Great Lakes Wire

LANSING –  On June 28, 2023, the Legislature passed a budget that increases funding for the Department of Attorney General by $24.5 million. Among the programs specifically funded in today’s budget are funding to: 

• Establish the newly launched Job Court diversion programs as a permanent program administered by the Department;
• Increase DAG’s ability to address backlogs of applications for review by the Conviction Integrity Unit to review convictions and sentences that warrant a thorough second-look;
• Address backlogs in Consumer Protection complaints;
• Help implement the Address Confidentiality Program to conceal the victims of stalking, sexual assault, human trafficking, and of individuals at risk of being threatened or physically harmed from being located by their perpetrators through public records;
• Provide additional support to prosecute sexual assaults; and to
• Provide further assistance to county prosecutors when requested.

In response to this increased funding, Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel said the following:

“This budget demonstrates that Governor Gretchen Whitmer, the House of Representatives, and Senate recognize the great work our Department is doing and all we’ve accomplished for the state over the last four years with limited and hard-fought resources.”

“This funding will expand the Job Court program, creating and transforming opportunity for employers and low-level nonviolent offenders alike, process more of our consumer protection complaints to better protect Michigan residents from scammers and thieves, bolster the efforts of our conviction integrity unit to review potentially unjust convictions and sentences, and better implement the vital Address Confidentiality Program to protect witnesses and victims speaking out against their abusers, especially survivors of domestic violence. This budget increase for the Department of Attorney General will better protect Michigan residents in countless ways.”

“I thank the leaders in the legislature for recognizing the work this department does and ensuring we have the resources to continue building on the successes of our programs and initiatives. I’m grateful to Representatives Felicia Brabec and Angela Witwer, and Senators John Cherry and Sarah Anthony, for advocating for these program dollars that better position the Department of Attorney General to best protect Michigan residents, consumers, and crime victims.”

Original source can be found here