LANSING, Mich., Dec. 11, 2020 — Yesterday, the Michigan Senate passed Senate Bill 289, also known as ‘Wyatt’s Law’, which would create a database of Michigan residents convicted of child abuse.
“I am grateful that my colleagues in the Senate have again worked to pass this legislation that brings child abuse out of the shadows and into the light,” said state Rep. Kevin Hertel (D-St. Clair Shores). “However, we cannot continue to make this bill something that is passed around during lame duck and never manages to reach the governor’s desk. I urge my colleagues in the House to see the value of this legislation and work to pass it quickly before the Legislature adjourns for the year.”
As passed by the Senate, the bill would require those who were convicted of 1st through 3rd Degree Child Abuse that resulted in physical harm to remain on the list for 10 years, and those convicted of 4th Degree Child Abuse that resulted in physical harm to do so for 5 years. The public website would list convicted offenders’ names (including known aliases), date of birth, municipality of residence, summary of convictions of child abuse, and the text of provision of the law defining the offense. Wyatt’s Law was first introduced by Hertel’s predecessor, Rep. Sarah Roberts (D-St. Clair Shores), in 2015.
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