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<leg xml:space="preserve" billnum="HB0588" sponsor="Angela Romero" designation="HB" otherSponsor="David P. Hinkins" otherHouse="Senate" sess="2026GS" fileno="2026FL1316" date="2/20/2026 08:02:437" printDate="03-03 10:24" subVer="0" minVer="0" office="LEGISLATIVE GENERAL COUNSEL" actionDate="" impact="code"><info><nextbuid>10</nextbuid><aminfo anum="0" effdate="05/06/2026"><seclist><sect action="A" src="code" buid="6" uid="C26B-1-S231_2026050620260506" fromuid="C26B-1-S231_2023050320230503" sort="26B01 02310020260506" mtype="section" effdate="05/06/2026">26B-1-231</sect><sect src="uncod" untype="effdate" buid="9" uid="EF0000" sort="UZEFF" mtype="uncod" effdate="05/06/2026"/></seclist></aminfo></info><tbox><sinfo><nextpairid>0</nextpairid></sinfo><st numlevel="1" lineno="1" slineno="0-1">Murdered and Missing Indigenous Relatives Amendments</st><sessionhead>2026 GENERAL SESSION</sessionhead><statehead>STATE OF UTAH</statehead><sponsorhead>Chief Sponsor: Angela Romero</sponsorhead><otherSponsorhead>Senate Sponsor: David P. Hinkins</otherSponsorhead></tbox><lt numlevel="1" lineno="2" slineno="0-2"><lthead lineno="3">LONG TITLE</lthead><gdhead lineno="4">General Description:</gdhead><gd numlevel="1" lineno="5" slineno="0-5">This bill enacts provisions for the training for resources related to the murder and <ln numlevel="1" lineno="6" slineno="0-6"/>disappearance of an indigenous individual.</gd><hphead lineno="7">Highlighted Provisions:</hphead><hp numlevel="1" lineno="8" slineno="0-8">This bill:<hl numlevel="1" lineno="9" slineno="0-9" level="1">defines terms;</hl><hl numlevel="1" lineno="10" slineno="0-10" level="1">requires that the Office of American Indian-Alaska Native Health and Family Services <ln numlevel="1" lineno="11" slineno="0-11"/>(office) create a curriculum for training related to the investigation of a murder or <ln numlevel="1" lineno="12" slineno="0-12"/>disappearance of an indigenous individual;</hl><hl numlevel="1" lineno="13" slineno="0-13" level="1">provides the requirements for what the curriculum the office develops shall contain;</hl><hl numlevel="1" lineno="14" slineno="0-14" level="1">provides that the office may coordinate with certain persons when developing the <ln numlevel="1" lineno="15" slineno="0-15"/>curriculum; and</hl><hl numlevel="1" lineno="16" slineno="0-16" level="1">makes technical changes.</hl></hp><moni numlevel="1" lineno="17" slineno="0-17" display="none">Money Appropriated in this Bill:</moni><moniNone lineno="18">None</moniNone><oc numlevel="1" lineno="19" slineno="0-19">Other Special Clauses:</oc><ocNone lineno="20">None</ocNone><sa numlevel="1" lineno="21" slineno="0-21">Utah Code Sections Affected:<saamd numlevel="1" lineno="22" slineno="0-22"><snhead>AMENDS:</snhead><sn num="26B-1-231" src="code" uid="C26B-1-S231_2026050620260506" buid="6" sort="26B01 02310020260506" numlevel="1" lineno="23" slineno="0-23"><bold>26B-1-231</bold>, as renumbered and amended by Laws of Utah 2023, Chapter 305</sn></saamd></sa></lt><enacthead lineno="24"/><enact numlevel="1" lineno="25" slineno="0-25">Be it enacted by the Legislature of the state of Utah:</enact><bdy><bsec buid="6" num="26B-1-231" type="amend" src="code" uid="C26B-1-S231_2026050620260506" sort="26B01 02310020260506" numlevel="1" lineno="26" slineno="1-1" sn="1"><section number="26B-1-231" numlevel="1" lineno="27" slineno="1-2" type="amend"><secline lineno="26">Section 1. Section <bold>26B-1-231</bold> is amended to read:</secline><catline lineno="27"><bold>26B-1-231<parens/>. Office of American Indian-Alaska Native Health and Family <ln numlevel="1" lineno="28" slineno="1-3"/>Services -- Creation -- Director -- Purpose -- Duties.