FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Alaska's SB151 MMIP Bill Passes the Alaska State Legislature
by Autumn Cantu, MMIWG2S Communications Coordinator & Graphic Designer at Native Movement.
May 15, 2024
Alaska's SB151 MMIP Bill Passes the Alaska State Legislature: A Milestone Victory for MMIWG2S Alaska Working Group and families across Alaska.
[DENA’INA EŁNENA (ANCHORAGE), Alaska, May 15, 2024] — The MMIWG2S Alaska Working Group extends profound gratitude and excitement as Senate Bill 151 (SB151): Missing and Murdered Indigenous Peoples; Report receives resounding approval from the Alaska Legislature, marking a significant stride towards justice, recognition, and protection for Indigenous families, communities, and future generations across Alaska.
The passage of SB151 creates the following actions and requirements:
Require mandatory cultural training for law enforcement supervised by an Indigenous organization;
Mandates the Department of Public Safety to report missing persons to the National and Unidentified Missing Persons System within 60 days;
Codifies at least two MMIP Investigator positions within the Department of Public Safety;
Creates an MMIP Review Commission to review unsolved MMIP cases, examine the trends and patterns, and make policy, practice, and service recommendations to DPS to encourage collaboration and reduce cases involving Indigenous persons, and create a report of recommendations and findings;
Report on investigative resources: DPS will do a needs assessment to determine how to increase protective and investigative resources for identifying and reporting cases of MMIP. The department must work with tribal and local law enforcement, Tribes, and Alaska Native Organizations to determine the scope of the issues, identify barriers, and determine methods for creating partnerships to increase reporting and investigation of MMIP cases.
SB151's passage heralds a new era of advocacy and empowerment for the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Womxn, Girls, and Two-Spirit (MMIWG2S) community in Alaska. The bill's provisions, crafted through extensive collaboration and dialogue with impacted families, advocates, and tribal leaders, underscore a commitment to addressing the systemic issues fueling the crisis of MMIWG2S.
"We are grateful to the bill sponsors - Senator Olson and Rep. McCormick for their dedication to seeing this through, and to other policy makers, community allies, and advocates whose unwavering dedication has ensured that SB151 is a success and passed into law," Kendra Kloster, Co-Director of Law & Policy at the Alaska Native Women’s Resource Center, remarked. “While we celebrate this moment of success, we also understand more work must be done. SB151 is just a piece of what needs to be done to address the MMIP crisis in Alaska, and we will continue to educate and advocate for our communities and families.”
"It is a long time coming for all police officers to be educated about our indigenous people. Also, establishing the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Persons Review Commission. The Department of Public Safety has the authority and responsibility to ensure these goals are met. Our Indigenous communities have been long overlooked for too long, and it’s time to be treated equally,” Joel Jackson, President of the Organized Village of Kake, replied, hearing the bill has passed.
SB151 represents a multifaceted approach to addressing the root causes of violence against Indigenous womxn, girls, and Two-Spirit individuals. Through enhanced data collection, improved coordination between law enforcement agencies and tribal communities, and increased resources for victim support services, the bill lays a foundation for meaningful change and accountability through enforced cultural training and equal rights to community safety.
"This is not just a legislative victory; it's a triumph for every MMIWG2S family who has courageously shared their stories, for every community striving for safety and sovereignty, and for every future generation who deserves a world free from fear and injustice," added Autumn Cantu, the MMIWG2S Communications Coordinator & Graphic Designer at Native Movement, and Rural & Indigenous Outreach (RIO) Director at the Mobilization Center.
As Alaska takes this pivotal step forward, the MMIWG2S Alaska Working Group reaffirms its commitment to continued advocacy, collaboration, uplifting, and acknowledging all other grassroots work being done across the state. Together, we honor the memory of those lost, uplift the voices of survivors, and chart a path toward a more equitable and inclusive future for all.
About the MMIWG2S Alaska Working Group
The MMIWG2s Alaska Working Group’s mission and agreement is to have shared communications, strategy, actions, and community building to address this crisis in our state together. Our working group is led by community needs, response, and picking up the work that far too many families continue to carry. Moving forward, our strategy includes continued growth in the above areas and three key areas: Ready to Initiate Actions, Creating New Pathways, and Educational Outreach.
The MMIWG2S Alaska Working Group consists of the following organizations that partner to work toward ending the MMIP crisis in Alaska:
Media Contact
Charlene Aqpik Apok, Co-Gender Justice & Healing Director at Native Movement and Data for Indigenous Justice Executive Director, aqpik@nativemovement.org.
Kendra Kloster, Co-Director Law & Policy, Alaska Native Women’s Resource Center, kendra.kloster@aknwrc.org | 907-957-6076
