UPDATE: Lawmakers override Governor Stitt's MMIP veto

Written By: Brittany Harlow, Rachael Schuit

Editor's Note: This story has been updated to include information after lawmakers voted to override Governor Kevin Stitt's veto of House Bill 1137.

(OKLAHOMA CITY, Okla.) Update: Tribal leaders from across the state are praising lawmakers for taking action to override Oklahoma Govenor Stitt's veto of House Bill 1137, making a way for more state dollars to fund Missing and Murdered Indigenous People (MMIP) investigations.

The state House voted 91-0 to override the veto early Thursday. The state Senate followed with a 40-4 vote to override the veto later that night. 

In response to the override, Cherokee Nation Principal Chief Chuck Hoskins Jr., said: "MMIP families, advocates and tribes praise the Oklahoma legislature for taking the right step and overruling Governor Stitt's veto of HB1137, a bipartisan housekeeping amendment to the historic Ida's law."

Seminole Nation of Oklahoma Chief Lewis Johnson said: "By standing firm in their original support for this bill, lawmakers have sent a clear message: the lives and voices of Indigenous communities matter. This override is more than a legislative act—it is a reflection of the enduring spirit of humanity, a call to justice, and a moral stand for what is right and proper."

United Indian Nations of Oklahoma (UINO) leaders also expressed gratitude for the legislature's decision, after urging people to call their legislators to override it.

"This override tells Native families that their lives matter, their grief has been felt, and that Oklahoma is committed to justice for them and their loved ones," said UINO Chairperson Ben Barnes.

Original Story: The time is ticking for Oklahoma lawmakers to override Governor Kevin Stitt’s veto of House Bill 1137, which would make a way for more state dollars to fund Missing and Murdered Indigenous People (MMIP) investigations.

The bill is an update to Ida's Law, signed by Stitt in 2021, that required the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation (OSBI) to secure federal funding in order to establish a liaison office dedicated to MMIP cases. 

Stitt vetoed the new bill to remove the federal funding requirement on National MMIP Awareness Day earlier this month, saying the legislation singles out victims based solely on their race. 

United Indian Nations of Oklahoma (UINO) is urging lawmakers to override Stitt’s veto- and they only have until Friday to do so.

"The Legislature did its job. They passed a common-sense solution backed by Tribes, law enforcement, and both political parties, and we're grateful for their overwhelming support," said UINO Executive Director Margo Gray. "The Governor's veto, however, is a blatant denial of justice and a slap in the face to Native families who deserve answers. We urge all Oklahomans to contact their lawmakers and ask them to take the extraordinary but necessary step of overriding Gov. Stitt's veto."

Oklahoma had 690 unresolved cases involving Native people as of January 2025, including 181 in Tulsa alone. That makes Tulsa the 9th highest number among American cities- and Oklahoma the 2nd highest state in the country for MMIP. 

Homicide is the third leading cause of death for Native women aged 15–24.

"Oklahoma is ground zero for the MMIP crisis, and with federal budget cuts, vetoing this amendment to Ida's Law essentially kills efforts to investigate and solve these cases," said UINO Chairperson Ben Barnes. "Gov. Stitt says creating this office, which was originally established by a law he signed in 2021, prioritizes cases based on race and sends the message that some lives are more worthy of attention than others. His veto of this bi-partisan, common sense law to achieve justice for victims and their families proves which lives are unworthy to him." 

UINO urged Oklahomans take the following actions to encourage the veto override:

Find your Oklahoma State Representative and State Senator here.

Email or call your legislator's office and politely ask them to override Gov. Stitt's veto of HB 1137, which received broad, bipartisan support.

Thank them for their attention to this important matter that will help bring justice to hundreds of victims and their families.

Oklahomans can also find sample letters to view or edit here.