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Committee hears support for bill allowing MDOC to provide reentry services to certain resentenced people
Summary
Witnesses including the Michigan Department of Corrections and reentry providers told the House Judiciary Committee that House Bill 4211 would allow MDOC to use existing reentry resources to assist people who will be immediately discharged after resentencing, offering IDs, housing and transitional support to reduce risk on return to communities.
House Bill 4211 would authorize the Michigan Department of Corrections to provide reentry services and certain wraparound supports to a narrow group of people who, after resentencing, would be immediately discharged rather than remain under MDOC jurisdiction.
Mary Frank, legislative director for Representative Amos O’Neill, introduced the bill and said it responds to the logistical question of "after resentencing, what is our approach going to be as a state?" Kyle Kaminski of the MDOC told the committee the department supports the bill because it "answers a key question" for cases that will result in immediate discharge: currently the MDOC lacks authority to expend reentry resources on individuals who will be released at sentencing.
"There is no discretion on the part of the department as to whether or not that person should be incarcerated any longer," Kaminski said. "We need to process them out of our facility essentially as fast as we can, and they return to the community."
Witnesses from community providers described direct experience working with juvenile-lifer populations and said state-supported transitional housing, documents and supports made a practical difference. Angie Sprank, regional reentry coordinator for West Central Michigan, said her program assisted 10 resentenced juvenile lifers; nine remained in the community successfully, and one died. "We're able to provide them with comprehensive wraparound services, including transitional housing, which has led to their long-term success," Sprank said.
Victim-advocacy speakers, including Priscilla Bordeo of Crime Survivors for Safety and Justice, urged passage. Bordeo, who identified herself as a victim of childhood assault, said earlier access to ID, birth certificates, housing and medical care "could make the difference for someone leaving prison" and improve public safety.
Kaminski and department witnesses emphasized the bill does not seek new funding: MDOC said it can use existing reentry infrastructure and partner with local providers to deliver services, but the department needs explicit statutory permission to do so for immediately discharged resentencing cases.
Committee members did not take a vote during the hearing but read in multiple supporting and neutral cards from Michigan Works, Department of State and civil-rights groups. Representative Leitner said the committee will return to additional bills later and thanked reentry partners for their work.
Ending: Supporters said HB4211 is a narrow, operational change that uses existing MDOC capacity to reduce immediate discharge risks for people returning to the community after resentencing; no formal committee action took place at this meeting.
