LANSING – Standing alongside Michigan prosecutors and sheriffs, House Democrats today passed a plan that will toughen laws and give law enforcement agencies the tools they need to crack down on hate crimes. The plan now moves to the Senate.
"This plan sends a clear message – hate crimes are not going to be tolerated here in Michigan," said State Representative Woodrow Stanley (D-Flint), a sponsor of the plan. "No one in a civilized society should be forced to suffer fear or intimidation on account of who they are. We need tougher laws and tougher penalties so we can better prosecute these crimes, and we need them now."
The plan that passed the House today creates a new offense in the Michigan Penal Code called a bias-motivated crime, which includes any intent to intimidate a person based on one of these characteristics: age, disability, gender, national origin or ancestry, race or ethnicity, veterans, sexual orientation or association with a person or a group with one of these characteristics. By specifying what constitutes a hate crime, the plan will ensure that law enforcement personnel will not have their hands tied when attempting to prosecute.
Persons found guilty of a bias-motivated crime would face tougher penalties based on the level of the crime committed. If the crime committed was a misdemeanor, a bias-motivated crime would be punishable by two years in prison and/or a maximum fine of $5,000. If a felony, the penalty would increase both the minimum and maximum recommended sentencing range of the crime by 50 percent.
According to the U.S. Department of Justice, Michigan ranks third nationally in reported hate crimes, with the Michigan Alliance Against Hate Crimes reporting 914 bias-motivated offenses in 2007. This is up from 721 in 2006 and 716 in 2005.
"With this plan, we are supporting our sheriffs and prosecutors in their work to protect people from hate-motivated crimes by strengthening their ability to enforce the law," said State Representative Robert Jones (D-Kalamazoo), who also sponsored the plan. "We've seen a worrying rise in the number of hate crimes committed in Michigan and we must give law enforcement the tools they need to combat this trend. Today's vote is a step toward getting tough on crime and creating a stronger, better Michigan for our children."