LANSING — Sen. Sylvia Santana (D-Detroit) has issued the following statement after her ‘Raise the Age’ legislation passed the Senate Judiciary and Public Safety Committee this morning with support from both Democrats and Republicans.
Senate Bills 92, 95, and 102 would require the Michigan judicial system to treat 17-year-olds as juvenile offenders rather than as adults, and prohibit them from being placed in adult prisons and jails.
“Being a child is about making mistakes and learning from them, and that’s what this legislation allows. By law, 17-year-olds can’t buy cigarettes, can’t vote and can’t serve in the military — they’re juveniles — and they should be treated that way in the judicial system. By passing this bill out of committee, we’re giving the next generation of children an opportunity to rehabilitate and become productive members of society, with futures beyond the crimes they committed. I thank my colleagues on this committee for their support, and hope the full Senate will swiftly pass this legislation so we can get it to Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s desk as quickly as possible.”
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