26 March 2019 — 0629 mdt

Hanna’s Act should be blasted out of the
Montana Senate’s judiciary committee

House Bill 21 is “…known as “Hanna’s Act” in remembrance of Hanna Harris, a Lame Deer woman who was murdered in 2013 on the Northern Cheyenne Reservation.” Rep. Rae Peppers (D-Lame Deer, HD-41) is carrying the bill at the request of the legislature’s state-tribal relations committee.

Hanna’s Act would authorize “…the Department of Justice to assist with the investigation of all missing persons cases; requiring the employment of a missing persons specialist….”

Hanna’s Act was approved by the MT House’s judiciary committee 19–0. It was approved by the House 98–0 on the second reading, and 99–0 on the third reading.

The bill seemed assured of passage — until yesterday. Then the MT Senate’s judiciary committee killed HB-21 on a 5–5 tie vote. The 10-member committee comprises six Republicans and four Democrats; one Republican voted for the bill. The other five — I don’t know their names yet, but I’ll publish them here when they’re identified — voted against the bill.

I’d call the vote an outrage, but that word is too mild to accurately describe how lowdown and reprehensible deep-sixing Hanna’s Act is. I find myself wondering whether racial prejudice was a factor in the committee’s decision.

Whatever the reason for it, it was the wrong decision. Women like Hanna Harris need help now, Montana can afford the resources to provide that help, and HB-21 should be enacted into law. Hanna’s Act must be blasted from the Senate’s judicary committee immediately. Once it gets past the naysayers on the committee, the bill should pass the Senate by a handsome margin.

What you can — and should — do

Pronto: ask your state senator to dynamite HB-21 out of the judiciary committee and onto the floor of the Senate.