LANSING — Today, a bipartisan group of legislators announced a plan to expand Michigan’s expungement laws and give hundreds of thousands of residents with old, low-level criminal convictions the opportunity for a fresh start. The six-bill package includes legislation to broaden the eligibility for expungements, shorten the waiting period for expungement eligibility and establish an automatic expungement system for certain offenses. In response, state Rep. Karen Whitsett (D-Detroit), who attended the press conference, issued the following statement:
“Restorative justice isn’t a partisan issue, that’s why I was pleased to join so many of my colleagues from both sides of the aisle to show my support for this package. When Michiganders return home from incarceration, they face many challenges. With legislation like this in effect, we can empower many citizens to be even more productive and positive when returning to their communities and provide hope to those who may still be working to put their lives back together.”