Senator Chang’s statement is as follows:
In August, Latricia Brown was stalked and murdered in her workplace by her estranged ex-husband Mario Green at Henry Ford Health’s main hospital in Detroit. She had been stalked for a long time and was fearful of what might happen next. She had actually been granted a personal protection order but that order had not yet been served. In her July 20 petition for a PPO, she said, I have tried being cordial because I feel that the system has now let me down each time that I have tried to make reports on this man. My father was murdered and now with this situation, I am now in mental distress and scared, not knowing what to do, where I have PTSD of this whole situation. I have to constantly look over my shoulder to make sure this man is not following me to hurt me like he has done in the past with physical abuse. I am asking for help before this goes too far and things are too late.
Latricia’s PPO was never served on her ex-husband and so on August 22, he entered the basement of the hospital, pulled out a handgun, and shot Latricia several times. She is no longer with us.
Michigan, as we’ve heard, is an outlier in the United States where 43 states, the District of Columbia, and two territories require that PPO service take place free of charge. In Michigan, the cost to serve a PPO can include not just a service fee but mileage traveled which can easily amount to $100 or more. Costs vary from county to county so a PPO survivor in one county might have to pay twice as much in another county to ensure their safety. Some counties like Chippewa, Mackinac, and Midland have already eliminated the fee requirement, recognizing that this is just good policy. Others like Antrim, Genesee, and Delta have a free or low-cost sliding scale in place. The law currently allows a victim to identify a friend or family member to serve the PPO but that can clearly lead to a dangerous situation.
Senate Bill Nos. 611 and 612 will require that a PPO be served as soon as practicable within 72 hours at no cost to the victim by a law enforcement agency as designated by a judge. This requirement was changed specifically due to suggestions from the Michigan Sheriffs’ Association. The designated law enforcement agency would be reimbursed for the cost of service from the personal protection order service fund, for which we were pleased to secure an initial $1 million which is likely enough to cover service statewide this year. Future legislatures, though, must make sure the PPO service fund is funded adequately.
The Violence Against Women Act ensures that a PPO granted in one state must be enforced equally in any state, but victims in Michigan are currently being left behind if they are unable to pay to serve their PPO. I know that it takes a lot of courage for someone who is experiencing domestic violence to ask for help. To share details of what one has gone through, put it on paper, and file a petition for a PPO for a judge to consider is a truly brave and extraordinary step. When someone is reaching out for help and trying to protect themselves, we should not put up a financial barrier to their safety. Quite simply, it is time that we remove this unnecessary and dangerous barrier for those experiencing domestic violence, stalking, harassment, or assault. The impact of this legislation will be felt not just by victims but also their families and innocent witnesses like Latricia Brown’s co-workers. Thank you especially to the Senator from the 24th District for her partnership on this legislation, along with Wayne County Prosecutor Kym Worthy, the Michigan Coalition to End Domestic and Sexual Violence, and the Michigan Domestic and Sexual Violence Prevention and Treatment Board.
I urge your support for this bipartisan bill package to improve public safety in our communities and support survivors.
The following bill was read a third time:
Senate Bill No. 612, entitled
A bill to amend 1961 PA 236, entitled “Revised judicature act of 1961,” by amending section 2950a (MCL 600.2950a), as amended by 2018 PA 146, and by adding sections 2950d and 2950p.
The question being on the passage of the bill,
The bill was passed, a majority of the members serving voting therefor, as follows: