LANSING, Mich. (April 14, 2022) — Today, Sen. Stephanie Chang (D-Detroit) issued the following statement about Senate Resolution 127, introduced by Senate Minority Leader Jim Ananich (D-Flint), to censure Sen. John Bizon (R-Battle Creek) after he was convicted on assault and battery charges in March:

“It was distressing to hear of a colleague across the aisle being convicted for inappropriately touching a nurse practitioner during a medical consultation at a local urgent care. It is also incredibly disturbing to me and many of my colleagues that we have seen zero repercussions from the Senate body for his actions.

“It is very disappointing that after all the bipartisan work we did on the Michigan Senate’s harassment policies, sexual harassment still appears not to be taken seriously. It is unacceptable that he is being permitted to keep his staff, office resources, and committee chair positions. The Senate needs to hold this individual accountable for their actions. As leaders of this state, we should be held to a higher standard of conduct in both our professional and personal interactions.”

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*Note: Sen. Ananich’s speech about Senate Resolution 127 during Senate session on Thursday, April 14, 2022, can be watched on his Twitter page here.