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Taking a deep dive into Senate Bill 4 on "Vanished"


Senate Bill 4, which aims to extend Montana's Missing Indigenous Person's Task Force, is the focus of this week's episode of Vanished: A Native American Epidemic.

The episode outlines the history and goals of the task force and some data to underline the need for this task force in the Treasure State.

Indigenous people make up about 7% of Montana's population, but according to a report published by the Montana Department of Justice, they account for more than a quarter of the state's missing persons reports.

Several proponents spoke up during a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on the bill last week, including Lodge Grass resident Laurie Kindness.

During her testimony, Laurie said, "it is time the country and our state recognizes the magnitude of our need in establishing and maintaining a logistical database, while providing local personnel with proper training and equipment to conduct necessary security and preventative measures which could help mitigate a long ignored epidemic on our homelands."

The latest episode of Vanished is available now on Spotify and Apple Podcasts. You can also download the podcast episode here:


https://www.khq.com/news/taking-a-deep-dive-into-senate-bill-4-on-vanished/article_92f0f4bc-3719-52db-a97f-11ad5bb3bbb5.html
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