1.1 	A bill for an act
1.2 	relating to public safety; creating the Task Force on Missing and Murdered 
1.3 	Indigenous Women; requiring an annual report on issues related to violence against 
1.4 	indigenous women and girls; appropriating money for the Task Force on Missing 
1.5 	and Murdered Indigenous Women;proposing coding for new law in Minnesota 
1.6 	Statutes, chapter 299A.
1.7 	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:

1.8 	Section 1. [299A.90] TASK FORCE ON MISSING AND MURDERED INDIGENOUS 
1.9 	WOMEN.
1.10 		Subdivision 1.Creation and duties. (a) By September 1, 2018, the commissioner, in 
1.11 	consultation with the Minnesota Indian Affairs Council, shall appoint members to the Task 
1.12 	Force on Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women to advise the commissioner and report 
1.13 	to the legislature on recommendations to reduce and end violence against indigenous women 
1.14 	and girls in Minnesota. The task force shall also serve as a liaison between the commissioner 
1.15 	and agencies and nongovernmental organizations that provide services to victims, victims' 
1.16 	families, and victims' communities. The members must receive expense reimbursement as 
1.17 	specified in section 15.059.
1.18 	(b) The Task Force on Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women must examine and 
1.19 	report on the following:
1.20 	(1) the systemic causes behind violence that indigenous women and girls experience, 
1.21 	including patterns and underlying factors that explain why higher levels of violence occur 
1.22 	against indigenous women and girls, including underlying historical, social, economic, 
1.23 	institutional, and cultural factors which may contribute to the violence;
2.1 	(2) appropriate methods for tracking and collecting data on violence against indigenous 
2.2 	women and girls, including data on missing and murdered indigenous women and girls;
2.3 	(3) policies and institutions such as policing, child welfare, coroner practices, and other 
2.4 	governmental practices that impact violence against indigenous women and girls and the 
2.5 	investigation and prosecution of crimes of gender violence against indigenous people;
2.6 	(4) measures necessary to address and reduce violence against indigenous women and 
2.7 	girls; and
2.8 	(5) measures to help victims, victim's families, and victim's communities to prevent and 
2.9 	heal from violence that occurs against indigenous women and girls.
2.10 	(c) For the purposes of this section, "commissioner" means the commissioner of public 
2.11 	safety and "nongovernmental organizations" means nonprofit, nongovernmental organizations 
2.12 	that provide legal, social, or other community services.
2.13 		Subd. 2.Membership. To the extent possible, the Task Force on Missing and Murdered 
2.14 	Indigenous Women shall consist of the following individuals, or their designees, who are 
2.15 	knowledgeable in crime victims' rights or violence protection:
2.16 	(1) a representative from the Minnesota Chiefs of Police Association;
2.17 	(2) a representative of the Bureau of Criminal Apprehension;
2.18 	(3) a representative of the United States Attorney's Office;
2.19 	(4) a peace officer who works and resides in the seven-county metropolitan area, 
2.20 	composed of Anoka, Carver, Dakota, Hennepin, Ramsey, Scott, and Washington Counties;
2.21 	(5) a peace officer who works and resides in the nonmetropolitan area;
2.22 	(6) two peace officers who work for and reside on a federally recognized American 
2.23 	Indian reservation in Minnesota;
2.24 	(7) a county attorney or representative from the Minnesota County Attorneys Association;
2.25 	(8) a judge or attorney working in juvenile court;
2.26 	(9) a representative from an Indian health organization or agency;
2.27 	(10) a county coroner or a representative from a statewide coroner's association;
2.28 	(11) a representative of the Department of Health;
2.29 	(12) four or more representatives for tribal governments, with a focus on individuals 
2.30 	who work with victims of violence or their families;
3.1 	(13) two or more representatives from nongovernmental organizations, community 
3.2 	volunteers, or advocacy organizations, who should include representatives from organizations 
3.3 	working inside the seven-county metropolitan area, outside the seven-county metropolitan 
3.4 	area, and on reservations, and may include:
3.5 	(i) a tribal, statewide, or local organization that provides legal services to indigenous 
3.6 	women and girls;
3.7 	(ii) a tribal, statewide, or local organization that provides advocacy or counseling for 
3.8 	indigenous women and girls who have been victims of violence; and
3.9 	(iii) a tribal, statewide, or local organization that provides services to indigenous women 
3.10 	and girls;
3.11 	(14) a representative from the Minnesota Indian Women's Sexual Assault Coalition;
3.12 	(15) a representative from Mending the Sacred Hoop; and
3.13 	(16) two indigenous women who are survivors of gender violence.
3.14 		Subd. 3.Officers; meetings. The task force shall annually elect a chair and vice-chair 
3.15 	from among its members, and may elect other officers as necessary. The task force shall 
3.16 	meet at least quarterly, or upon the call of its chair. The task force shall meet sufficiently 
3.17 	enough to accomplish the tasks identified in this section. The task force shall seek out and 
3.18 	enlist the cooperation and assistance of nongovernmental organizations, community and 
3.19 	advocacy organizations working with the American Indian community, and academic 
3.20 	researchers and experts, specifically those specializing in violence against indigenous women 
3.21 	and girls, representing diverse communities disproportionately affected by violence against 
3.22 	women and girls, or focusing on issues related to gender violence and violence against 
3.23 	indigenous women and girls.
3.24 		Subd. 4.Report. The task force shall annually report to the chairs and ranking members 
3.25 	of the legislative committees with jurisdiction over public safety, human services, and state 
3.26 	government on the work of the task force, including but not limited to the issues to be 
3.27 	examined in subdivision 1, and shall include in the annual report institutional policies and 
3.28 	practices or proposed institutional policies and practices that are effective in reducing gender 
3.29 	violence and increasing the safety of indigenous women and girls. The report shall include 
3.30 	recommendations to reduce and end violence against indigenous women and girls and help 
3.31 	victims and communities heal from gender violence and violence against indigenous women 
3.32 	and girls. The first annual report shall be submitted to the legislative committees on February 
3.33 	15, 2019, and on February 15 each year after.
4.1 		Subd. 5.Expiration. Notwithstanding section 15.059, the task force expires June 30, 
4.2 	2024.

4.3 	EFFECTIVE DATE. This section is effective July 1, 2018.

4.4 	Sec. 2. FUNDING FOR THE TASK FORCE ON MISSING AND MURDERED 
4.5 	INDIGENOUS WOMEN; APPROPRIATION.
 4.6 	$....... in fiscal year 2019 is appropriated from the general fund to the commissioner of 
4.7 	public safety to implement Minnesota Statutes, section 299A.90, relating to the Task Force 
4.8 	on Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women.