UINO Urges Override of Governor Stitt’s Veto on Critical MMIP Legislation
OKLAHOMA CITY, OK — May 26, 2025: The United Indian Nations of Oklahoma (UINO) is calling on Oklahomans to pressure state legislators to override Governor Kevin Stitt’s recent veto of House Bill 1137, a pivotal measure aimed at dismantling obstacles to state funding for investigations into Missing and Murdered Indigenous People (MMIP).
Governor Stitt initially signed Ida’s Law in 2021, which established a liaison office for MMIP cases but imposed a prerequisite requiring federal funding for the office’s operation. House Bill 1137, introduced by Representative Ronald Stewart (D-Tulsa) and supported overwhelmingly in both the Oklahoma House (83–0) and Senate (42–1), seeks to eliminate this federal funding requirement, thus facilitating crucial state support.
Margo Gray, Executive Director of UINO, criticized the governor’s veto as a denial of justice for Native families, urging support to reverse it. Ida’s Law is named after Ida Beard, a Cheyenne and Arapaho citizen who has been missing since 2015, with Oklahoma ranking second in the nation for MMIP cases, including 690 unresolved instances as of January 2025.
Ben Barnes, Chairperson of UINO, stated that local investigations are hampered by a lack of resources and coordination among law enforcement, which the proposed OSBI office aims to address. He expressed concern over U.S. budget cuts that threaten federal support for these initiatives.
Editorial boards, tribal leaders, and advocacy groups are rallying behind the call to override the veto, highlighting the urgency of addressing the MMIP crisis in Oklahoma.
UINO urges immediate public action to ensure that the state fulfills its responsibility to protect all its citizens in the face of these escalating challenges.
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