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ARIZONA STATE LEGISLATURE STUDY COMMITTEE ON MISSING AND MURDERED INDIGENOUS WOMEN AND GIRLS Minutes of the Meeting October 29, 2019 10:00 a.m. MT / 9:00 a.m. PT Moenkopi Legacy Inn & Suites 1 Legacy Lane, Tuba City, AZ 86045 Members Present: Representative Jennifer Jermaine, Chair Senator Jamescita Peshlakai, Vice Chair Representative Arlando Teller Senator Sally Ann Gonzales Representative Myron Tsosie Senator Victoria Steele Timothy Chavez April Ignacio Blaine Gadow Debbie Nez-Manuel Dimitri Whelan Gonzalez Kim Russell Alfred Urbina Members Excused: Representative Walter Blackman Senator Frank Pratt Monica Antone Jon Huey Elton Begay Jonathan Mosher Paula Flores Heston Silbert LeAnn Guy Patti Hibbeler Staff: Ingrid Garvey, House Research Staff Cherie Stone, Senate Research Staff Chairman Jermaine called the meeting to order at 9:31 a.m. Pacific Time and 10:31 a.m. Mountain Time. Representative Jermaine introduced Second Lady Dottie Lizer from the Navajo Nation. Dottie Lizer, Second Lady from the Navajo Nation, gave an opening blessing for the Committee. Representative Jermaine asked the Committee members to introduce themselves and attendance was noted. Valaura Imus-Nahsonhoya, Executive Director/Founder, Honwungsi Consulting Services, introduced herself to the Committee as the Study Director to HB 2570. Study Committee on Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls October 29, 2019 Page 1 Representative Jermaine further introduced Bruce Talawyma to give an additional blessing for the Committee. Opening Blessing - Bruce Talawyma, Staff Assistant to Hopi Tribe Chairman Timothy Nuvangyaoma Bruce Talawyma, Staff Assistant to Hopi Tribe Chairman Timothy Nuvangyaoma, gave an opening blessing for the Committee. PRESENTATIONS Data Sharing/Collection Workgroup Debbie Nez-Manuel, Advocate for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls (MMIWG), also Vice-chair on Subcommittee on Data Sharing/Collection Workgroup, provided information and shared report from their subcommittee meetings on Data Sharing and Data Collection Workgroup. Representative Jermaine requested that the Committee members give a voice vote to authorize the working group to send out Freedom of Information Act request to the 91 Political Subdivisions. Representative Jermaine asked if there are any objections, seeing no objections, it is moved and approved that the working group has the authority of the Committee to send out Freedom of Information Act request. Representative Jermaine requested that the Committee members give an approval to the definition of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls that the working group came up with and asked if there are any discussion or revisions to the definition. Ms. Nez-Manuel explained the definition of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls. Senator Peshlakai asked a question in regards to the definition. Representative Jermaine asked if there are any objections to this definition of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls, seeing no objections, the definition is approved. Victim Compensation Workgroup Representative Teller provided brief information regarding their research on the victim compensation program. Ms. Russell shared information regarding their research on the victim compensation program through the Arizona Criminal Justice Commission. Ms. Russell commented that Study Committee on Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls October 29, 2019 Page 2 it would be very helpful to hear from the tribal members on how accessible these programs are to the tribal communities. PUBLIC TESTIMONY Representative Jermaine requested from the audience public testimony regarding the victim compensation fund. Kim Zahne-Tacheene, representing Hopi Tewa Women's Coalitions to End Abuse, testified and shared her experience with the victim compensation fund and answered questions posed by the Committee. Jolene Holgate, Co-Coordinator, Missing and Murdered Diné Relatives Forum Jolene Holgate, Co-Coordinator, Missing and Murdered Diné Relatives Initiative, gave a brief background on the Missing and Murdered Diné Relatives (MMDR) and their partnerships and mission. Ms. Holgate explained their programs and initiatives on creating data institute to track data throughout Navajo communities and the MMDR community action kit for families to help mobilize and navigate jurisdictions issues. Ms. Holgate thanked the State of Arizona for passing HB 2570 and answered questions posed by the Committee. The Committee discussed their concerns and shared comments for the presentation mentioned above. RECESS At 10:56 a.m. Pacific Time, Chairman Jermaine recessed the