§ 8-5-21. Partnership in Native American communities network grant program; created; purpose

A. The “partnership in Native American communities network grant program” is created within the office of the attorney general. The purpose of the program is to create a network to support the efforts by the state's Indian nations, tribes and pueblos to identify, report and find Native Americans who are missing. B. The “partnership in Native American communities network” shall be developed and operated by the office of the attorney general as an online portal with a database to securely upload information regarding missing indigenous persons. C. The office of the attorney general shall award grants to create and administer the Native American communities network and develop the application and criteria for the grant program. The partnership in Native American communities network grant program criteria shall include: (1) policies and standards for technology equipment, including data storage and security of information entered into the network; (2) standards for data verification; (3) job qualifications and requirements for a data specialist to administer the network; and (4) development of a system to provide automatic initial alerts pursuant to law enforcement, tribal and community organizations when a missing indigenous person report is made. D. The office of the attorney general may also award grants through the partnership in Native American communities network grant program to a qualifying tribal agency at each Indian nation, tribe and pueblo as matching funds for a tribal agency to create and maintain access to the partnership in Native American communities network.