A package of resentencing legislation—House Bills 4506, 4507, and 4508, introduced by Rep. Sarah Lightner—is moving forward in the Michigan House after a Judiciary Committee vote on June 25. The bills would establish harsh new sentencing minimums in response to recent Michigan Supreme Court rulings that prohibited mandatory life without parole sentences for individuals who were 19 or 20 years old at the time of their offense.
Rather than honoring the Court’s direction for meaningful resentencing, the bills propose:
- Minimum sentences between 35 and 50 years
- Maximum sentences of at least 80 years
- Mandatory consecutive sentences for related offenses
MI-CEMI opposes these bills, which would sharply restrict judicial discretion and entrench extreme sentencing practices that have already been found unconstitutional by the state’s highest court.
What Happened in Committee
During the June 25 hearing in the House Judiciary Committee, Representatives Kara Hope, Tyrone Carter, and Amos O’Neal introduced two amendments to mitigate the most punitive aspects of the bills:
- One amendment would have limited consecutive sentencing to cases involving multiple murders.
- Another would have changed the sentencing range to 25–60 years to align with current resentencing standards for 17- and 18-year-olds.
The committee’s Republican majority rejected both amendments. The bills were then voted out of committee without changes, along party lines, and advanced to the full House for second reading.
Rep. Hope stated, “These bills don’t follow the Supreme Court’s mandate — they bury it. Young people deserve a meaningful second chance. Instead, these bills create new burdensome sentences.” Rep. Carter added, “Republicans pretend to offer a path forward, but they leave young people stuck in the past.”
Testimony from Impacted Leaders
Among those who testified was Monica Jahner, a longtime advocate, vice president of the board of Safe & Just Michigan, and a leader with ARRO/NWI Lansing. Jahner, who was formerly incarcerated for 28 years, spoke directly to the committee about the need for judicial discretion and the harms of excessive sentencing.
Her testimony reflected the lived experience of many directly impacted people and underscored the real-life consequences of policies that eliminate individualized review.
Ongoing Community Opposition
Numerous MI-CEMI member organizations—including Safe & Just Michigan, ACLU of Michigan, and FAMM—submitted written testimony opposing the legislation. The Sentencing Project also submitted a letter urging lawmakers to reject the bills and instead support HB 4211, which centers on reentry support and services.
MI-CEMI will continue working alongside coalition partners to oppose these bills as they move to the full House. These proposals run counter to community-informed goals to reduce excessive sentences and expand meaningful opportunities for release.