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Committee advances bill to allow state funding for Missing and Murdered Indigenous People liaison office
Summary
House Bill 1137 was advanced 5-0 to remove a statutory requirement that the liaison office rely on federal grants, allowing the office to be funded by the state if needed; sponsor said no state funding currently exists for the office if federal grants are not available.
A House committee on Oct. 12 voted 5-0 to advance House Bill 1137, an amendment to existing Oklahoma statute that would remove a requirement tying the Office of the Liaison for Missing and Murdered Indigenous People to federal grant funding and allow the office to be funded through state resources when necessary.
Representative Steward presented the bill, explaining it was carried forward from Representative Amanda Swope. Steward said the intent is to remove the statutory requirement for federal funding so the liaison office can operate if federal grants are not available. On the record, the presenter said there is currently no state funding for the position and that, even if the statutory requirement is removed, the office would not be functional without additional appropriations.
A committee member asked how the office would be funded; Steward replied the office would be funded through the state but that staff still planned to apply for federal grants when possible. The committee approved the bill by voice vote with five ayes and zero nays and declared HB 1137 passed out of committee.
