"What we haven't been able to structure yet as a state, or as a nation, is a databasing system that allowed for cross-communication between lines of law enforcement, public safety entities, crisis centers, you name it, anything that could have both state funding, but also cross jurisdictions within our sovereign nations and our state," she said.

According to New Mexico's Indian Affairs Department:

"Jurisdictional gaps, reporting gaps, lack of coordination among law enforcement, uneven media coverage, among other issues all contribute to the issue of murdered and missing Indigenous women in New Mexico."

Romero says it's important that New Mexico takes the lead in responding to the emergency and to get it passed as law.

"With this task force, it'll allow us to take these horrible statistics of so many missing and murdered women and find a pathway to investigate and obviously find out what we can do to respond to these critical, critical, tragic needs," she said.

HB 278 now moves onto its second House committee.

Track this bill during the legislative session