Whitmer Signs Bipartisan “Clean Slate” Criminal Justice Reform Bills
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE October 12, 2020 Media Contact: [email protected]
Governor Whitmer Signs Bipartisan “Clean Slate” Criminal Justice Reform Bills Expanding Opportunities for Expungement, Breaking Barriers to Employment and Housing Opportunities Hundreds of thousands of Michiganders could be eligible to have their records expunged after governor signs bills
DETROIT, Mich. — Today, Governor Gretchen Whitmer signed bipartisan House Bills 4980-4985 and 5120 reforming Michigan’s criminal expungement laws making it easier for people who have committed certain felonies and misdemeanors to have their record expunged. Changes in the bills include allowing a person to set aside one or more marijuana offenses if the offense would not have been a crime if committed after December 6, 2018 when recreational marijuana use by adults became legal in the state, due to the referendum that voters approved to legalize marijuana in 2018. During her 2018 campaign for governor, Governor Whitmer made expungement for marijuana convictions one of her key priorities, and today she is following through on that promise.
“This is a historic day in Michigan. These bipartisan bills are a game changer for people who are seeking opportunities for employment, housing, and more, and they will help ensure a clean slate for hundreds of thousands of Michiganders,” said Governor Whitmer. “This is also an opportunity to grow our workforce and expand access to job training and education for so many people. I am proud to sign these bills today alongside Lieutenant Governor Gilchrist and many of the bipartisan leaders who worked on them.”
“This anti-poverty, pro-job opportunity Clean Slate legislation will reinvigorate the economic potential of hundreds of thousands of Michiganders whose records have hindered their availability to get a job or secure housing, and it will help us grow our workforce,” said Lieutenant Governor Garlin Gilchrist II. “This is the right thing to do on behalf of people everywhere who deserve another chance, and will help improve livelihoods. There is more work to do, but Michigan has now established itself as a leader in removing barriers to economic opportunity for people who have made mistakes. I will continue to stand tall for Michiganders across the state who need someone in their corner.”
Research conducted by the University of Michigan law school, which was recently published by the Harvard Law Review, found that people who receive expungements see a 23% increase in income within a year. This means more resources for families and communities, and a broader tax base, without any negative impact on public safety.
The changes proposed by House Bills 4980-4985 and 5120 include the following:
“Thousands of Detroiters who want to work and be a part of Detroit’s comeback have been held back for too long because of mistakes they’ve made in their past,” said Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan. “Thanks to the Governor and our state legislators, more than 80,000 more Detroiters now will be eligible to have those past mistakes removed from their record and a chance at a new start. Detroit’s Project Clean Slate has helped hundreds of people get their records expunged already. It’s free, helps clients through the entire process and connects them to opportunities through Detroit At Work.”
“Everyone deserves the chance to build a good life for themselves and their families. But far too many people enter the criminal justice system and end up cut off from those opportunities and are pushed toward a cruel cycle of poverty and crime. That’s not right, and it creates bad outcomes for all of us,” said House Speaker Lee Chatfield (R-Levering). “These bills are an important step to righting that wrong and helping good people who’ve paid their debt get back on their feet. I am glad we were able to find common ground on this important issue and deliver reform that will help people statewide.”
“With the signing of these bills, Michigan becomes a national leader in empowering citizens to lead productive lives,” said Representative David LaGrand (
“Every public servant strives to work on policies that give Michiganders more opportunities to access jobs and educational opportunities,” said Representative Graham Filler (R-DeWitt). “These expungement reforms will do just that, while at the same time increasing public safety and helping keep people invested in their communities. I was proud to work in a bipartisan, bicameral fashion to get these nation-leading reforms done.”
“This is a milestone in state criminal record-sealing policy that will help hundreds of thousands of people in Michigan and help drive the national conversation on reform forward,” Safe & Just Michigan Executive Director John S. Cooper said. “Safe & Just Michigan is grateful for all the hard work of Governor Whitmer, Lieutenant Governor Gilchrist, reform advocates, Clean Slate’s legislative champions, and other supporters over the last two years to make this day possible.”
