Hey People, just read an article posted on The Guardian’s U.S. website that is of great personal interest to me and this website.
Washington State Legislator Debra Lekanoff, an Alaskan Native, has proposed State House Bill 1639 and is currently in committee in the state capital. In essence, she is proposing that her state, “shall develop and implement a plan, commonly known as an “amber alert plan” or an “endangered missing person advisory plan”. Isn’t there already some sort of a system set up for Native Americans already? Apparently not. As I read this…immediately I had a moment of disbelief. Those amber alerts have been around for quite a few years now and why are legislators now responding in kind to the MMIW movement? Of course, this proposed bill had to originate with a female legislator of indigenous descent. How come past lawmakers hadn’t thought about creating such a practical partial solution to the epidemic that affects all tribes in the United States. If it passes, this “advisory that will be used on a variable message sign and text of the highway advisory radio message when used as part of an activated advisory to assist in the recovery of a missing indigenous woman or person.”
All I can say is a heartfelt Thank You to Northern Washington State Legislator Debra Lekanoff for her hard work.
Until next time.
To find out more information on the topic covered in this post, please access the following web addresses:
Washington State House Bill 1639
https://app.leg.wa.gov/billsummary?BillNumber=1639&Year=2021#billhistorytitle
The Guardian