Criminal Justice (Policing)

in committee · Michigan · House Feb 13, 2025

HB 4069: Children: protection; reference in Michigan penal code to surrender of a newborn under the newborn safe delivery law; revise. Amends sec. 135 of 1931 PA 328 (MCL 750.135). TIE BAR WITH: HB 4067'25

HB 4069 amends Michigan's penal code to clarify that surrendering a newborn under 72 hours old to a hospital, fire department, or police station (as defined by the "safe delivery of newborns law") serves as a legal defense against abandonment charges. It directly affects parents or caregivers who choose this option for newborns, ensuring they cannot face criminal prosecution solely for this action. The bill explicitly states that criminal investigations must not be initiated based only on a newborn being surrendered through these designated channels. It updates Section 135 of the penal code to align with existing protections under Michigan's newborn safety law, without changing the underlying policy.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeClarifies safe surrender as legal defense against abandonment charges, preventing criminal prosecution for newborn surrender, aligning with criminal justice reform by reducing unnecessary charges.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Policing

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passed · Michigan · House Mar 17, 2026

HB 4954: Higher education: financial aid; eligible recipients of the police officer's and fire fighter's survivor tuition grant; expand to include medical examiners and medical examiner investigators. Amends title & secs. 1, 2, 3 & 4 of 1996 PA 195 (MCL 390.1241 et seq.).

HB 4954 expands Michigan's survivor tuition grant program to include children and surviving spouses of medical examiners and medical examiner investigators who die in the line of duty. Currently, the program covers families of police officers and firefighters killed on duty; this bill adds medical examiners and their investigators to the eligible categories. The grant would cover tuition costs at Michigan's public colleges and universities for qualifying students meeting residency and academic requirements. The bill amends the existing "Police Officer's, Fire Fighter's, and Medical Examiner's Survivor Tuition Grant Act" to include these new recipients.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeExpands survivor tuition benefits to medical examiners (criminal justice personnel), supporting families of those who die in line of duty, aligning with protective measures for law enforcement roles.85% confidence ✓ EducationSupports EducationExpands higher education financial aid eligibility to medical examiner families, increasing access to tuition coverage at public institutions.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Policing Student Financial Aid

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in committee · Michigan · House Mar 18, 2025

HB 4232: State management: funds; public safety and violence prevention fund; create. Amends title & sec. 2 of 2000 PA 489 (MCL 12.252) & adds secs. 11a & 11b. TIE BAR WITH: HB 4231'25

HB 4232 creates the Public Safety and Violence Prevention Fund within Michigan’s trust fund system, directly affecting cities, villages, and townships that receive funding. The fund is financed by general sales tax deposits, donations, and investment earnings, with money remaining in the fund year-to-year instead of lapsing. Key provisions require 6.5% of fund revenues to be distributed to cities/towns for community violence prevention grants (administered by DHHS), while 2% goes to the Crime Victim’s Rights Fund; remaining funds are distributed proportionally but reduced if jurisdictions fail to meet violent crime rate reduction targets (1% by 2028-2030, 2% after). The bill strictly prohibits using funds for tactical police vehicles (>15,000 lbs), facial recognition technology, or replacing existing public safety resources.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesCreates dedicated public safety fund using sales tax deposits, allocates 6.5% to cities for violence prevention grants, ensuring sustained funding for public safety programs.95% confidence ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeCreates Public Safety and Violence Prevention Fund with 6.5% allocated to community violence prevention grants (DHHS-administered), directly advancing criminal justice reform through prevention-focused funding.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Policing Victims' Rights Violent Crime

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in committee · Michigan · House Apr 22, 2025

HB 4331: Law enforcement: reports; ebony alert system; provide for. Creates new act.

House Bill 4331 establishes an "Ebony alert" system in Michigan to aid in locating missing women between the ages of 18 and 65, referred to as "qualifying individuals." This system is activated when a qualifying individual is reported missing under suspicious circumstances and is believed to be at risk, developmentally disabled, cognitively impaired, or abducted. The Department of State Police will create and maintain a plan to rapidly disseminate information to radio and television stations statewide. The bill also creates an Ebony Alert Fund to support the system's operation and prohibits intentionally making false reports, imposing penalties for violations.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeBill creates Ebony alert system for law enforcement to locate missing women under suspicious circumstances, enhancing law enforcement procedures within criminal justice framework.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Policing

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in committee · Michigan · House May 8, 2025

HB 4465: Criminal procedure: arrests; required removal of religious head coverings for police photographs; prohibit. Amends 1927 PA 175 (MCL 760.1 - 777.69) by adding sec. 25c to ch. IV.

