On Wednesday, Governor Gretchen Whitmer signed 19 important bills into law, aimed at improving safety across Michigan. These new laws will tackle issues like hate crimes, school safety, and sextortion, among others.
Governor Whitmer believes that everyone in Michigan should feel safe at home and at school. “Michiganders should feel safe whether they’re watching a movie at home or heading into the classroom,” she said. “That’s why I’m proud to sign these 19 common-sense bills that will keep Michigan families and neighborhoods safe from violence.”
Stronger Laws Against Hate Crimes
One of the most talked-about bills is focused on hate crimes. Two bills, House Bills 5400 and 5401, were introduced by state Representatives Noah Arbit and Kristian Grant. These laws aim to expand Michigan’s hate crime laws to include more people. The new rules will make it a hate crime if someone harms another person because of their sexual orientation, gender identity, disability, or age.
Before these bills, the law only included things like race and religion. Now, this updated law will protect more people from violence or threats. While these changes faced some opposition, especially from Republicans, Attorney General Dana Nessel supports them. She said, “Over the past decade, we have seen an increase in hate crimes. It’s time to make sure our laws reflect our commitment to fighting hate in all forms.”
Keeping Kids Safe at School
Governor Whitmer also signed bills to make schools safer. For example, House Bills 5450 and 5451 require schools to share information with parents on how to safely store firearms. This is important because many school shootings happen when a gun is taken from a parent’s home.
In Michigan, around 150,000 children live in homes where firearms are not stored safely. Research shows that more than 70% of school shootings involve a gun that was taken from a parent or family member. The goal of these new bills is to make sure parents are aware of how to keep their firearms safe from children.
“These laws will help make our schools safer,” said State Representative Sharon MacDonell, who sponsored one of the bills. “Our kids, teachers, and families deserve to feel secure.”
Another new law focuses on mental health. The state will now create a School Safety and Mental Health Commission to help improve mental health services for students. This commission will also work to reduce youth suicides in Michigan.
Fighting Sextortion
Another major issue addressed by the new laws is sextortion. This is when someone blackmails another person by threatening to share explicit photos or videos online. House Bills 5887 and 5888 create criminal penalties for anyone caught engaging in sextortion.
The rise of online sextortion has become a serious problem in Michigan. Between October 2021 and March 2023, the FBI received over 13,000 reports of sextortion involving minors. Tragically, many of these cases led to suicides. One such case was the death of 17-year-old Jordan DeMay, who took his life after falling victim to sextortion. His family has worked hard to push for laws to protect others.
John DeMay, Jordan’s father, praised the new laws. “The law enforcement community is calling this an epidemic,” he said. “These new bills are a step in the right direction to stop this.”
Other Important Laws
There are also other bills focused on things like increasing financial support for ambulance services and improving the way police deal with violent crimes. Additionally, a new bill extends the time for filing criminal sexual conduct charges, allowing victims more time to report their cases.
Governor Whitmer’s new executive orders also add extra support for students and families dealing with mental health issues.
(Source : newsbreak.com)
