“Allison’s Bill” Would Strengthen Investigations Into Deaths Suspected as Domestic Violence
Minnesota Senator Mary Kunesh is preparing to introduce legislation aimed at improving how suspicious deaths are investigated, particularly when there has been a history of domestic violence. The proposal, informally known as “Allison’s Bill,” was fueled by the 2024 death of 47-year-old Allison Lussier in Minneapolis. Police initially ruled the death an overdose. Later, the medical examiner determined she had died from a subdural hematoma — a fatal head injury caused by blunt force trauma.
In February 2025, the Minneapolis City Council asked for an independent investigation about how the Minneapolis Police Department handled the case. As Minnesota Women’s Press wrote in June 2025, Lussier had called the police on multiple occasions indicating that a former partner was threatening to kill her — including a report 12 days before her death. On one occasion, police were with Lussier and her abuser, after multiple complaints about his conduct and applications for orders for protection but allowed him to leave the scene without detention or arrest.
Lussier’s aunt, Jana Williams, believed the death had been misclassified as an overdose and pushed for further scrutiny, citing the documented history of domestic violence. Eventually she brought the case to Kunesh’s attention.
As a young Dakota woman at Harding High School in Saint Paul, I wanted to learn more about this bill, and talked with Senator Kunesh about the reasons it is needed and what the legislation is designed to accomplish.
She told me the under-investigated case of Allison Lussier is not uncommon. “This is something that has historically happened to indigenous people and people of color,” she told me. “Initially the police will [claim it is] a suicide or a drug overdose, and then they won’t do an extensive investigation. Fortunately, Allison’s auntie made a lot of noise that this was not a suicide, and that there was a history of domestic violence.”
Kunesh added: “There’s probably not an indigenous family that hasn’t had a loved one go missing or murdered with no explanation.”
What Does the Bill Propose?
“Allison’s Bill” would create a new classification that triggers new procedures if there is a history of domestic abuse. Investigators would be required to review specific indicators that a death scene may have been staged or concealed to appear accidental.
“We’re asking law enforcement to review ten evidence-based indicators of staged or concealed homicide, and an examination of prior reports and restraining orders. That’s going to take retraining and a bit of a mind shift in police departments,” Kunesh said, adding that officers would be trained to look more critically at a scene that might be staged to look like suicide or overdose — and to look at domestic homicide indicators.
Another key provision in the bill would give families a formal role in the investigative process. Before a final determination about a death is made, families would be able to provide information to investigators and request access to investigative records. They would have up to a year to challenge a death determination if they disagree.
Kunesh said the legislation builds on earlier work addressing violence against indigenous women. She previously authored a bill to establish a state office for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Relatives, one of the first efforts in the nation to study systemic failures in investigating cases involving indigenous victims.
Oregon also has enacted increased attention to the issue of missing and murdered indigenous women. A 2024 deep story about the impact since 2019, however, noted that little progress had been made.
Key recommendations — especially centralized data systems, better information sharing, and coordinated investigations — remained largely unimplemented.
There had been limited actions, such as hiring a tribal liaison, offering law enforcement training, and modest improvements in data collection and reporting.
There was still no unified database and widespread inconsistencies in reporting, including racial misclassification.
Distrust between Indigenous communities and law enforcement remained high.
Nevada also has attempted to tackle the issue. A 2021 story in Reno indicated that:
The fragmented system of federal, state, and tribal jurisdiction enables many cases to escape prosecution because most perpetrators are non-Native. This requires better cross-agency coordination.
Cases are underreported due to lack of trust with law enforcement, which tends to not have cultural or family connections with the victims, requiring improved training, accountability, and victim-centered practices.
The “man camps” of extractive industries in the area, as well as foster care vulnerability, require stronger prevention strategies and social services.
A bill passed in 2023 helped to establish a statewide database system that requires mandatory entries and a tribal liaison who maintains communication with tribes, law enforcement, and urban Indian organizations regarding missing persons cases. However, pervasive issues remain regarding trust, data sharing, and jurisdictional gaps between local police and tribal governments.
At the second annual Missing and Murdered Indigenous Relatives Awareness Summit in October 2025, one participant noted: “We know that our people go missing in three ways. They go missing from our families, they’re missing from the media, and they’re missing from the data.”
Community engagement for this bill, as well as about violence prevention in general, is needed. Kunesh encourages community members to attend legislative hearings, share experiences, and contact lawmakers to voice support for Allison’s bill. “We need people to speak up,” Kunesh told us. “The more voices we have, the more likely we are to make sure these deaths are investigated properly and families get the answers they deserve.”
Did You Know?
Native women face murder rates more than ten times the national average. These disappearances and murders are often linked to domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, stalking, sex trafficking.
Murder is the third leading cause of death for American Indian and Alaska Native women and girls, according to the Centers for Disease Control.
Find more data about Violence Against American Indian and Alaska Native Women and Girls
A U.S. News & World Report story about how states are tackling this issue
