A proposed state law named for 14-year-old Emily Pike — a member of the San Carlos Apache Tribe who went missing and was later found dead — would not have applied to her disappearance.
That’s because the bill, now known as Emily’s Law, would only cover missing people from 18 to 65 years old.
The bill’s sponsor, Rep. Teresa Martinez, a Republican from Casa Grande, responded to questions from Arizona Luminaria about whether the bill would have covered Emily.
“Oh, you know what, you’re right, actually, now that you say that, you are right,” Martinez said over the phone. “But they are going to refer to it as Emily’s Law.” She added that there was still time to clarify the measure because “what we want to make sure is that Emily would’ve been covered under this law, hence us naming it the Emily Pike Law.”
Emily’s story has since become a rallying cry for Arizona officials advocating for the new law that was initially meant to create an alert system for missing Indigenous people. Yet, as it’s currently written, the measure would not have helped in Emily’s case since she was a minor, which falls outside the proposed legislation’s age criteria. It also stipulates that the missing adult has to be considered endangered, a designation that often excludes runaway cases like Emily’s.
Read more here about the bill — which will next go before the Senate for a third read vote before heading back to the House for another final vote.
Also in today’s newsletter:
🦎 A new wildlife ramp will give rock squirrels, lizards, javelina, mule deer, mountain lions and other critters a safer way to navigate beneath one of Southern Arizona’s busiest highways. Read more.
🚧 The fate of Arizona’s proposed Resolution Copper mine at sacred Oak Flat rested with the federal courts, but the Trump administration announced this week it would move to approve the project before their rulings. Learn more.
☑️ “El Distrito 5 me crió, y estoy listo para devolver ese regalo haciendo lo que siempre he hecho: presentarme, escuchar y ponerme a trabajar. Así que pongámonos a trabajar”, dijo Andrés Cano tras ser nombrado esta semana como miembro de la Junta de Supervisores del Condado de Pima. Lee màs.
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Emily’s Law wouldn’t have helped Emily: Proposed Arizona alert highlights gaps for runaway youth
A proposed state law named for 14-year-old Emily Pike — a member of the San Carlos Apache Tribe who went missing and was later found dead — would not have […]
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Trump administration plans to allow mining of sacred Oak Flat, leapfrogging courts
The Trump administration on Wednesday signaled it intends to approve a land transfer that will allow a foreign company to mine a sacred Indigenous site in Arizona, where local tribes […]
Los supervisores designan a Andrés Cano para representar al Distrito 5 del Condado Pima
La Junta de Supervisores del Condado de Pima votó el martes para nombrar a Andrés Cano como el nuevo supervisor del Distrito 5, ocupando el puesto que dejó vacante Adelita […]
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Attend a free family-friendly day party and open-air market held April 26 from noon to 5 p.m. at Z Street International Marketplace, home of the original Zemams. The event celebrates Black Joy — welcoming everyone in Tucson — and includes two local DJs: Menopause the DJ and Mother Tierra, to bring the vibes, 13 black-owned businesses as vendors and a raffle for four $50 gift cards from the Coronet to raise funds for our honorary non-profit, Hattie B. Black Women In Progress. Learn more here.
Attend an Earth Day Plant Share and Bioblitz at 1 p.m. Saturday, April 26 at the Eckstrom-Columbus Library in Tucson. Bring your plant cuttings, seedlings, seeds, and other garden-related things to share. Don’t have plants to share? All are welcome — you don’t need to bring plants to take plants home. Details.
Vote in Tucson’s Participatory Budgeting and help decide what projects your tax dollars should fund. The third round of the Budget de la Gente is upon us, and Tucson residents can vote to choose which projects they think deserve funding. Voting ends April 30. Read more and cast your ballot here.
The 5th Annual Southern Arizona Missing & Murdered Indigenous People (MMIP) Awareness 5K Run/Walk is planned for 6 a.m. Saturday, May 3 at the Pima Community College West Campus. Details.
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