allowing for a more effective and robust response.
It would also require MMIR training for first responders and implement a public awareness campaign to raise awareness around MMIR issues.
Approximately half of Indigenous women in the United States have experienced sexual violence, physical violence by an intimate partner, and stalking. Among Indigenous men, 27 percent have experienced sexual violence, 43 percent experienced physical violence by an intimate partner, and 19 percent experienced stalking.
The murder rate of Indigenous women is almost three times higher than that of non-Hispanic white women and is the third leading cause of death for Indigenous women and girls between the ages of 15-24.
SB22-150 will now move to the House for further consideration. Track the bill’s progress HERE.