State Rep. Kelly Breen (D-Novi) testifies in the House Judiciary Committee on Jan. 17, 2024, in the House Office Building in Lansing.
LANSING, Mich., Nov. 14, 2024 — The House Judiciary Committee passed a bipartisan bill package supporting, protecting and empowering victims of human trafficking. House Bills 5836-54 and 5864 include expungement for individuals who committed an offense as a direct result of being a victim of human trafficking and expand protections for juveniles harmed by human trafficking. The committee also heard testimony on Senate Bills 515-17, which would protect witnesses providing testimony in human trafficking cases. State Rep. Kelly Breen (D-Novi), who chairs the committee and sponsored House Bill 5836, issued the following statement:
“Victims of human trafficking deserve a legal system that recognizes the immense trauma they’ve undergone and works to help clear their criminal record. This bipartisan package is our promise to survivors of human trafficking that we will stand up for them and their right to rebuild their lives. Our legal system should never punish victims — this legislation ensures our courts hold perpetrators accountable and give survivors a helping hand.
“I am grateful to my fellow committee members and co-sponsors on this package for moving this monumental bipartisan package forward. Everyone across the political spectrum can look at this issue squarely, denounce it and agree to work together to end the horrific practice of human trafficking. I am proud to see this legislation advance to hunt down and put away predators, help survivors reclaim their lives and shape Michigan into a safe state for all survivors.”
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