A nearly 20-bill
package to reform the juvenile justice system in Michigan received its first
testimony on Tuesday. This legislation seeks to end automatically trying
17-year-olds as adults and to no longer house youth prisoners with adults.
Public oversight and monitoring of youth would also be required. The full
package of bills include: HB
4947 through HB
4966.
If passed, this brings
Michigan in line with 41 other states in their practices of trying 17-year-olds
as minors. Representative Peter Lucido (R-Shelby Township), sponsor of one of
the bills, believes Michigan should be a leader in the nation, not a minority,
when it comes to juvenile sentencing.
HB
4964 allocates an additional 25 percent to counties from the County Child
Care Fund for community home services for juveniles. Currently, the state and
county split these costs 50-50. HB 4964 raises this to 75 percent state and 25
percent county split. Concerns arose from counties about the overall costs,
Dana Gill from the Michigan Association of Counties testified that the
legislation does not address court capacity, community-based programming, and
cost demands for a shift in handling 17-year-old sentencing. Former Supreme Court
Justice Mary Beth Kelly said Michigan, having 83 counties, could create a
disparity as a county cannot always afford to rehabilitate a juvenile, and therefore
would be admitted to the Department of Corrections.
Committee Chair
Representative Kurt Heise (R-Plymouth) announced the committee will hear more
testimony next week and the bills will not be reported until next year.