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Michigan lawmakers hear testimony on bills to expand relief for trafficking survivors
Summary
The House Judiciary Committee held a hearing on HB 5009–5013, a package to expand expungement, create an affirmative defense for trafficked defendants, extend juvenile record relief, establish safe-harbor for minors and permit expert testimony; survivors, prosecutors and advocates urged passage while members probed caps and judicial discretion.
The Michigan House Judiciary Committee on Wednesday heard testimony on a package of bills (recorded in the hearing as HB 5009–5013) that would expand criminal-record relief and legal protections for people who were victims of human trafficking.
Chair Lightner (House Judiciary Committee chair) opened the hearing and said the panel would take written testimony and hear representatives, judges, prosecutors and survivors. Representative Breen, who presented the package, said Michigan received 764 national hotline contacts in 2024 that led to 340 identified cases and 585 victims and described the state’s transportation infrastructure, international border and agricultural economy as factors that make the state vulnerable to trafficking.
The bills would: expand adult expungement beyond prostitution-related offenses so more crimes committed under coercion could be set aside; create an affirmative…
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