ARIZONA HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

HB 2570: study committee; murdered indigenous women.

PRIME SPONSOR: Representative Jermaine, LD 18

BILL STATUS: House Engrossed

Overview

Establishes the Study Committee on Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls (Study Committee) and outlines Study Committee membership and requirements. 

Provisions

1. Establishes the Study Committee consisting of the following members:

a. The chairpersons from the House of Representatives' and Senate's indigenous people caucuses or their designees;

i. The Senate member shall serve as the Chairperson; and

ii. The House member shall serve as the Vice Chairperson;

b. The attorney general or the attorney general's designee;

c. The director of the Department of Public Safety or designee;

d. The following members to be appointed by the governor:

i. From a county with a population of 850,000 or more:

Ø One county attorney; and

Ø One sheriff;

ii. From a county with a population less than 850,000:

Ø One county attorney; and

Ø One sheriff;

iii. One tribal government representative;

iv. One victim advocate;

v. One chief of police from a tribal police department;

vi. One peace officer, working and residing on a federally recognized American Indian reservation;

vii. Two members from a tribal, statewide or local organization consisting of the following:

Ø One social worker providing services to indigenous women and girls; and

Ø One representative providing legal services;

viii.  One representative from the southwest indigenous women's coalition, a tribal statewide organization that provides advocacy for or counseling to indigenous women and girls who have been victims of violence;

ix.  All members of the indigenous peoples' caucus;

x. One member who works with the Phoenix or Tucson Indian Center; and

xi. One member who works with the Phoenix area Indian health services. (Sec. 1)

2. Creates a Study Committee, regarding violence against indigenous women and girls, required to meet at least quarterly to do the following:

a. Conduct a comprehensive study to determine how this state can reduce and end violence against indigenous women and girls in the state;

b. Establish methods for tracking and collecting data;

c. Review policies and practices that impact violence against indigenous women and girls, such as child welfare;

d. Review prosecutorial trends and practices relating to crimes of gender violence against indigenous people;

e. Gather data on violence against indigenous women and girls;

f. Determine the number of missing and murdered indigenous women and girls;

g. Identify barriers to providing more state resources in tracking violence against indigenous women and girls and reducing the incidences of violence;

h. Propose measures to ensure access to culturally appropriate victim services for indigenous women and girls who have been victims of violence; and

i. Propose legislation to address issues identified by the Study Committee. (Sec. 1)

3. Prohibits Study Committee members from receiving compensation, but members who are appointed by the governor are eligible for reimbursement of expenses. (Sec. 1)

4. Requires the Study Committee submit a report regarding the activities and recommendations of the Study Committee for administrative or legislative action on or before November 1, 2020. (Sec. 1)

5. Repeals the Study Committee October 1, 2021. (Sec. 1)

6.

7.

8. ---------- DOCUMENT FOOTER ---------

9. Fifty-fourth Legislature                       HB 2570

10. First Regular Session                            Version 3: House Engrossed

11.

12. ---------- DOCUMENT FOOTER ---------