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Michigan House adopts resolution designating January 2025 as Stalking Awareness Month
Summary
The Michigan House of Representatives adopted House Resolution No. 12, sponsored by Representative Erin Burns of the 15th District, designating January 2025 as Stalking Awareness Month after Burns recounted her personal experience with stalking and urged improved awareness and law enforcement response.
The Michigan House of Representatives adopted House Resolution No. 12, sponsored by Representative Erin Burns, state representative from the Fifteenth District, designating January 2025 as Stalking Awareness Month. The measure was adopted by voice vote after Burns described her personal experiences with stalking and urged legislative attention to the issue.
Burns opened her remarks by saying stalking is a serious crime that often goes unrecognized and unaddressed. She told colleagues, “This behavior was manipulative. It was intentional, and it was utterly misogynistic,” and later said, “I may have a public facing job, but that does not make me public property.” In her speech she cited prevalence figures, saying “1 in 4 women and 1 in 13 men experience stalking in their lifetime.”
The resolution was taken up after a motion to proceed to motions and resolutions and was read by the clerk. The speaker called for the question, and the chamber voted by voice; the clerk announced the resolution was adopted. No roll-call tally was recorded on the transcript.
Burns said the resolution calls for greater public awareness, improved law enforcement training to recognize and investigate stalking, and updates to laws to address new tactics and technologies used by perpetrators. Her remarks included personal testimony that she had spent “the last several years being stalked and harassed,” during which she said she was subjected to threatening messages and made to feel unsafe both in person and online.
The House did not record additional debate on the measure in the transcript. After adoption, routine business continued and members were informed there would be no further voting that day and that the House would stand adjourned until the next scheduled session.
The resolution names January as Stalking Awareness Month for the state and is advisory in nature; the transcript does not specify new funding, statutory changes, or enforcement mechanisms tied to the resolution.