House Bill 4465 amends Michigan's criminal procedure to establish guidelines for taking booking photographs of individuals wearing religious garb during an arrest. It requires law enforcement to make reasonable efforts to provide a same-sex officer or staff member and a private setting for the removal of religious head coverings for photographs, if requested due to sincerely held religious beliefs. The bill outlines specific photo procedures, including taking pictures with and without certain coverings, primarily for identification. Photos taken without religious garb are generally confidential but may be used for specific law enforcement, investigative, or legal purposes. Additionally, it ensures replacement religious garb is provided for individuals not immediately released.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeRequires religious accommodation during booking photos, protecting civil rights in law enforcement procedure.80% confidence

Sub-Topics Policing

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in committee · Michigan · House Jul 22, 2025

HB 4732: Crimes: animals; penalties for killing or causing serious physical harm to a police dog, police horse, or search and rescue dog; modify. Amends sec. 50c of 1931 PA 328 (MCL 750.50c).

HB 4732 increases penalties for harming police and search-and-rescue dogs or horses used in law enforcement. It makes intentionally killing or causing serious physical harm to these animals a felony (up to 5 years in prison or $10,000 fine), while lesser harm or interference during duties is a misdemeanor (up to 1 year or $5,000 fine), or a felony if committed during another crime. The law applies specifically to animals trained and deployed by Michigan law enforcement agencies for police or search-and-rescue operations. It does not affect other animals or alter existing penalties for unrelated offenses.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeBill increases penalties for harming police/search-and-rescue animals, strengthening law enforcement protections and operational effectiveness within criminal justice framework.92% confidence

Sub-Topics Policing

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signed · Michigan · House Jul 29, 2026

HB 4518: Law enforcement: reports; Michigan Amber alert act; modify. Amends title & sec. 3 of 2002 PA 712 (MCL 28.753).

HB 4518 modifies Michigan's Amber Alert Act to require law enforcement agencies to submit missing child alert reports to the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children within 24 hours of activating an alert. This change directly affects Michigan police departments and state agencies that use the Amber Alert system. The bill updates existing law by replacing prior reporting timelines with a specific 24-hour deadline for submissions. This policy adjustment aims to expedite information sharing during missing child cases.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeRequires 24-hour submission of missing child reports to NCMEC, expediting information sharing for law enforcement response efficiency in missing children cases.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Policing

in committee · Michigan · House Sep 16, 2025

HB 4944: Criminal procedure: other; right to due process; provide for. Amends sec. 13, ch. IV of 1927 PA 175 (MCL 764.13) & adds sec. 1a to ch. III.

HB 4944 requires police to clearly inform individuals arrested for criminal offenses about their rights. Specifically, it mandates that officers advise arrestees of their right to remain silent, their right to have an attorney present during questioning, and that anything they say may be used against them in court. This directly affects people arrested for crimes in Michigan, ensuring they receive these standard due process warnings upon arrest. The bill amends Michigan's criminal procedure code to add this requirement as a new Section 1a in Chapter III.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeMandates police to provide Miranda warnings (right to silence, attorney, use of statements), protecting arrestees' due process rights and civil liberties per criminal justice reform goals.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Policing

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in committee · Michigan · Senate May 29, 2025

SB 340: Law enforcement: records; reference to the law enforcement officer separation of service record act in the Bullard-Plawecki employee right to know act; update and include release of provisional service records. Amends secs. 7 & 9 of 1978 PA 397 (MCL 423.507 & 423.509). TIE BAR WITH: SB 339'25

SB 340 amends Michigan's Bullard-Plawecki Employee Right to Know Act (MCL 423.507, 423.509) to clarify when law enforcement agencies can share personnel records. It updates rules for releasing "provisional service records" and separation-of-service records under related laws (2017 PA 128), ensuring these specific records are exempt from standard deletion rules. The bill requires law enforcement agencies to note if investigations into employee conduct were unfounded and prohibits using old investigation files for future hiring or promotions. It directly affects police departments, training academies, and the Michigan Commission on Law Enforcement Standards when handling employee records.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeEnhances police accountability by requiring documentation of unfounded investigations and preventing misuse of old records in personnel files.85% confidence

Sub-Topics Policing

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in committee · Michigan · Senate Apr 24, 2025

SB 263: Public employees and officers: compensation and benefits; retention program for certain public employees; create. Creates new act. TIE BAR WITH: SB 262'25

Senate Bill 263, known as the "state employee critical shortage retention program act," establishes a bonus payment program for certain public employees in Michigan. It requires specific state departments, including the Departments of Corrections and State Police, to provide bonuses to "qualified employees." These employees, such as conservation officers and certain corrections or state police personnel, can receive $5,000 for completing two years of service by September 30, 2026. An additional $5,000 is available for completing another two years of service by September 30, 2028, with a maximum total bonus of $10,000 per employee.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeProvides retention bonuses for corrections/state police staff, strengthening workforce stability in criminal justice agencies.95% confidence ✓ EnvironmentSupports EnvironmentBonuses for conservation officers directly support environmental protection roles by incentivizing retention in conservation enforcement positions.80% confidence ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentProvides $5,000 retention bonuses to critical public employees (e.g., corrections/state police), directly expanding compensation benefits for specific worker groups.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Policing Public Employees

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