</bold></catline><subsection ssid="6-null-1" dnum="1-o" numlevel="1" lineno="29" slineno="1-4" level="1" placement="noreturn"><display>(1)</display><amend anum="0" ea="amend" pairid="32" groupid="23" style="1" owner="jchristopherson" level="1" amendtag="both">As used in this section:</amend><subsection ssid="6-null-2" dnum="a-o" numlevel="1" lineno="30" slineno="1-5" level="2"><display>(a)</display>"Director" means the director of the office appointed under Subsection <xref depth="4" refnumber="26B-1-231(3)" start="0">(3)</xref>.</subsection><subsection ssid="6-31" dnum="_-o:b-i" numlevel="1" lineno="31" slineno="1-6" ea="amend" anum="0" owner="jchristopherson" style="1" level="2"><display><amend anum="0" ea="amend" pairid="1002" style="1" owner="i" level="1" amendtag="start">(b)</amend></display><amend anum="0" ea="amend" pairid="48" groupid="33" style="1" owner="jchristopherson" level="1" amendtag="end">"Missing or murdered indigenous individual" means an individual of tribal origin <ln numlevel="1" lineno="32" slineno="1-7"/>who has gone missing or is murdered.</amend></subsection><subsection ssid="6-null-3" dnum="b-o:c-i" numlevel="1" lineno="33" slineno="1-8" level="2"><display><amendoutstart style="2"/><amend anum="0" ea="erase" pairid="1003" style="2" owner="o" level="1" deltag="both">(b)</amend><amendoutend style="2"/><amend anum="0" ea="amend" pairid="1004" style="1" owner="i" level="1" amendtag="both" space="true">(c)</amend></display>"Office" means the Office of American Indian-Alaska Native Health and Family <ln numlevel="1" lineno="34" slineno="1-9"/>Services created in Subsection <xref depth="4" refnumber="26B-1-231(2)" start="0">(2)</xref>.</subsection><subsection ssid="6-30" dnum="_-o:d-i" numlevel="1" lineno="35" slineno="1-10" ea="amend" anum="0" owner="jchristopherson" style="1" level="2"><display><amend anum="0" ea="amend" pairid="1004" style="1" owner="i" level="1" amendtag="start">(d)</amend></display><amend anum="0" ea="amend" pairid="41" groupid="31" style="1" owner="jchristopherson" level="1" amendtag="end">"Peace officer" means the same as that term is defined in Section <xref depth="3" refnumber="53-1-102">53-1-102</xref>.</amend></subsection></subsection><subsection ssid="6-null-4" dnum="2-o" numlevel="1" lineno="36" slineno="1-11" level="1"><display>(2)</display>There is created within the department the Office of American Indian-Alaska Native <ln numlevel="1" lineno="37" slineno="1-12"/>Health and Family Services.</subsection><subsection ssid="6-null-5" dnum="3-o" numlevel="1" lineno="38" slineno="1-13" level="1"><display>(3)</display>The executive director shall appoint a director of the office who:<subsection ssid="6-null-6" dnum="a-o" numlevel="1" lineno="39" slineno="1-14" level="2"><display>(a)</display>has a bachelor's degree from an accredited university or college;</subsection><subsection ssid="6-null-7" dnum="b-o" numlevel="1" lineno="40" slineno="1-15" level="2"><display>(b)</display>is experienced in administration; and</subsection><subsection ssid="6-null-8" dnum="c-o" numlevel="1" lineno="41" slineno="1-16" level="2"><display>(c)</display>is knowledgeable about the areas of American Indian-Alaska Native practices.</subsection></subsection><subsection ssid="6-null-9" dnum="4-o" numlevel="1" lineno="42" slineno="1-17" level="1" space="false"><display>(4)</display><subsection ssid="6-null-10" dnum="a-o" level="2" placement="sameline"><display>(a)</display>The director is the administrative head of the office and shall serve under the <ln numlevel="1" lineno="43" slineno="1-18"/>supervision of the executive director.</subsection><subsection ssid="6-null-11" dnum="b-o" numlevel="1" lineno="44" slineno="1-19" level="2"><display>(b)</display>The executive director may hire staff as necessary to carry out the duties of the office <ln numlevel="1" lineno="45" slineno="1-20"/>described in Subsection <xref depth="4" refnumber="26B-1-231(5)(b)" start="0">(5)(b)</xref>.</subsection></subsection><subsection ssid="6-null-12" dnum="5-o" numlevel="1" lineno="46" slineno="1-21" level="1" space="false"><display>(5)</display><subsection ssid="6-null-13" dnum="a-o" level="2" placement="sameline"><display>(a)</display>The purpose of the office is to oversee and coordinate department services for <ln numlevel="1" lineno="47" slineno="1-22"/>Utah's American Indian-Alaska Native populations.