meeting. RECONVENE At 11:10 a.m. Pacific Time, Chairman Jermaine reconvened the meeting. Carey Onsae-Namoki, Executive Director, Hopi-Tewa Women's Coalition to End Abuse Carey Onsae-Namoki, Executive Director, Hopi-Tewa Women's Coalition to End Abuse, gave a brief background on the Hopi-Tewa Women's Coalition to End Abuse and highlighted their programs and initiatives at Hopi communities. Ms. Ms. Onsae-Namoki explained the need for data sharing across Tribal, State and Federal jurisdictions which would help in preventing crimes. Ms. Onsae-Namoki addressed the issue of missing and murdered at Hopi communities and the need for resources to help families in addressing this issue in a culturally specific trauma informed manner. Ms. Onsae-Namoki answered questions posed by the Committee. Senator Peshlakai shared her story regarding this horrific problem and made remarks. The Committee discussed their concerns and shared comments for the presentation mentioned above. Study Committee on Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls October 29, 2019 Page 3 Dustin Driscoll, Regional Program Specialist, National Missing and Unidentified Persons System, NamUS The presentation did not take place. PUBLIC TESTIMONY – (continued) Representative Jermaine called for public testimony. Senator Peshlakai introduced Isabelle Webster from Cameron, Arizona and stated that she would provide a translation for the testifier. Isabelle Webster, representing herself, from Cameron, Arizona, via Senator Peshlakai translation, testified in support of the Study Committee on Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls. Ms. Webster shared her experience and challenges with her granddaughter who was murdered in Kentucky. Mae Peshlakai, representing herself, from Cameron, Arizona, testified in support of the Study Committee on Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls and shared her concerns on the selling indigenous babies. Representative Jermaine offered comments. Elizabeth Whitethorne-Benally, representing Navajo County Constable, from Shonto, Arizona, testified and spoke about the need for more county elected officials from their own native community. Mary K. James, representing her granddaughter Jamie Yazzie, from Pinon, Arizona, via Senator Peshlakai translation, testified in support of the Study Committee on Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls. Ms. James shared her experience and challenges with her granddaughter that still missing and hope that one day she would be found. Representative Jermaine offered comments. Marschelle James, representing her niece Jamie Yazzie, from Pinon, Arizona, testified in support of the Study Committee on Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls. Ms. James shared her experience and challenges with her niece that still missing and hope that one day she would be found. Leonard Gorman, Executive Director, Navajo Nation Human Rights Commission, testified and addressed issues that the Navajo communities are dealing with regarding Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls by the State and Federal systems. Ms. Marscelle James provided additional comments. Representative Jermaine offered comments. Study Committee on Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls October 29, 2019 Page 4 Melissa Mix, representing herself, testified in support of the Study Committee on Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls. Ms. Mix shared her concerns about her family safety and everyone in the tribal community dealing with this issue. Representative Jermaine publicly thanked those who testified and offered comments. NEXT STEPS Representative Jermaine addressed the next steps that the two workgroups would continue working on. Representative Jermaine asked the Committee members to check their calendar for open meeting dates and mentioned that the Committee would possibly meet in early December. Representative Jermaine publicly thanked former Representative Wenona Benally from District 7 in the Navajo Nation. Representative Jermaine acknowledged and publicly thanked the Committee members and all the organizations for their time and input on this very important topic and made closing remarks. Attached are forms noting the individuals who submitted a Speaker Slip on the agenda items (Attachment A). There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned at 1:47 p.m. Respectfully submitted, Imee L. Andrew Committee Secretary Video Transcription (Audio recordings and attachments are on file in the Secretary of the Senate’s Office/Resource Center, Room 115. Audio archives are available at http://www.azleg.gov) Study Committee on Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls October 29, 2019 Page 5 .