Governor Whitmer and Lieutenant Governor Gilchrist have been committed to enacting criminal justice reforms since the day they took office. In April of 2019, Governor Whitmer created the bipartisan Michigan Task Force on Jail and Pretrial Incarceration, chaired by Lieutenant Governor Gilchrist and Michigan Supreme Court Chief Justice Bridget McCormack, which reviewed the state’s jail and court data to expand alternatives to jail, safely reduce jail admissions and length of stay, and improve the effectiveness of the front end of Michigan’s justice system. The task force has produced a report and made recommendations.
In May of 2019, Governor Whitmer signed into law, bipartisan bills reforming “Civil Asset Forfeiture,” limiting and in some cases ending the ability of law enforcement agencies to seize a person’s property before that person has been judged and convicted. Additionally, Governor Whitmer signed “Raise the Age” into law which was an 18-bill package that increased the age of who is legally considered a juvenile or an adult in the criminal justice system from 17 to 18 years old With the passage of “Raise the Age,” Michigan joined 46 other states in ending the unjust practice of charging and punishing children as adults when they make mistakes.
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Deadline Approaching To Apply For Up To $50K Support Grants
Deadline Approaching To Apply For Up To $50K In Oakland Together Cultural Institution COVID-19 Support Grants
Pontiac, Michigan – Oakland County arts, cultural and stewardship organizations have until October 14 – less than a week – to apply for a grant of up to $50,000 from the $2 million Oakland Together Cultural Institution COVID-19 Support Grant pool.
The grants, which are made possible through federal CARES Act funding, are designed to help arts, cultural and stewardship organizations preserve jobs while continuing to offer services and programming to Oakland County residents. The grants can be used for salaries, rent or mortgage, purchasing personal protective equipment or utility payments, among other things.
“We know how important these arts, cultural and stewardship institutions are to the fabric of our communities and the well-being of our residents,” Oakland County Executive David Coulter said. “They are valuable partners who provide cultural understanding and diversity, conservation and stewardship while enhancing the quality of life for Oakland County and Southeast Michigan.”
To be eligible, an organization must be a non-profit with tax-exempt status that is physically located in Oakland County and provides most of its services to county residents. A complete list of eligible organizations and how funding must be used as well as an application is found at https://www.oakgov.com/covid/grants/Pages/cultural-institution-support.aspx.
Oakland County has allocated all $219 million it received in federal Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act funding, including more than $140 million in grants to help stabilize and support small businesses, residents and communities in every part of the county since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The grants have been awarded to more than 10,000 local businesses, which employ 65,000 employees; 22 local chambers of commerce; 28 local school districts; residents having trouble making rent or mortgage payments, nonprofit entities, retailers, restaurants and communities, among others.
Coulter Announces “Safe For School” Hotline
Coulter Announces “Safe For School” Hotline To Assist Families Attending School
Pontiac, Michigan – Oakland County Executive David Coulter announced today a partnership with Beaumont Health making available a telephone screening hotline to assist parents and guardians to pre-screen and identify potential illness in students prior to entering a school. Hotline staff can help answer questions about COVID-19 symptoms, the need for testing, and what circumstances are considered high-risk when sending a child into a school facility.
“As more Oakland County students return to in-person learning, we want to ensure various resources are available to our families and schools to remain safe,” Oakland County Executive David Coulter said. “We are excited to partner with Beaumont to help parents and guardians navigate their health concerns or questions with health experts.”
Beginning Monday, October 12, the hotline will be available at 248-551-4242 from 5 a.m.- 8 a.m. Monday-Friday through December 30. Callers will speak to Beaumont health care professionals who can provide guidance and any recommendations necessary and refer some to the Health Division or other healthcare providers for additional follow-up.
“The Board along with county administration stand ready to support our students and parents as we begin to open our schools safely,” Board of Commissioners Chair David T. Woodward (D-Royal Oak) said. “This hotline is a resource to keep our kids and everyone safe.”
“We know many parents have questions right now about COVID-19 and we’re thrilled to partner with Oakland County to help provide some answers,” said Maureen Murphy, nurse practitioner at Beaumont. “We hope our clinical team will be able to offer comfort and guidance to parents who are trying to do what’s best for their children.”
