LANSING— The Michigan House of Representatives passed legislation creating tougher sentencing laws against sexual predators who victimize young children. This is an issue Representative Sheltrown has been pushing for several months in Lansing.
"Specific calls from concerned constituents for this type of law and the example of Florida's ‘Jessica's Law' triggered my work on this issue since last fall," Sheltrown explained. "Legislation passed today will help prosecutors seek tough punishments against these offenders so they don't have the opportunity to repeat their crime."
Under the legislation, those who commit first degree criminal sexual misconduct with a victim under age 13 and where force, coercion, and/or weapons were used to commit the act would face no less than 25 years in prison. If, after serving that time, a perpetrator were paroled he or she would be required to wear an electronic tracking device for the rest of his or her life. This legislation is modeled closely after Florida's "Jessica's Law," which was passed in that state after a repeat offender raped and killed a young girl. House Bills 5421 and 5422 passed nearly unanimously in the Michigan House of Representatives today, and they will now be considered in the Michigan Senate.
"With this legislation in place in Michigan, we will have an additional tool to protect our children from those who victimize the most innocent and helpless among us. I am pleased that the House of Representatives has shown such tremendous support for legislation I have been working to see passed for so many months," Sheltrown said.