ACR 163: Missing and Murdered Indigenous People Awareness Month.

WHEREAS, According to the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention 2021 report on Homicides of American Indians/Alaskan Natives between 2003 to 2018, homicide was the fifth leading cause of death among Native Americans in 2019; and

WHEREAS, In the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s 2024 Missing American Indian and Alaska Native Persons Data Report, there were 10,248 reported incidents of Native people who had gone missing, of which 5,614 were females and 6,871 were juveniles; and

WHEREAS, The federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has reported that about 58 percent of American Indian and Alaska Native women have experienced domestic violence during their lifetime. Violence among intimate partners was a leading factor in 44 percent of the homicides of Native women; and

WHEREAS, Today, there is still little data on the epidemic of missing and murdered indigenous people. The data that is available tends to be incomplete and inadequate; and

WHEREAS, Current statistics by the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimate that about 57 percent of these homicides happened in urban areas and about 43 percent happened in rural areas; and

WHEREAS, According to the first report conducted by the Urban Indian Health Institute in 2018 on missing and murdered indigenous women in urban cities:

(1) In 27 percent of the missing and murdered indigenous women cases, the victims were 18 years of age or younger.

(2) The average age for missing and murdered indigenous women was 29 years of age.

(3) California has the sixth highest death rate of indigenous women in urban cities; and

WHEREAS, According to the most recent census data, California has the largest population of American Indians, more than any other state in the country; and

WHEREAS, In 2022, Governor Newsom signed into law Assembly Bill 1314, the Feather Alert, which is a preventative measure that will be utilized to reunify missing and endangered indigenous people to their homes; and

WHEREAS, Since 2022, California has held its annual Missing and Murdered Indigenous People candlelight vigils on the State Capitol grounds in recognition of the crisis that plagues the tribal community within this state and to remember those who have been lost; and

WHEREAS, Since 2023, the Yurok Tribe has hosted the Missing and Murdered Indigenous People (MMIP) Summit to bring together tribal leaders from across the state, MMIP survivors, and victim advocates, as well as state lawmakers, federal partners, law enforcement, and academic researchers to identify solutions to stop the crisis and to bring awareness, education, and action by giving a voice to California’s missing and murdered indigenous people and their families; and

WHEREAS, In 2023, Governor Newsom signed into law Assembly Bill 44 which requires the Department of Justice to grant access to the California Law Enforcement Telecommunications System to the law enforcement agency or tribal court of a qualified federally recognized Indian tribe, thus facilitating the exchange and dissemination of information between law enforcement agencies in the state; and

WHEREAS, In 2024, Governor Newsom signed into law Assembly Bill 2348, which made the process for requesting a Feather Alert much easier for families when loved ones go missing; and

WHEREAS, In 2025, Governor Newsom signed into law, through the state budget, a historic $5 million investment to establish a Tribal Police Pilot Program under the Department of Justice, granting participating tribal law enforcement personnel State Peace Officer status; now, therefore, be it

Resolved by the Assembly of the State of California, the Senate thereof concurring, That the Legislature hereby designates the month of May 2026 as California’s Missing and Murdered Indigenous People Awareness Month; and be it further

Resolved, That the Chief Clerk of the Assembly transmit copies of this resolution to the author for appropriate distribution.