In October 2020, Safe & Just Michigan released a FAQ Fact Sheet after Gov. Gretchen Whitmer signed Michigan’s Clean Slate legislation into law on October 12, 2020. These seven bills — House Bill 4980-4985 and HB 5120 — automatically expunge simple misdemeanors and non-assaultive felonies from the records of hundreds of thousands of Michiganders who [...]
On January 13, 2021, Safe & Just Michigan joined a coalition of civil rights organizations that sent a letter to Governor Gretchen Whitmer and Michigan Department of Health and Human Services Director Robert Gordon. The letter urges the state to prioritize COVID-19 vaccinations for incarcerated people. Read the ACLU of Michigan's press release HERE. Download>> [...]
On December 8, 2020 Executive Director John S. Cooper submitted written testimony to the Senate Judiciary and Public Safety Committee in support of Senate Bill (SB) 1254. Cooper states in the written testimony: Safe & Just Michigan supports S.B. 1254, which will make first-time convictions for drunk driving eligible for expungement, and urges the Michigan [...]
The newsletter reports on policy updates, outreach and educational activities, and new SJM staff members. Download>> SJM Fall 2020 Newsletter Please subscribe to our mailing list to receive the SJM e-newsletter on the latest legislative actions. Note: Due to a recent Michigan Department of Corrections mailroom policy, the newsletter was released in black and white.
On October 12, 2020 Gov. Gretchen Whitmer signed Michigan’s Clean Slate legislation into law. These seven bills — House Bill 4980-4985 and HB 5120 — automatically expunge simple misdemeanors and non-assaultive felonies from the records of hundreds of thousands of Michiganders who have lived crime-free for at least seven years, and make it possible for [...]
In January 2020, the Michigan Joint Task Force on Jail and Pretrial Incarceration issued a list of 18 legislative action items that — if enacted — could revolutionize Michigan’s county jails and the lives of the people who come into contact with them. The first wave of legislation to implement those recommendations was released in June 2020. This first [...]
To learn more about Automatic Expungement also referred to as ‘Clean Slate’ legislation, read Safe & Just Michigan’s one-page fact sheet (updated October 9, 2020). Download>> Clean Slate Legislation Updated October 9, 2020
Safe & Just Michigan's report, “The Problems of Mandatory Sentencing: The troubling legacy of Michigan’s felony firearm law,” supports the passage of House Bills 5993-5994, which would end the mandatory two-year sentence for a first offense felony firearm conviction, and urges further action to roll back mandatory sentencing. Key findings from the report include: Black [...]
On September 16, 2020 Executive Director John S. Cooper submitted written testimony to the House Judiciary Committee in support of House Bills (HB) 5846 - 53. Cooper states in the written testimony: Safe & Just Michigan urges the Michigan Legislature to pass H.B. 5846-53 without changes and without delay. These important reforms will improve the [...]
On September 10, 2020 Policy Analyst Josh Hoe submitted written testimony to the Senate Judiciary and Public Safety Committee in opposition of Senate Bill (SB) 289, 290, and 291. Hoe states in the written testimony: There is no evidence that public registries provide a public safety benefit and a large amount of evidence that public [...]