Assigned to JUD FOR COMMITTEE
ARIZONA STATE SENATE
Fifty-Fifth Legislature, Second Regular Session
FACT SHEET FOR S.B. 1215
missing and murdered indigenous peoples.
Purpose
Establishes the Study Committee on Missing and Murdered Indigenous Peoples (Study
Committee) and outlines Study Committee membership and requirements.
Background
The Study Committee on Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls was
established in 2019 to conduct a study on how to reduce and end violence against indigenous
women and girls in Arizona. The Study Committee was scheduled to be repealed September 30,
2021, and was not renewed in the 2021 Legislative session (Laws 2019, Ch. 232).
The FY 2022 budget appropriated $40,000 to the Attorney General for the Study
Committee (Laws 2021, Ch. 408).
There is no anticipated fiscal impact to the state General Fund associated with this
legislation.
Provisions
1. Establishes the Study Committee and requires the Study Committee to:
a) conduct a comprehensive study to determine how Arizona can reduce and end violence
against indigenous peoples in Arizona;
b) continue to work with law enforcement to track and collect data on violence against
indigenous peoples, including data on missing and murdered indigenous peoples;
c) continue to review policies and practices that impact violence against indigenous peoples,
such as child welfare policies and practices;
d) continue to review prosecutorial trends and practices relating to crimes of gender violence
against indigenous peoples;
e) continue to gather data on the prevalence and contextual characteristics of violence against
indigenous peoples, including variations by gender, age and sexual identity;
f) propose measures to ensure access to culturally appropriate victim services for indigenous
peoples who have been victims of violence;
g) gather information to understand the lived experiences among indigenous peoples
surrounding missing and murdered indigenous peoples in an effort to ensure policy
recommendations are culturally accurate;
h) propose legislation to address issues identified by the Study Committee; and
i) submit a report, on or before December 1, 2023, 2024 and 2025, regarding the Study
Committee's activities and recommendations for administrative or legislative action to the
Governor, the President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives and
provide a copy of these reports to the Secretary of State. FACT SHEET
S.B. 1215
Page 2
2. Requires the Speaker of the House of Representatives to appoint to the Study Committee:
a) three members of the House of Representatives who are of indigenous decent or who attend
meetings and actively work on issues relating to indigenous peoples;
b) one county attorney and one sheriff from Maricopa or Pima county;
c) one victim advocate;
d) one member who works with the Phoenix or Tucson Indian center; and
e) one member who works in the Phoenix area Indian health services.
3. Requires the President of the Senate to appoint to the Study Committee:
a) three members of the Senate who are of indigenous decent or who attend meetings and
actively work on issues relating to indigenous peoples;
b) one representative of a tribal government;
c) one attorney general or judge from a tribal jurisdiction; and
d) one social worker who works with a tribal, statewide or local organization that provides
services to indigenous peoples.
4. Appoints to the Study Committee:
a) the Attorney General or the Attorney General's designee; and
b) the Director of the Department of Public Safety or the Director's designee.
5. Requires the appointed representatives to select, by majority vote, one representative to serve
as Chairperson of the Study Committee.
6. Requires the appointed senators to select, by majority vote, one senator to serve as
Vice-Chairperson of the Study Committee.
7. Requires the Study Committee to meet quarterly or more frequently as the Chairperson deems
necessary.
8. States that Study Committee members are not eligible to receive compensation, but members
who are appointed by the Governor are eligible for reimbursement of expenses.
9. Allows the Study Committee to use the $40,000 appropriation made to the Attorney General
for the Study Committee by Laws 2021, Chapter 408.
10. Repeals the Study Committee on Oct. 1, 2026.
11. Becomes effective on the general effective date.
Prepared by Senate Research
January 25, 2022
ZD/HW/sr