HB 588

 03-03 10:24  H.B. 588
1Murdered and Missing Indigenous Relatives Amendments
                                        2026 GENERAL SESSION
                                              STATE OF UTAH
                                     Chief Sponsor: Angela Romero
                                    Senate Sponsor: David P. Hinkins
2
3   LONG TITLE
4   General Description:
5This bill enacts provisions for the training for resources related to the murder and
6   disappearance of an indigenous individual.
7   Highlighted Provisions:
8This bill:
9▸ defines terms;
10▸ requires that the Office of American Indian-Alaska Native Health and Family Services
11   (office) create a curriculum for training related to the investigation of a murder or
12   disappearance of an indigenous individual;
13▸ provides the requirements for what the curriculum the office develops shall contain;
14▸ provides that the office may coordinate with certain persons when developing the
15   curriculum; and
16▸ makes technical changes.
17   Money Appropriated in this Bill:
18None
19   Other Special Clauses:
20None
21   Utah Code Sections Affected:
22   AMENDS:
2326B-1-231, as renumbered and amended by Laws of Utah 2023, Chapter 305
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24
25   Be it enacted by the Legislature of the state of Utah:
26Section 1. Section 26B-1-231 is amended to read:
2726B-1-231 . Office of American Indian-Alaska Native Health and Family
28   Services -- Creation -- Director -- Purpose -- Duties.
29   (1) As used in this section:
30(a) "Director" means the director of the office appointed under Subsection (3).
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31      (b) "Missing or murdered indigenous individual" means an individual of tribal origin
32who has gone missing or is murdered.
33      [(b)] (c) "Office" means the Office of American Indian-Alaska Native Health and Family
34Services created in Subsection (2).
35      (d) "Peace officer" means the same as that term is defined in Section 53-1-102.
36  (2) There is created within the department the Office of American Indian-Alaska Native
37      Health and Family Services.
38  (3) The executive director shall appoint a director of the office who:
39      (a) has a bachelor's degree from an accredited university or college;
40      (b) is experienced in administration; and
41      (c) is knowledgeable about the areas of American Indian-Alaska Native practices.
42  (4)(a) The director is the administrative head of the office and shall serve under the
43      supervision of the executive director.
44      (b) The executive director may hire staff as necessary to carry out the duties of the office
45described in Subsection (5)(b).
46  (5)(a) The purpose of the office is to oversee and coordinate department services for
47      Utah's American Indian-Alaska Native populations.
48      (b) The office shall:
49(i) oversee and coordinate department services for Utah's American Indian-Alaska
50Native populations;
51(ii) conduct regular and meaningful consultation with Indian tribes when there is a
52proposed department action that has an impact on an Indian tribe as a sovereign
53entity;
54(iii) monitor agreements between the department and Utah's American Indian-Alaska
55Native populations;[ and]
56(iv) oversee the health liaison appointed under Section 26B-1-232 and ICWA liaison
57appointed under Section 26B-1-233[.] ;
58(v) create a training curriculum designed for a peace officer conducting an
59investigation of a missing or murdered indigenous individual that covers:
60(A) methods that a peace officer may use to gather accurate and complete
61information relating to the race, ethnicity, and tribal affiliation of a missing or
62murdered indigenous individual;
63(B) principles of tribal sovereignty and how the principles relate to an
64investigation into the disappearance or murder of a missing or murdered
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65indigenous individual;
66(C) federal, state, and tribal laws that relate to an investigation into the
67disappearance or murder of a missing or murdered indigenous individual;
68(D) methods of coordination with family members of a missing or murdered
69indigenous individual during the investigation into the disappearance or murder
70of the missing or murdered indigenous individual; and
71(E) best practices for interviewing family members of a missing or murdered
72indigenous individual during the investigation into the disappearance or murder
73of the missing or murdered indigenous individual; and
74(vi) at least once every three years, review and update the curriculum described in
75Subsection (5)(b)(v).
76(c) The office may coordinate with universities, non-profit organizations, and any other
77person with subject-matter expertise relating to the curriculum described in
78Subsection (5)(b)(v) to develop the curriculum described in Subsection (5)(b)(v).
79Section 2. Effective Date.
80   This bill takes effect on May 6, 2026.
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