Great Lakes Wire

Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel expressed approval as the House Judiciary Committee advanced key human trafficking legislation to the full Michigan House of Representatives with bipartisan support. The package includes House Bills 5836-5854 and 5864, alongside Senate Bills 515-517, aiming to enhance protections for survivors and increase accountability for traffickers.

“Human trafficking continues to exploit some of Michigan’s most vulnerable, subjecting them to unimaginable harm,” Nessel stated. She emphasized that encouraging victims to come forward could empower them to escape abuse. The legislative package is designed to bolster her department's ability to protect survivors, address their needs, and prosecute offenders.

Assistant Attorney General Melissa Palepu, who chairs the Michigan Human Trafficking Commission, testified in favor of the bills before the committee vote. “In order to eradicate human trafficking in Michigan, we must take a victim-centered approach and aim to provide survivors with legal protections,” Palepu said. She noted that these bills would help meet those objectives by providing additional tools for prosecutors and support for survivors.

House Bills 5836-5854 and 5864 propose several measures including allowing criminal convictions related directly to victimization to be set aside for survivors; offering an affirmative defense if a crime was committed due to being trafficked; modifying safe harbor protections for minor victims; setting criteria for expert testimony in cases; and changing terminology from “prostitution” to “commercial sex.”

Senate Bills 515-517 aim at expanding hearsay exceptions beyond domestic violence cases to include human trafficking victims' statements; broadening statutes regarding admission of prior similar acts; and aiding jurors in considering an abuser’s or trafficker’s intentions concerning offenses.

Attorney General Nessel leads efforts against human trafficking through prosecutions under state law, collaborations with law enforcement task forces via the Human Trafficking Unit, training initiatives, and community outreach programs. The department has trained over 3,000 agencies, charged 35 individuals, and secured 29 convictions related to trafficking.

Individuals suspecting human trafficking can contact the National Human Trafficking Resource Center at any time through its toll-free hotline or text service. Further information on the Attorney General's initiative is available on her website.