ALBANY, N.Y. – Governor Kathy Hochul signed the bill into legislation on Thursday, December 21 to create a task force on missing girls and women who are black, indigenous, or people of color.

The task force will consider policy changes to address the crisis of missing BIPOC girls and women, to prevent tragedies like the killing of Jakariah Lopez Moore, who was found dead after missing for nearly seven weeks.

In October, about 70 local government leaders signed a letter and sent it to Governor Hochul, urging her to sign the bill into law. Assemblywoman Clark, who represents Irondequoit, was one of them.

“Girls of color are in danger and we don’t know why. We don’t know if we are doing the right things to find them. And that’s why it’s super important so I was like let’s tell Rochester’s story. As to why this is a statewide problem. And really, we need to do it and we need to move forward. So, I was just beyond delighted when the governor signed it, said Clark.

According to the FBI’s National Crime Information Center, 43% of the girls and women reported missing last year were black, indigenous, or people of color.

Starting January 1, a taskforce will be appointed, and they have two years to come up with real tangible ideas.