In addition to the hotline, the county continues to support Oakland County’s public and private schools as they implement re-opening plans. Oakland County Health Division hired public health nurses who are assigned to assist school officials in developing and adhering to safety protocols. The Oakland County COVID-19 Public Health Toolkit for K-12 Schools also offers local, state and federal recommendations to reduce COVID-19 transmission in the school settings.
General COVID-19 resources can be found on the Health Division’s website at www.oakgov.com/covid or by contacting Nurse on Call at 800-848-5533 or [email protected]. Nurse on Call is available 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., Monday through Friday, and 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. Saturday. For up-to-date public health information, follow @publichealthOC on Facebook and Twitter.
For media inquiries only please contact Bill Mullan, Oakland County media and communications officer, at 248-858-1048.
Militia Members Arraigned on Terrorism Charges
Media Contacts: Ryan Jarvi FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: AG Nessel Charges 7 under Michigan’s Anti-Terrorism Act as Part of Massive Joint Law Enforcement InvestigationLANSING – Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel – in conjunction with the U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Michigan Andrew Birge, the U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Michigan Matthew Schneider, the Federal Bureau of Investigations and the Michigan State Police – announced today a joint law enforcement effort that, after months of work, culminated Wednesday night in the execution of a series of search warrants and arrest warrants – both in-state and out-of-state – related to acts of terrorism under Michigan state law. The suspects, now under arrest, are alleged to have called on the groups’ members to identify the home addresses of law enforcement officers in order to target them; made threats of violence to instigate a civil war leading to societal collapse; and engaged in the planning and training for an operation to attack the state Capitol building and kidnap government officials, including Gov. Gretchen Whitmer. “There has been a disturbing increase in anti-government rhetoric and the re-emergence of groups that embrace extremist ideologies,” Attorney General Nessel said. “These groups often seek to recruit new members by seizing on a moment of civil unrest and using it to advance their agenda of self-reliance and armed resistance. This is more than just political disagreement or passionate advocacy, some of these groups’ mission is simply to create chaos and inflict harm upon others.” Through the efforts of more than 200 state and federal law enforcement officials – including experts from outside of Michigan – officers executed a series of search warrants and arrest warrants in more than a dozen cities around the state, including, Belleville, Cadillac, Canton, Charlotte, Clarkston, Grand Rapids, Luther, Munith, Orion Township, Ovid, Portage, Shelby Township and Waterford. “Michigan law enforcement officers are united in our commitment to rooting out terrorism in any form and we will take swift action against anyone seeking to cause violence or harm in our state,” stated Col. Joe Gasper, director of the Michigan State Police. “Michigan residents can assist us in this mission by speaking up if you see suspicious activity or become aware of someone making threats. No tip is too small; don’t wait until it’s too late. Tips can be submitted confidentially 24/7 online at our website.” In total, 19 state felony charges were filed by the Attorney General against seven individuals known to be members of the militia group, Wolverine Watchmen or associates of Wolverine Watchmen. Six individuals were also charged by U.S. Attorney Birge with separate, federal felony charges as a result of the execution of the warrants. The following individuals were charged by Attorney General Nessel as part of the joint law enforcement effort:
These charges are subject to change after a complete review of the evidence obtained through the warrants, and differ from those charges issued at the federal level.
Michael Null, William Null and Molitor were arraigned today before Antrim County Magistrate Jessica Allmand. A cash bond of $250,000 was set for William and Michael Null, while Molitor’s bond was send at $250,000, 10 percent. Their probable cause conferences are set for 1 p.m. Oct. 14, and their preliminary exams are scheduled for Oct. 21. Musico and Morrison are expected to be arraigned at 2 p.m. in Jackson County. Fix is in custody, and his arraignment is pending in Antrim County. “I’d like to personally thank the law enforcement officers who participated in yesterday’s arrests and those who have assisted with this investigation throughout the past several months,” Attorney General Nessel said. “Your heroic efforts have left the people of this state safer and the instruments of our government stronger. I know that I speak on behalf of Michiganders everywhere when I say we are forever grateful to you for your actions.” A recording of the joint press conference announcing the charges can be viewed on Attorney General Nessel’s Facebook page. Click here to view the charging documents for Molitor and a copy of the affidavit is available here. Click here to view the charging documents for Morrison and a copy of the affidavit is available here. |
Lt. Governor Garlin Gilchrist II Marched to Polls & Voted Early
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