The Read by Grade Three law was passed in 2016 to combat the low literacy rates.
Education leaders say Michigan is in a "literary crisis," with the state's third grade students testing on the lower end of the 50 states nationally during the M-STEP or National Assessment of Education Progress (NAEP). The Read by Grade Three law was passed in 2016 to combat the low literacy rates.
Read more at wzzm13
Some states, including Georgia, have put similar programs in place, and the federal government is also working to improve resources for those in need of immediate mental health services.
Once installed, operators could connect callers with local care providers and resources, including up-to-date availability of psychiatric and substance abuse services.
Read more at mLive.com
A study of 1,005 Michigan drivers found that 53% of insured drivers have just “heard of it” or are “not at all familiar” with the no-fault auto insurance law that goes into effect after July 1.
“The law is complex, regarding personal injury protections,” said Ruthanne Sudderth, senior vice president of public affairs and communications at Michigan Health & Hospital Association, which commissioned the study ahead of a public education campaign it plans to launch in the spring.
Read more at Lansing State Journal
Michigan State Police launches criminal investigation after possible flawed breathalyzer test results
In a letter written to police and prosecutors statewide, state police officials warned law enforcement agencies about “performance-related issues” with the Datamaster DMT breathalyzer devices, according to The Detroit News. Such issues could affect drunken driving cases.
Read more at WXYZ Detroit
Photos or video, however, are prohibited unless approved by a judge.
The public can now bring electronic devices into courtrooms to take notes, use the internet or exchange email and text messages.
Read more at WZZM13
The federal minimum age for purchasing any tobacco products, including e-cigarettes, jumped to 21 on Dec. 20.
Michigan 18-year-olds can vote, buy rifles or register for the military draft, yet they are now too young to legally buy cigarettes or vaping devices.
Read more at the Detroit Free Press
On Dec. 16th, a new state law took effect to combat "porch pirates."
On Monday, a new state law takes effect to close the gap. If caught stealing, mail thieves could face fines and up to a year in jail. Repeat offenders could face up to five years in prison.
Read more at Fox17
Grand Rapids City Commission adopts a new weapons ordinance.
The current firearms ordinance has received only a few updates since it went into effect in 1967. The new ordinance goes into effect April 1, 2020.
The City Commission this evening voted to repeal the City’s firearms ordinance and replace it with a new weapons ordinance.
Read more at the official City of Grand Rapids Website
"In February, in the case of Timbs v. Indiana, a unanimous Supreme Court ruled that the Excessive Fines Clause of the Eighth Amendment applies to state and local governments (as well as the federal government) and that it constrains civil asset forfeitures. Civil asset forfeiture policies enable law enforcement agencies to seize property that they suspect might have been used in a crime—including in many cases where the owner has never been convicted of anything, or even charged.
To determine if a forfeiture would be "grossly disproportional" and unconstitutional under the Excessive Fines Clause, the Indiana Supreme Court devised a three-factor test. First, Hoosier courts will now have to consider the "harshness of the punishment," which may include considering if the forfeiture would remedy the harm cause by the offense and to what extent, as well as property's value and role in the offense.
Judges will also need to determine what effect forfeiting the property would have on the owner. After all, courts already consider a person's economic resources when it comes to levying court costs and civil punitive damages.
"The owner's economic means—relative to the property's value—is an appropriate consideration," Chief Justice Rush wrote. "To hold the opposite would generate a new fiction: that taking away the same piece of property from a billionaire and from someone who owns nothing else punishes each person equally."
Second, courts in Indiana must determine the "severity of the offense," which includes examining statutory penalties, the sentence imposed, and the harm cause by the crime. Finally, judges will also be required to consider an owner's culpability and "blameworthiness for the property's use as an instrumentality of the underlying offenses." A forfeiture may be unconstitutionally excessive "if a claimant is entirely innocent of the property's misuse."
Read more at reason.com
The application process for getting a criminal record sealed from public view in Michigan can be daunting.
But before you even apply, figuring out whether you're eligible can be confusing.
A recent study by two University of Michigan Law professors found that expungement leads to higher earnings and low recidivism rates. Yet, the professors estimate that more than 90% of people who qualify don't apply within five years of becoming eligible.
Read more at Detroit Free Press
