DETROIT — A bill sponsored by state Rep. Sherry Gay-Dagnogo (D-Detroit) passed the House today, making it possible for law enforcement officers and prosecutors to share videotaped interviews of young victims of neglect or physical or sexual abuse to be shared across county lines for training purposes. The bill now heads to the Senate.
“No one likes to think about the innocence of our youngest and most vulnerable children being violated, but it does happen. And when it does, we want our law enforcement officers and prosecutors to be trained and prepared with the tools they need to bring the offenders to justice,” Rep. Gay-Dagnogo said. “This bill does that by allowing them to share information across county lines while still preserving the privacy and the dignity of the child who was harmed.”
House Bill 5403 would require a non-offending parent or legal guardian to give their time-limited, revocable consent to have the interview used for training. Once signed, the video could be used by law enforcement or prosecutors in any county in Michigan so long as those who viewed it signed a non-disclosure agreement to protect the child’s confidentiality.
“This bill strikes a strong balance between protecting a child whose world has already been shaken and preparing our dedicated men and women in law enforcement to go after those who have harmed her,” Rep. Gay-Dagnogo said. “I’m grateful for the support of my colleagues in the House, and I look forward to its speedy passage through the Senate.”