</subsection><subsection ssid="6-null-14" dnum="b-o" numlevel="1" lineno="48" slineno="1-23" level="2"><display>(b)</display>The office shall:<subsection ssid="6-null-15" dnum="i-o" numlevel="1" lineno="49" slineno="1-24" level="3"><display>(i)</display>oversee and coordinate department services for Utah's American Indian-Alaska <ln numlevel="1" lineno="50" slineno="1-25"/>Native populations;</subsection><subsection ssid="6-null-16" dnum="ii-o" numlevel="1" lineno="51" slineno="1-26" level="3"><display>(ii)</display>conduct regular and meaningful consultation with Indian tribes when there is a <ln numlevel="1" lineno="52" slineno="1-27"/>proposed department action that has an impact on an Indian tribe as a sovereign <ln numlevel="1" lineno="53" slineno="1-28"/>entity;</subsection><subsection ssid="6-null-17" dnum="iii-o" numlevel="1" lineno="54" slineno="1-29" level="3"><display>(iii)</display>monitor agreements between the department and Utah's American Indian-Alaska <ln numlevel="1" lineno="55" slineno="1-30"/>Native populations;<amendoutstart style="2"/><amend anum="0" ea="erase" pairid="37" groupid="27" style="2" owner="jchristopherson" level="1" deltag="both"> and</amend><amendoutend style="2"/></subsection><subsection ssid="6-null-18" dnum="iv-o" numlevel="1" lineno="56" slineno="1-31" level="3"><display>(iv)</display>oversee the health liaison appointed under Section <xref depth="3" refnumber="26B-1-232" start="0">26B-1-232</xref> and ICWA liaison <ln numlevel="1" lineno="57" slineno="1-32"/>appointed under Section <xref depth="3" refnumber="26B-1-233" start="0">26B-1-233</xref><amendoutstart style="2"/><amend anum="0" ea="erase" pairid="40" groupid="30" style="2" owner="jchristopherson" level="1" deltag="both">.</amend><amendoutend style="2"/><amend anum="0" ea="amend" pairid="35" groupid="25" style="1" owner="jchristopherson" level="1" amendtag="both" space="true">;</amend></subsection><subsection ssid="6-20" dnum="_-o:v-i" numlevel="1" lineno="58" slineno="1-33" ea="amend" anum="0" owner="jchristopherson" style="1" level="3"><display><amend anum="0" ea="amend" pairid="1020" style="1" owner="i" level="1" amendtag="start">(v)</amend></display><amend anum="0" ea="amend" pairid="5" groupid="4" style="1" owner="jchristopherson" level="1" amendtag="end">create a training curriculum designed for a peace officer conducting an <ln numlevel="1" lineno="59" slineno="1-34"/>investigation of a missing or murdered indigenous individual that covers:</amend><subsection ssid="6-21" dnum="_-o:A-i" numlevel="1" lineno="60" slineno="1-35" ea="amend" anum="0" owner="jchristopherson" style="1" level="4"><display><amend anum="0" ea="amend" pairid="1021" style="1" owner="i" level="1" amendtag="start">(A)</amend></display><amend anum="0" ea="amend" pairid="8" groupid="6" style="1" owner="jchristopherson" level="1" amendtag="end">methods that a peace officer may use to gather accurate and complete <ln numlevel="1" lineno="61" slineno="1-36"/>information relating to the race, ethnicity, and tribal affiliation of a missing or <ln numlevel="1" lineno="62" slineno="1-37"/>murdered indigenous individual;</amend></subsection><subsection ssid="6-22" dnum="_-o:B-i" numlevel="1" lineno="63" slineno="1-38" ea="amend" anum="0" owner="jchristopherson" style="1" level="4"><display><amend anum="0" ea="amend" pairid="1022" style="1" owner="i" level="1" amendtag="start">(B)</amend></display><amend anum="0" ea="amend" pairid="11" groupid="8" style="1" owner="jchristopherson" level="1" amendtag="end">principles of tribal sovereignty and how the principles relate to an <ln numlevel="1" lineno="64" slineno="1-39"/>investigation into the disappearance or murder of a missing or murdered <ln numlevel="1" lineno="65" slineno="1-40"/>indigenous individual;</amend></subsection><subsection