Gov. Gretchen Whitmer on Wednesday signed 19 bills to make Michigan schools, homes, and communities safer.
The governor also signed an executive order to ensure the diverse needs of Michigan’s students and educators are represented on the new School Safety and Mental Health Commission.
“Michiganders should feel safe whether they’re watching a movie at home or heading into the classroom,” said Whitmer. “That’s why I’m proud to sign these 19 commonsense bills that will keep Michigan families and neighborhoods safe from gun violence and other violent crimes. Each of these bills build on my administration’s commitment to protecting Michiganders and their families.”
House Bills 5450 and 5451, sponsored by state Representatives Sharon MacDonell (D-Troy) and Julie Brixie (D-Okemos), will help protect children from gun violence by requiring information developed by the Department of Health and Human Services, on the safe storage of firearms, be distributed to parents of students.
Currently, an estimated 150,000 Michigan children live in homes that have an unsecured firearm. Nationally, more than 70% of school shootings involve a firearm that is owned by a parent or close family member and taken by the shooter.
By distributing information on the safe storage law to students and their families, more Michiganders will be aware of the law and can take actions to abide by this guidance. This will help keep more Michiganders and their children safe from gun violence at home, school, or anywhere else.
House Bills 6144, 6145, and 6146, sponsored by state Representatives Felicia Brabec (D-Pittsfield Township) and Natalie Price (D-Berkley), will keep Michigan communities safer from gun violence by ensuring the Michigan State Police (MSP) destroy all firearms turned over to it that were purchased under a gun buyback program.
House Bills 4095 and 4096, sponsored by state Representatives Stephanie A. Young (D-Detroit) and Ranjeev Puri (D-Canton), will help keep students and educators safe amidst public safety threats by requiring a standardized response terminology used by schools in response to emergency situations.
House Bills 5659 and 5660, sponsored by state Representatives Luke Meerman (R-Coopersville) and Nancy DeBoer (R-Grand Traverse), improve school safety for Michigan students and educators by creating the new School Safety and Mental Health Commission in the Department of State Police.
The new commission will focus on improving mental health outcomes for school-aged children, adolescents, and their families, as well as reducing suicide rates amongst Michigan youth. These bills will work to keep our kids safer both inside the classroom and out.
In conjunction with the signing of House Bills 5659 and 6660, Governor Whitmer also issued the Executive Order 2025-1 to ensure that this new commission includes each critical viewpoint, voice, and role in its work.
House Bills 5400 and 5401, sponsored by state Representatives Noah Arbit (D-West Bloomfield) and Kristian Grant (D-Grand Rapids), bolster public safety efforts in Michigan, protecting individuals from hate crimes. The bills also amend the sentencing guidelines for a hate crime. By expanding the definition of a hate crime, these bills will help keep Michiganders of all backgrounds safer in their communities and across our state.
House Bills 5887 and 5888, sponsored by state Representatives John Fitzgerald (D-Wyoming) and Kara Hope (D-Holt), expand protections from sexual violence of all kinds, by creating specific criminal penalties for sextortion.
The bills also define sentencing guidelines for these crimes. These bills address a growing form of crime in a modern world, helping Michiganders to live without fear of retribution.
House Bill 4485, sponsored by state Representative Reggie Miller (D-Van Buren Township), will help bring justice to survivors of sexual assault by extending the time for filing an indictment of criminal sexual conduct (CSC) charges in the second or third degree.
Under the bill, an indictment for CSC in the second or third degree could be found and filed by the victim’s 42nd birthday, regardless of when the offense occurred. The bill will also reduce the danger of sexual violence against our children by holding sex offenders accountable under an increased statute of limitations, ensuring these predators stay registered.
House Bill 6046, sponsored by state Representative Christine Morse (D-Texas Township), will expand access to services that help prevent the worst of violent events before they occur. The bill ensures eligible providers working to offer community violence intervention services can utilize Medicaid to cover the cost. The bill also establishes a certification pathway and training requirements for violence prevention professionals.
House Bill 5549, sponsored by state Representative Kelly Breen (D-Novi), protects students and educators in the classroom by creating a behavior threat assessment and management team. This team will monitor concerning behavior of students and devise supportive measures to mitigate potential threats and give students the tools they need to thrive.
House Bill 4173 and 4384, sponsored by state Representatives Abraham Aiyash (D-Hamtramck) and Luke Meerman (R-Coopersville) support the Whitmer-Gilchrist administration’s commitment to pursuing criminal justice reform by creating the Michigan Sentencing Commission.
This commission will support criminal justice reform in Michigan by recommending sentencing updates that reflect prevailing opinions towards reform and rehabilitation, decarcerating our facilities and giving more Michiganders a chance to “make it in Michigan.”
House Bill 5695, sponsored by state Representative Mike McFall (D-Hazel Park), will increase the financial support available to local municipalities that provide ground ambulance services to individuals relying on Medicaid. The bill authorizes a supplemental federal reimbursement program to enhance the financial stability of public ambulance service providers, providing support these programs need to continue providing vital services within our communities.
––––––––––––––––––––
Subscribe to the Legal News!
https://www.legalnews.com/Home/Subscription
Full access to public notices, articles, columns, archives, statistics, calendar and more
Day Pass Only $4.95!
One-County $80/year
Three-County & Full Pass also available
