SANTA FE – A bill that would help state prosecutors track and investigate unresolved reports of missing Indigenous people from New Mexico was endorsed Monday by the state Senate by a unanimous vote.
A 34-0 vote of the Senate sent the bill to the state House for consideration. The initiative would create an electronic catalog of missing Indigenous people – including many who may have been murdered – for use by law enforcement and state prosecutors with support from outside financial grants.
The bill also authorizes $1 million in spending by the state Attorney General’s Office to hire and train at least one specialist for investigating cases of missing Native Americans.
Sen. Shannon Pinto, a tribal member of the Navajo Nation from Tohatchi, said the bill was inspired by haunting instances of unresolved disappearances.
She invoking the case of Anthonette Cayedito, who was last seen in April 1986 as a freckled 9-year-old at her family’s home in Gallup.
“I hope there is some closure before I reach my time here on this earth,” Pinto said.
Democratic state Sen. Leo Jaramillo of Espanola noted that the initiative has the support of three tribal communities in his district and the Tewa Women United advocacy group for Native American rights.
Republican Senate Minority Leader Gregory Baca of Belen said the effort is long overdue.
“I think that the more attention we have on this matter, the better,” Baca said. “I’m glad we’re not ignoring it any more.”
Lawmakers are working around the clock in the last frantic days of a 30-day annual legislative session that ends at noon Thursday.
Major initiatives on proposed tax cuts, voting access, climate regulation and criminal justice are still being vetted, along with an $8.48 billion annual spending plan for the fiscal year starting July 1.
