Bipartisan Michigan House bills call for prison reforms, prioritizing accountability
A bipartisan group of Michigan lawmakers has introduced legislation aimed at safety and transparency at Michigan's state prisons in the aftermath of recent inmate deaths.
House Bills 5920 and 5921 have been referred to the House Judiciary Committee. The bills were led by Rep. Jennifer Wortz, R-Quincy, and Karl Bohnak, R-Deerton. There are several co-sponsors, including Rep. Laurie Pohutsky, D-Livonia, who wrote a letter last week co-signed by over 30 current and former lawmakers demanding the immediate resignation of Heidi Washington as director of the Michigan Department of Corrections.
"It has been tragically apparent that more accountability is needed," Wortz said about the corrections department.
The proposed legislation would expand the authority of the Legislative Corrections Ombudsman to investigate complaints that are made by corrections employees, family members of prisoners, or corrections officers and prisoner advocates. None of them has the authority under current law to pursue an investigation; that resource is limited to prisoners or legislators.
The ombudsman office would also have the authority to access specific records such as medical, mental health and mortality records without special release forms.
In the meantime, the ombudsman would be required to publish annual and monthly public reports that detail how complaints were resolved.
"The people of this state deserve to know with confidence that correctional facilities are operating safely, lawfully, and with full transparency. Anything less would be a betrayal of our duty as lawmakers to faithfully serve the people of Michigan," Wortz said.
The Pohutsky letter listed four inmate deaths during April and May in the state prison system: those of Colton Mitchell on April 15, Devin Hurst on April 23, Khaira Howard on May 13, and Rebecca Fackler on May 17. Howard and Fackler both died at the Women's Huron Valley Correctional Facility in Washtenaw County.
