The House committee solicited input on House Bills 4474-4477, which were introduced in April and would enact the Michigan Hate Crime Act and the Institutional Desecration Act, update sentencing guidelines and make it easier to prosecute individuals who target others for their ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender identity, age or disability. Lawmakers on Tuesday did not take a vote on moving the legislation out of committee.
Nessel, who has worked as both a prosecutor and defense attorney, testified that in the cases of bias-related homicides or attempted homicides, there were always less serious crimes defendants perpetrated previously that built up to a more lethal offense.
Two of the four bills being considered Tuesday, HB 4474 and HB 4475, would expand the definition of hate crimes to include protection from violence based on sexual orientation, gender identity, age and disability.
The legislation would increase the penalty for hate crimes for defendants with previous convictions of hate crimes or if the current incident of hate crime resulted in bodily injury from a felony. If passed and signed by the governor, the legislation would allow for those convicted of hate crimes to be sentenced to as many as five years in prison and/or pay up to a $10,000 fine. Currently, there is a maximum two-year prison sentence and/or a $5,000 fine.
Rep. Noah Arbit (D-West Bloomfield), who is leading the charge on these hate crime bills, said as a proud Jew and gay man he will not continue to watch hate crimes grow in the state of Michigan without a fight.
HB 4476 and HB4477 would create an Institutional Desecration Act for acts of destruction and vandalism or threats of that nature against places of worship, cemeteries and educational facilities, among other structures.
Penalties vary on the value of destruction and previous convictions. The parameters start at a maximum 93 days of incarceration and/or a $500 fine for first-time offenders responsible for less than $200 worth of damage. The parameters max out at a 10-year maximum prison sentence and/or a fine of up to $15,000 or three times the value of the destruction, whichever is greater for individuals responsible for more than $20,000 worth of destruction, regardless of previous convictions.
Michigan Advance is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Michigan Advance maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Susan J. Demas for questions: in...@michiganadvance.com. Follow Michigan Advance on Facebook and Twitter.
Anna Liz Nichols covers government and statewide issues, including criminal justice, environmental issues, education and domestic and sexual violence. Anna is a former state government reporter for The Associated Press and most recently was a reporter for the Detroit News. Anna is a graduate of Michigan State University.
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Drew Wilson covers legislative campaigns and fundraising for Florida Politics. He is a former editor at The Independent Florida Alligator and business correspondent at The Hollywood Reporter. Wilson, a University of Florida alumnus, covered the state economy and Legislature for LobbyTools and The Florida Current prior to joining Florida Politics.
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Warren said past efforts to crack down on illegal video gambling have been unsuccessful. Every time the General Assembly has passed a law that defines what is illegal, the industry changes the game or the software it uses.
Warren believes by creating a new system under the control and oversight of the North Carolina Lottery Commission, with the state Alcohol Law Enforcement Division serving as the primary oversight authority, many of the current video terminals would be regulated out of existence.
Rep. Jay Adams, a leading voice against a bill under consideration during the current legislative session to legalize online sports gambling, said he inadvertently walked into a video gambling set-up at a gas station and was taken aback by the patrons.
NC Newsline is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. NC Newsline maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Rob Schofield for questions: in...@ncnewsline.com. Follow NC Newsline on Facebook and Twitter.
NC Newsline is a Raleigh-based nonpartisan, nonprofit newsroom dedicated to fearless reporting and hard-hitting commentary that shines a light on injustice, holds public officials accountable, and helps improve the quality of life throughout North Carolina.
If the legislature acts, Mississippi will join a growing group of states seeking to ban or further restrict foreign ownership of farmland. Lawmakers are targeting nations considered hostile to U.S. interests, such as China and Russia, and looking for new enforcement measures. Many see Arkansas as leading the latter push; officials there invoked a new law in October that bans certain foreign owners and ordered a Chinese seed company to divest its land.
In Missouri, momentum stalled during the 2023 session on a bill restricting foreign farmland ownership, as proponents split on how expansive the ban should be. Until 2013, no foreign countries were allowed to purchase Missouri farmland. That was changed to implement a 1% cap on the percentage of Missouri farmland that can be owned by foreign entities.
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