ssid="6-23" dnum="_-o:C-i" numlevel="1" lineno="66" slineno="1-41" ea="amend" anum="0" owner="jchristopherson" style="1" level="4"><display><amend anum="0" ea="amend" pairid="1023" style="1" owner="i" level="1" amendtag="start">(C)</amend></display><amend anum="0" ea="amend" pairid="14" groupid="10" style="1" owner="jchristopherson" level="1" amendtag="end">federal, state, and tribal laws that relate to an investigation into the <ln numlevel="1" lineno="67" slineno="1-42"/>disappearance or murder of a missing or murdered indigenous individual;</amend></subsection><subsection ssid="6-24" dnum="_-o:D-i" numlevel="1" lineno="68" slineno="1-43" ea="amend" anum="0" owner="jchristopherson" style="1" level="4"><display><amend anum="0" ea="amend" pairid="1024" style="1" owner="i" level="1" amendtag="start">(D)</amend></display><amend anum="0" ea="amend" pairid="17" groupid="12" style="1" owner="jchristopherson" level="1" amendtag="end">methods of coordination with family members of a missing or murdered <ln numlevel="1" lineno="69" slineno="1-44"/>indigenous individual during the investigation into the disappearance or murder <ln numlevel="1" lineno="70" slineno="1-45"/>of the missing or murdered indigenous individual; and</amend></subsection><subsection ssid="6-25" dnum="_-o:E-i" numlevel="1" lineno="71" slineno="1-46" ea="amend" anum="0" owner="jchristopherson" style="1" level="4"><display><amend anum="0" ea="amend" pairid="1025" style="1" owner="i" level="1" amendtag="start">(E)</amend></display><amend anum="0" ea="amend" pairid="20" groupid="14" style="1" owner="jchristopherson" level="1" amendtag="end">best practices for interviewing family members of a missing or murdered <ln numlevel="1" lineno="72" slineno="1-47"/>indigenous individual during the investigation into the disappearance or murder <ln numlevel="1" lineno="73" slineno="1-48"/>of the missing or murdered indigenous individual; and</amend></subsection></subsection><subsection ssid="6-28" dnum="_-o:vi-i" numlevel="1" lineno="74" slineno="1-49" ea="amend" anum="0" owner="jchristopherson" style="1" level="3"><display><amend anum="0" ea="amend" pairid="1026" style="1" owner="i" level="1" amendtag="start">(vi)</amend></display><amend anum="0" ea="amend" pairid="27" groupid="19" style="1" owner="jchristopherson" level="1" amendtag="end">at least once every three years, review and update the curriculum described in <ln numlevel="1" lineno="75" slineno="1-50"/>Subsection <xref depth="4" refnumber="26B-1-231(5)(b)(v)">(5)(b)(v)</xref>.</amend></subsection></subsection><subsection ssid="6-26" dnum="_-o:c-i" numlevel="1" lineno="76" slineno="1-51" ea="amend" anum="0" owner="jchristopherson" style="1" level="2"><display><amend anum="0" ea="amend" pairid="1027" style="1" owner="i" level="1" amendtag="start">(c)</amend></display><amend anum="0" ea="amend" pairid="26" groupid="18" style="1" owner="jchristopherson" level="1" amendtag="end">The office may coordinate with universities, non-profit organizations, and any other <ln numlevel="1" lineno="77" slineno="1-52"/>person with subject-matter expertise relating to the curriculum described in <ln numlevel="1" lineno="78" slineno="1-53"/>Subsection <xref depth="4" refnumber="26B-1-231(5)(b)(v)">(5)(b)(v)</xref> to develop the curriculum described in Subsection <xref depth="4" refnumber="26B-1-231(5)(b)(v)">(5)(b)(v)</xref>.</amend></subsection></subsection></section></bsec><bsec buid="9" type="uncod" untype="effdate" src="uncod" uid="EF0000" sort="UZEFF" langlock="true" numlevel="1" lineno="79" slineno="2-1" sn="2"><section type="uncod" untype="effdate" display="false" src="uncod"><secline lineno="79">Section 2.  <bold>Effective Date.</bold></secline><sectionText lineno="80"><amend anum="0" ea="amend" pairid="1" groupid="1" style="1" owner="jchristopherson" level="1" amendtag="both">This bill takes effect on <effdate uid="code" date="5/6/2026">May 6, 2026</effdate>.</amend></sectionText></section></bsec></bdy><foot><rev><tm>2-20-26 8:28 AM</tm></rev></foot></leg>