Strengthening Michigan’s Hate Crimes Law and Countering Violent Extremism

• Take on Michigan’s dangerous anti-government paramilitary movement by passing the “MILITIAS Act” (Michiganders Interrupting Lawless, Incendiary, Threatening, and Insurrectionist Activities Act) to place criminal penalties on individuals operating as part of an illegal paramilitary group — including training exercises, falsely assuming law enforcement functions, and committing acts of organized violence
• Make Michigan the national leader in combating hate crimes by implementing a multidimensional, innovative approach to reforming existing laws and implementing new ones
• Pass a standalone statute criminalizing vandalism targeting religious and communal institutions and property, including houses of worship (HB 4476)
• Pass a sentence enhancement statute for crimes motivated by hate or bias to provide local prosecutors an additional, more flexible tool in their arsenal to ensure perpetrators of hate crimes are held accountable
• Increase funding and training for law enforcement agencies and prosecutors in identifying potential hate crimes when they occur and, critically, interfacing with victims of hate crimes in the course of an investigation
• Expand the scope of protected characteristics covered by Michigan’s antiquated, 1980s era “ethnic intimidation” statute to include sexual orientation, gender expression or identity, physical or mental disability, and age (HB 5400)
• Stiffen weak penalties for those convicted of hate crimes and eliminate structural features of Michigan’s existing hate crime law that disincentivize prosecutors from charging hate crimes more frequently (HB 5400)
• Implement anti-bias education as a component of criminal sentences for hate crimes, which has seen success in a number of other states
• Banned dangerous, harmful, pseudo-scientific practice of “conversion therapy” for minors in Michigan (HBs 4616 and 4617)
• Champion resources for organizations that are dedicated to rooting out racism, antisemitism, homophobia, bigotry, and all forms of hate and extremism in our communities