New Mexico joins three other states that have created an alert system for missing Indigenous people. The bill unanimously passed both chambers on Thursday and now heads to the governor.
The Turquoise Alert system will allow law enforcement to quickly share information about missing Indigenous people through news media, social networks and digital highway signs without having to wait the standard 48-hours.
According to the New Mexico Department of Justice, there are about 200 missing Indigenous people in the state.
Bill sponsor Sen. Angel Charley (D-Acoma) who is Laguna and Diné, shared the news on Instagram and said the system is not a tribal mandate, but will instead go through the Department of Public Safety.
“It's not going to fix our jurisdictional complexity issues,” she said. “But it is going to ensure that when a Native person goes missing, that there's an immediate, rapid response.”
The alert system will coordinate with state law enforcement agencies, tribal communities, and state resources when a missing Indigenous person goes missing.
The bill would require the Department of Public Safety to develop a plan for getting alerts out to law enforcement and the public.
It will also include a provision for record-keeping and data collection, which would require reports on alert and case outcomes. The fiscal impact report notes that this may provide insight into trends related to missing Indigenous people and inform future policy decisions.
This bill does not include a direct appropriation but a fiscal analysis states there may be recurring costs for state agencies to implement the alert system.
At least three other states including Washington, California and Colorado have passed similar legislation in recent years.
The governor has 20 days after the session ends to sign this bill into law. It would take effect July 1, 2025. The session ends Saturday, March 22, 2025.
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